Reply to FCPS - Why can't teachers do one hour Zoom?

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Reply to "FCPS - Why can't teachers do one hour Zoom?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]PP hit the nail on the head: it is about privacy and security. ZOOM is not approved and will not be approved by FCPS because it does not protect students’ privacy. This is directly from the mouth of Maribeth Luftglass, the assistant superintendent for IT at FCPS. Principals asked specifically about using it, and this is the reason why.

Teachers are being trained to use Blackboard Collaborate which they can then use with their students. It’s not as fabulous as ZOOM, but it’s secure.

When friends ask why FCPS isn’t using ZOOM, please explain that it’s about security. It’s not about equity, because there is a tool for videoconferencing.

-a principal [/quote]

Dear Principal,

I run the IT department for a federal agency.  We use Zoom.  It's plenty secure for PII.

So when my friends ask, I tell them it's NOT about security, because it isn't.

If you believe it is, pls link to a reputable trade study that says why it is.  Heck, even something from IEEE, slashdot or Zimmerman's blog would do.

Signed - a guy that manages secure IT systems.

[/quote]

Um...

For a techie you know very little about security for children.

That is what the principal is talking about.

Zoom gives adult teachers unmonitored access from their homes to the students homes, and in the case of teens and high school kids, it will often be the kids bedrooms.

99.99% of the teachers and students will not be of a concern.

The concern, especially in a district as large as fcps, is that .01% of teachers as well as students who lack judgment as to what is appropriate (a teacher in anothe thread expressed concerns about her image being screen shot, manipulated and posted online which is a genuine concern. )

So when the principal is talking about "security" he is not talking about the same thing as you, who is working with equals (all adults) in a professional setting.[/quote]

Dp here.

Isn't that true of any video conferencing application?

I'm unaware of any in home geofencing application for regular video conferencing applications.

[/quote]

My understanding is that with the school based software the schools have a paper trail, where for an outside platform like zoom there is no way for the schools to monitor when and how they are interacting

Also, the kids use a school specific email that runs through the school platform.  They cannot use that email for outside programs, so it would be their personal email.  It might be the same for the teachers as well.[/quote]

Zoom generates an attendee list.  Most conferencing platforms also include timestamps for when attendees join and exit a meeting.  Depending on how its configured they should be able to set it up to generate and archive those reports  if there are accusations of improper conduct.

I don't really see an issue with using an outside email.  It's not difficult to get people to start using such systems now, and then role out an "official" long term solution later on that uses in school email systems and report generation.  Presumably that is what other school systems and privates have done.[/quote]

FCPS is the 10th largest school system in the US. If school systems that are about the same size are doing this roll out with using an outside email and then switching over later, tell us which ones they are. I have a hard time imagining huge organizations are doing that. And please don’t cite “other school systems and privates” as an example to look to. My guess is that those small districts and stand alone private schools are running loose and free with privacy issues. [/quote]

Then so be it.  We're in a crisis, we worry about privacy, equity and various lawsuits later.

Either we care about helping the most number of people as soon as possible, or we wait for perfection.  I'd prefer the former rather than the later.[/quote]

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