Is My School Allowed to Do This?

[Heartcafe]

(Just to let you know, class ended for me back in June but this question has been popping in my head.)
Alright, so for about a year now, our school has implemented a "Big Brother" watch over school computers. More specifically, allowing teachers watch student screens and interact with them via their own desktop. They did this to make sure students aren't accessing Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr etc during school hours which make sense I guess. Of course, eventually some people at school found a loop hole by bring in their own laptops from home instead of using the public laptops at school.
But then the school decided to counter it by forcing students to register their laptops with the school before allowing them access to the internet allowing the school to monitor the activity of anyone accessing the school's internet.
So I'm wondering, are they allow to do that?

Note: I know someone is going to pop the question: well, why don't they use their own mobile phones? Our classes are quite small so hiding isn't easy and our teachers aren't push overs. If anyone is caught with a mobile phone out, they loose it for a week in the teacher's drawers and nobody wants to lose their phone.

EDIT: Ok, since many people have said yes, I have a follow up question. If someone is caught on Facebook etc, are they (the school) allowed to browse through the person's profile for information through said person's log in?

 

[sms_117b]

Yes they are, Universities do it as a standard (in the UK), They will do the same with mobiles, and as a lot of school techies arn't mobile friendly that just mean no wi-fi for your mobile if you have to register your laptop.

 

[Cheesus333]

Sounds pretty strict. I wouldn't say they should do that, but given that it is, of course, their access to the internet that you're using, they probably have the right to survey what it's being used for.

 

[Stasisesque]

No one will be able to give you a definitive answer without knowing the intricacies of your country's laws surrounding education etc.

 

[Aris Khandr]

Yes, they're allowed to. There is no obligation to let anyone onto their WiFi network that they do not authorize.

You're at school for something like seven hours. I think you can live without Facebook for that period of time.

 

[Chibz]

They ARE allowed to, it's just that they SHOULDN'T do it.

Besides, there are less intrusive way to stop facebook/etc use.

 

[Lizardon]

Well I think the school could get into trouble if someone used their Internet connection to do something illegal so I can see why they implemented this, but surely simply blocking such sites (as my school did) would be more effective.

When you say 'interact with them' can the teachers actually take control of the computer and shut it down, or just tell the student that they've been caught?

 

[Jedoro]

You're using their internet and wi-fi, so yeah, it's perfectly legit to do that. My college campus has something like that. I mean, there's no *need* to check social networking sites while in school, so it's not really all that crazy to take steps to prevent it.

 

[FalloutJack]

No, because this isn't even a case of Sony and the PS3. It's YOUR fucking laptop.

 

[DasDestroyer]

Yep, they're allowed to do that. However, you could always, say, disable whatever software they use to watch you with a task manager...
>_>
<_<

 

[Aris Khandr]

No, because this isn't even a case of Sony and the PS3. It's YOUR fucking laptop.

And their internet connection. Your point doesn't really hold up.

 

[Aphex Demon]

No, because this isn't even a case of Sony and the PS3. It's YOUR fucking laptop.

I Lol'd.

 

[Gurppa]

Get linux on your laptop, they can't possibly make you install a whole OS just so that you can use the internet. (Hoping there isn't a software that works on linux)

 

[Merkavar]

my school had that like 10 years ago. teachers could look at your screen to make sure your not playing games or what ever.

2 little eyes would pop up at th top of your screen.

 

[FalloutJack]

No, because this isn't even a case of Sony and the PS3. It's YOUR fucking laptop.

And their internet connection. Your point doesn't really hold up.

Use of the internet cannot be denied since it's necessary for work purposes. Invasion of your effing laptop cannot be allowed because it's your laptop. Answer: The school has to cave in because they must further education and the completion of work. They are not paid to act as Big Brother. No, they really aren't.

 

[bentheiii]

if you're using THEIR internet connection, they have the right to monitor what you do with it.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Yeah they are allow to do it after all school suppose to be a place of education and learning which Facebook, Twitter etc are usually a distraction.
Before you asked I was in school before such things like Facebook was invented.

 

[not_you]

It is entirely within the school's rights to say, if you're using your own laptop that you have to register....

Because you are using the school's internet, therefore they have right to information...

although there should be a limit as to what they can monitor, like say, if you put in passwords and such, but within the limits you have explained, then it is entirely legal....

albeit a little pointless to bring in your own laptop unless it out-performs the shit out of the school ones...

 

[Aris Khandr]

No, because this isn't even a case of Sony and the PS3. It's YOUR fucking laptop.

And their internet connection. Your point doesn't really hold up.

Use of the internet cannot be denied since it's necessary for work purposes. Invasion of your effing laptop cannot be allowed because it's your laptop. Answer: The school has to cave in because they must further education and the completion of work. They are not paid to act as Big Brother. No, they really aren't.

Funny, I managed to get through school just fine without internet access. I'm sure many of us here did. Believe it or not, you do not need it all the time. If you want to use their internet access, you follow their rules.