Is this the world I'm working so hard to be a part of??

Still in shock, I will do my best to explain my approach to the scenario detailed in "Talking Shop: School Technology Coordinator Gets Lesson in Ethics".

First of all, this school district that Toni Bowers was hired by certainly has no coherent technology plan in place. It was incredibly obvious as the scenario unfolded. How can any technology director - I'm referring to the previous one - install ANY technology without proper funding, protection, and infrastructure. Not only did that director drop the ball, but he apparently wasn't held accountable to the district for anything.

So the first major task Toni faces is to restore the email server. First, how is Toni supposed to find out exactly what clogged the server without investigating thoroughly. Second, doesn't the school have an email policy. Every source I consult tells me that almost all school districts with a serious technology plan has an email policy and that an email - the object - is property of the school district, therefore Toni should absolutely be allowed to forward questionable material on to the proper channels.

It is absolutely deplorable that Toni ended up being harassed over this. Teachers were told Toni was snooping? Teachers were told ANYTHING period? How does this become public knowledge? The amount of unprofessionalism from the principal down blew me away. Evidence continued to mount up, for example, students prove that a teacher showed them how to bypass the web filter, and the principal's IP address keeps coming up as attempting to access blocked sites. Yet, Toni still was not able to fight it.

Maybe this is the young, inexperienced side of me coming out, but this is how I feel. I absolutely would have done the same thing as Toni. No one is going to scare me out of coming forward. I cannot believe that at the time of hire I would not be told that if I came accross any objectionable material I would be obligated to bring it to the attention of my superiors. Can the district really fire me over it? I find that hard to believe. I find inappropriate content, I stop a teacher from illegal sexual actions with a student, expose the principal's lack of integrity, you would think a district would appreciate the opportunity to clean house and bring in truly honorable professionals. I understand that initially the district might deal with some negative press, but that will soon turn positive when they act approrpiately. Is brushing all these horrible acts under the carpet worth it just to save face? Not in the world I live in. And, if I would be treated as Toni was, I would find another job anyway as soon as possible. That kind of district is not who I want to work for.

Period.