Grant / January 2020

Repercussions of Cyber-Security Measures in U.S. High Schools

Public high schools in the United States have increasingly digitized administrative and instructional systems over the last twenty years. Consequently, the security and welfare of students has been a primary concern, as reflected in regulations like the Federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Yet some cybersecurity measures intended for children’s protection may cause them harm, for a variety of reasons regulators and designers may not have anticipated. This research will examine potential tensions around cybersecurity measures in schools, their assumptions about who counts as stakeholders, and the ensuing, if often unintentional effects on privacy, discipline, equity, and learning, in order to establish policies and procedures that do not further discriminate against vulnerable populations, inflict harm, or substantially diminish learning and social opportunities.