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School IT Failing to protect our Children

From: "HORACE MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL"
Date: September 29, 2017 at 2:32:33 PM EDT
To:xxxxx
Subject: A Message From Dr. Cobbs
Reply-To: email@blackboard.com

A message from HORACE MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Good Afternoon:

Today in fifth grade a student was able to access inappropriate content via the Chromebook. The teacher immediately observed the content, removed the device from the classroom and reported the incident to the lead teachers. I was informed of the issue and relevant families were notified. Additionally, the city's IT Department was contacted and my expectation is that the firewall and other security measures are addressed immediately. I ask that you partner with my team in reviewing Internet safety and acceptable technology use. While children this age will naturally experiment with ideas, we must continue to support them with reminders and expectations for digital safety.



Thank You,

Dr. Cobbs

Re: School IT Failing to protect our Children

There is absolutely not one iota of reason to trust that this school or city administration is competent to protect the students, nor that it actually cares. The city has had an abysmal track record when it comes to cybersecurity (didn't you read about how the police department had to pay in bitcoin to get its files and even dispatch capability back from hackers????!!!!). This mayor has raided the student information files to get parent cell phone numbers so that he can use them for his political PR purposes, over and over again. There is no "firewall" in a city that has one IT director--for city, schools and police (a totally unacceptable condition in any community that did not want to be what amounts to a dictatorship). The citizens have been made aware of this situation for a number of years and couldn't give the proverbial rat's hind end. Sure, lots of people, industries, institutions have had cybersecurity troubles all over the world. But Melrose is the perfect setting for the total cyber disaster, with everything funneling through one individual and zero checks and balances. It's your own fault, people! Wake up and let the outrage lead to some meaningful consequences!

Re: School IT Failing to protect our Children

IT guy and his wife the City Engineer were a package deal. They can commute together from Wakefield.

Re: School IT Failing to protect our Children

IT SHOULD NOT BE WORKING FOR THE SCHOOLS. HE SHOULD BE FIRED.