By Tye Nielsen and Keaton Wise

Twitter and the Internet are used widely throughout the Atlantic High School building.  Students use them for both communication and school work.

Twitter is one of the few social networks unblocked at AHS.   Junior Leah Tjepkes said, “Certain classes use Twitter to get news out to other students.”  One of these classes is Allison Berryhill’s Journalism class.  Berryhill uses Twitter as a form of sharing story ideas throughout the school.  Students can do this by using the following–or contributing–to the hashtag #AHSstory.

The Internet contracts were to be turned in by Oct. 31.  If students failed to turn in their contract, their internet privileges were suspended. Teacher Derek Bair said, “It [internet] should be used for something academic, not personal.” Bair doesn’t think students are using the Internet appropriately because they are using it to use Twitter, which can spread hateful things and rumors.  Students are also using the internet to play games.

According to the student handbook and vice principal Josh Rasmussen, a student violating the internet policy can have his or her internet privileges taken away.  The first violation is 45 school days and the second violation is 90 school days.  These rules only apply to students using a school computer or Wi-Fi.  Students can use their own internet data from their mobile devices for internet use without violating the schools internet policy.  Rasmussen also said, “Once you put something on Twitter, you can’t take it back.”

Senior Sam Hayes said there was nothing he would change about the internet policy and twitter use: “Nay.” Nor does he know why Twitter is unblocked at school.

Junior Landon Stark says that most students are using the Internet correctly.  Incorrect use could mean a student is playing games or accessing inappropriate sites.