LanSchool Monitoring Application: Useful Or An Invasion of Privacy?
May 21, 2018
This month the Plymouth-Canton Technology Department (PCTD) installed an app on all middle schoolers Chromebooks called “LanSchool”. LanSchool is an application that teachers in the district now use to monitor students Chromebooks during class. Most students think that this is an invasion of privacy, but teachers are thinking that this is a new way to supervise their students and encourage them to make better choices when it comes to paying attention in their classes.
LanSchool allows teachers to see students screens, send the teachers screen to the entire class, and pause students monitors so they would pay attention to the task at hand. The management software can also collect and assign homework to students via their laptops. “LanSchool helps teachers more effectively communicate with students within the classroom.” States the LanSchool website.
Mr. Wooster is one of the few teachers piloting the new application on the laptops at West. He volunteered so he could see the benefits of this new way to check on students. Mr. Wooster told us that the application would not be an invasion of privacy for the students because the app will not be used at home. LanSchool is only meant to be used during the class period and not after nor before. The addition to the students Chromebooks is meant to help, and not hurt.
As you know, Mr. Wooster’s 6th grade Social Studies and 21st Century Skills class’ are based around the usage of the laptops; so Mr. W thought that this would be a good opportunity to check on his students. He stated, “As most students know there are 2 or 3 students in every class that cannot self-monitor their Chromebooks. They are watching videos, listening to music or playing games instead of using the Chromebook to complete assignments and research. These students are aware that what they are doing is not appropriate and will be ready to close a tab or hide what they are really doing when teachers approach their workspace. This tool allows teachers to monitor the few that are off task.”
Although the application does have some learning benefits, students still feel that this is unnecessary and quite ridiculous. Alayna Calma, a seventh-grader at West Middle School states, “Kids are still gonna go on their Chromebooks and play [games] whether or not the app is on the Chromebooks.” Johnathan Monteith, also a West seventh grader; agrees with this statement saying that “Teachers should trust us more.”
Whether you agree or disagree with the new LanSchool application, there are some benefits to having a classroom management software.
Seth • Mar 7, 2022 at 11:17 am
Not only is LanSchool uncalled for, it is an invasion of privacy (basically a spyware system), it’s a threat to student’s and families, and it is harmful to students mental health. LanSchool was NEVER mentioned in any documents or agreements that we had to sign in order to have the laptops, making it EXTREMELY uncalled for and makes the school untrustworthy. If they were going to add a monitoring control to the teachers they should’ve notified the students and parents instead of adding it and students just finding out eventually. It’s extremely inappropriate behavior and irresponsible of the school to not even teach parents about this software on their child’s laptops. Since LanSchool not only allows teachers complete freedom to view their student’s screens, but also logs our passwords it is a MAJOR threat to all families who have children with this extension. If anyone were to hack into this software they would have easy access to many student’s passwords which are most likely going to be the same passwords to private accounts that can be tracked and things like IP’s and addresses could be accessed. This is a huge threat if any sort of data leak happened, which isn’t a rare occurrence. These private accounts could be tracked back to find information about the students, then to the parents, and then to the parent’s private information. This is extremely harmful and now in the current day with the technology we have, IP’s are extremely easy to find. LanSchool should not be an exception to respecting student’s privacy and privacy should be a basic human right. Although there is authority in the schools and of course there needs to be and there can’t be complete anarchy, but this is leaning into less of a republic or democracy and instead changing it to a Dictatorship. With teachers and schools having access to private information that poses a threat, not only to the students privacy, but the CBSD families of the student’s information and well-being. There are also other repercussions to this software. When students feel as if they are being monitored constantly it greatly impacts their behavior and mental being. It makes school feel less like school and more like a high security prison where they have no freedom and are constantly being monitored. Unknown to some who have not been told about the software.
f%$k Lanschool • Dec 12, 2019 at 9:18 am
this is wrong i feel like i have eyes on me constantly in a super creepy way
Anonymous • Nov 13, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Okay so it says it would turn off at home but like hello its still on here and im at home…
Booker Scott • Feb 14, 2019 at 10:34 am
LAN School may be helpful to keep people on task but it still feels like an invasion of privacy.
Anon • Nov 5, 2018 at 3:39 am
Even most of our teachers don’t use it. They even agree it’s an invasion of privacy.
Finn Owsley • Oct 19, 2018 at 12:53 pm
I Agree and until read this i didnt know LanSchool was a thing.
Anonymous • May 23, 2018 at 8:13 am
Agree
finn st john • May 22, 2018 at 8:26 am
I hate lanschool its evil I don’t think we need it this just proves are teachers don’t trust us to do our work
Alex Proctor • May 22, 2018 at 5:22 pm
Well, at least it can get us back on task, but yeah! I agree, Finn!