By: Jyllian Roach, Editor-In-Chief | Graphic By: Jonathan Gamboa, Production Manager
Internet Censorship Raises Concerns About Academic Freedom
The school’s use of a website blocker is inappropriate in an academic environment, said full-time CHSS instructor Felecia Caton-Garcia.
The blocker, known as IronPort, is an important part of internet security on campus, said Director of Customer Support Services for the IT department Michael Schalip. But Caton- Garcia said that it creates many problems for students and faculty.
The blocker interferes with her ability to teach a few times a month, she said. It has stopped her from accessing legitimate websites, such as that of performance artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña and any number of sites which refer to comic books as graphic novels by labeling these sites as adult/ sexually explicit content, she said.
“Adult content is such a broad term. It’s tagged by users. If a site has been complained about, it becomes an adult site,” said Caton-Garcia. “With regards to academic freedom, it seems to me crucial that an institution of higher education would allow faculty unfettered access to material.”