Douglas Washington | rwashington24@dtechhs.org

New students, new teachers, and among the most controversial, the reinforcement of the chromebook policy.

These are all things that struck juniors and seniors who have gotten used to the relaxed rules of previous years. Previously, students who had access to their own personal laptops freely brought them to school, using them for classes and replacing their chromebook. Yet unknown to most students, this act violates one of the Community Handbook’s policies. This policy states that “Students must use their Chromebook at all times. Students in violation of this rule will be asked to turn in their laptops and collect them at the end of the day.”. While to many students, this rule may seem irrational, there are two reasons for it.

The first reason is security. One of the top three risks identified at a March 2021 security webcon was allowing unmanaged personal devices to attach to school networks. Network administrators have no way of updating these operating systems, downloading the most recent antivirus software, or controlling already infected machines. The second reason is equity. d.tech believes that all students should have equal access to technology while learning. Allowing the usage of personal laptops can potentially widen this learning gap.

To gain a broader understanding, Senior Madeline Hsu surveyed the student body. The first question asked whether or not the reader would like to bring their own laptop to school. A majority of 41% answered yes. Furthermore, only 19% of students think this policy makes the school more equitable, and even fewer think that using a personal laptop creates an unfair learning environment. For many students, these needs are not without reason. Flipping through the written responses, many students require their own laptops to engage in club activities, pursue personal projects in dlab, and many other reasons. Additionally, some students shared their opinions related to the matter, many of which claim that it is impossible to create a completely equitable learning environment. This begs the question, will there ever be a solution that satisfies both sides?

To wrap things up, both arguments have their reasons. Students would like to use their personal devices, but the school would like to preserve a secure and equitable learning environment. Students want faster computers, but the school wants a sturdy foundation. In the end, striking a balance between these two is what everyone wants and when change comes forth, both sides must be open to listening.

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