Reply To: School and Internet

#633940
SJSinNYC
Member

To answer the question: YES, the school has the right to make its own rules.

As to whether its the right thing to do? NO

Remember, just because you have the RIGHT to do something, doesnt make it the RIGHT thing to do..

Torahis1, I agree 100% with this statement.

My sister needs the internet because she is deaf – its her primary form of communication with most people (and much easier than using TTY/VCO). It opened a new world to her when she could communicate with others in the same way as everyone else was doing. She got a “heter” from the Lakewood rabbonim – she had to have a lock on the door to the room and a lock on the computer and not let the kids use the internet.

What I laugh about though, is that if the internet is so treif, there should be no kosher people on it that she needs to communicate with. Also, email is technically enough for her, but no one said “just email.” I personally think the rabbonim have banned things like internet is inconsistent. It would make sense if the rabbonim came out and said “If you need the internet for work, then you are allowed to use it for work and nothing else.” However, that would generally put places like YWN out because most of their clientele cannot visit. I really don’t understand the attitude of if you need the internet for work, its ok to use it for other things. The people I know who use internet “for work only” also surf plenty of other sites.