Recently many websites were banned on the school computer, including Cool Math Games, most YouTube videos and other websites. Students have different opinions on this, maybe some are glad that the games and other websites won’t distract them anymore. Others are mad because there’s nothing to do during free time. Along with the games being banned many other websites that teachers and students use are also banned. 

A Centennial student, Amelia Bowdan, said “I am so annoyed by that, because they took away Cool Math Games, and now we can’t have a competition to see who can beat each other in all of the color games. Also when I am done with my school work, everything’s banned so I just have to sit there. There are no pros to the blocking of all the websites. They even blocked my gmail so now I can’t email my teachers about my grade. I am also annoyed because I can’t play Super Mario and I was going to beat Miranda(me) in that. I also can’t play Tyrons Unblocked Games because they blocked that website too. When I’m researching stuff half of the websites are blocked and I can’t click on like any of the links.”

Another Centennial student, Thomas Huberka, said, “I don’t like it because now I’m always bored in class.”

An anonymous student said, “Honestly I’m kind of glad about the banning. I mean I feel bad for other students who really liked playing the games, but it’s now easier for me to focus during class. Even if I wasn’t playing games, most of the time someone in front or next to me was and I wouldn’t be able to pay attention to the teacher or my work. I would be focused on their game.”

A Centennial teacher, Mrs Lamb states, “I struggle with the fact that it eliminates some things that teachers use for different purposes, such as one that I used called “Brazillia” that worked on logic problems and inferencing. But in general I am for it because the games are such a distraction to kids.”

Another student, Hayden Mayfield says, “I feel like they went over the top with the banning. Like of course some sites that distract students should be banned, but other educational sites are banned which is a misfortune.”

Edward Valdez, an 8th grader says, “I thinks its very stupid because if kids are done with their work, what are they going to do? Just sit there?”

A student who would like to keep their name anonymous said, “I understand why they would band some websites such as Cool Math Games and other games but they didn’t just ban those ones. They also banned many school resources. It has limited my ability to get evidence and quotes for my school projects, such as my essay in language arts, my history project and inspiration for my art projects during art class. Also in many of my classes we watch a video to explain our subject or as a time filler while other students finish their work. Sometimes we are instructed to watch it by ourselves on our computer with headphones, but instead we now have to watch it on the big screen together. I wouldn’t have a problem with this but the students who aren’t finishing a project, that is their time to finish it and get help from the teacher. Instead they have to go out in the hallway when they could have been working in a quiet and nice environment such as the classroom.”

The banning of all websites besides main school websites has had positive and negative results. There are mixed opinions on whether or not it was a good idea. But most people are not very happy about it.