Students Corner

by Daniel Hoyle, CHS Student Writer

As you may have heard, FCPS has decided to remove students’ ability to connect to the school wi-fi network on their devices (non-FCPS-issued computers and phones). This comes after a myriad of controversial I.T. decisions, including disallowing students from connecting personal devices who used a VPN (virtual private network) to bypass the network’s already extensive trackers.

These decisions have affected me personally, and they affect the student body as well. Personal computers allowed students to have a more efficient workspace that they could use at school and home with an increased capacity. Personal computers also gave students some choice in what type of platform they were using and felt comfortable with (think Mac vs. Windows). However, most of the complaints from students will come from them not being able to use their phones to connect to the internet.

Recently, teachers have been burdened by students who, instead of paying attention in class, like to watch movies and play games on their phones while in class. There isn’t a teacher to whom I’ve spoken who doesn’t have students in their classes who never get off their phones. Students’ grades have fallen sharply because of phone usage, and emails to parents often fall on deaf ears. FCPS’s job is to maintain the well-being of students and their staff, while also educating students and teaching them to be productive members of society. If a student spends their entire seven-hour school day on their phone, they aren’t accomplishing those responsibilities. If FCPS sees fit to remove students from accessing the internet, it is well within their right to do so.

The main issue that I have with this is the fact that students will not be able to message anyone during the school day. If you have ever been in Catoctin High School (CHS) and tried to use your cell phone without wi-fi , you know that the cellular service in the building is relatively nonexistent. This disproportionately affects CHS because other high schools in the county can still receive cell service in their buildings.

Ultimately, I think that FCPS’s decision is the right one, and I hope that it causes more of my fellow students to be more engaged in their scholastic activities. While I am disappointed that my ability to communicate with people over text is limited, I’m sure there will be other options that students will devise to be able to communicate. I know that students will be able to adapt, and I am hopeful that our community will be a better place without everyone being on their phones.