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School blocks phones on WiFi
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · October 08, 2015
Students took to social media at the beginning of the school year to complain about West Branch High School blocking phone access to its WiFi, and at the September Board of Education meeting, the reason came out: Bandwidth.
Superintendent Kevin Hatfield said the addition of laptops for all fifth-through-12th-grade pupils a few years ago stretched the ability of the districts 40-megabytes-per-second WiFi, so the district bumped up to 75Mbps, but users still saw slow service. Principal Shannon Bucknell told the West Branch Board of Education at the Sept. 21 meeting that “unless you’re on a district machine, you can’t get on our service,” even with a password.
Bucknell said the staff was “very blunt” with the students when they were told at the beginning of the year, “It’s not the school district’s responsibility to provide WiFi to phones.”
Outgoing School Board President Kathy Knoop asked if the change made laptops run the Internet faster.
“We’re still struggling,” Bucknell said.
Board Vice President Mike Colbert said he noticed the hashtag #WeWantWiFi on Twitter. He asked if it would be possible to allow access during downtimes, like lunch. Outgoing board member Deb Schreiber suggested opening the WiFi up for big events where students have to wait for long periods, like all-day Show Choir contests, since cell service is limited inside the high school.
Middle School Principal Sara Oswald agreed that cell phones do not work well inside the buildings.
“It’s like being in a cavern,” she said.
Hatfield said that in case of emergencies, parents can call school landlines.
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