Schoolboy gets detention for using Firefox

This is what makes monopoly like Microsoft possible. People don't have a clue what is out there. I mention Linux to people and they say what is that. Microsoft relies on people not being educated and some people being plain stupid, like the teacher in the example. Wait a minute, aren't teachers supposed to be smart? What's this one doing being a teacher? Guess that's why US is not Germany or Japan. We don't like to read textbooks and we watch Will Smith movies. Oh, and..Staples - that was EASY!

The kid got detention for disobeying, not for using Firefox...

If he goes to High School @ Redmond.edu

It's *really* funny that some of you seem to consider linux a realistic alternative to windows for the average public. You're detached from reality.

My sister got detention for the exact same thing. Of course, she had portable Firefox installed on her USB memory key, and it just so happens that the school's content filter works through only Internet Exploder. So yeah, she may have been using it to get around the content filter...but she wasn't actually going to any weird sites. She had to do some research on Shakespeare, and wouldn't you know that the school content filter blocks anything with any profanity in it. So much for "educational reason."

It is the lack of knowledge that lets this type of thing happen, but it also is a mechanism of control, no matter how unfounded.

It was worth the sacrifice.

"Foxfire.exe" ... :) :) :) :) :)

Sweet mother of Jesus! Troll-teachers making the rules in the XXI th century. 
Sue him, kiddo! Sue his brain out!

Since when was using any browser, firefox or not, work?

i'm bored and off work this week.. so i did some digging... cant find this guy named charles smith on their site... but here is a list of teachers and their email addresses including the principal.

http://www.bsisd.esc18.net/High_School/Big%20Spring%20High%20School/teacher%20sites/teachers.htm

by the way, will smith is a great actor.

The public school system has degraded greatly. Detention is now given for the most stupid reasons, although he was stupid for not complying. When told to close it he should have. Then when told to open the browser he should have opened the browser [firefox] gone to the homepage and shown that it is a browser, or opened IE and gone to firefox website. If teacher is too dense email the link to her later. Retention for doing classwork, wow gotta love the Public School system.

I am a Firefox fan just as any other person but this case shouldn't be blown into a browser issue..simply put he refused to obey the teacher. Its not like he was told to do anything life threatening; as a student he should have just complied.

I am all for firefox but Security Issues if said student installed said software from home portable app say may not go throught security / flilters say IE is set to go through.. So access can't be controled.. It is School and teacher/school district says what installs and what is used. 
I am using firefox now writing this. But most of the time in corporate or school enveriment the one broser installed and configured is IE with Spybot search and destroy resident playing controller.
visit spacesbox.com my website

I doubt the teacher in question was a computer science instructor, that would have made for a barrel of laughs. But if the subject was math, social science, science, languages... why should a teacher know the difference between Fires and Exploders? Did the teacher ask why the kiddo was using a 1980's era Clint Eastwood Cold War action/drama movie in class?

The teacher is specialized in their discipline. As am I. The teacher uses tools to get jobs done. As do I. I drive a car to and from work and play, but I certainly haven't a clue what brand fuel injector delivers the most efficient and better overall performance. Furthermore, why should I? Why should a teacher know or care about alternatives? Especially when the alternatives have so little impact in anything other than ethereal infused, fantasy level competitions?

The bottom line: if I'm not interested in it, and I don't spend 23 hrs a day online (opposite) then it has no impact on my life, my job, nor my ability to create rather readable, yet drudging sentences. Why should I care about the competition? I do, but tell me how it impacts me in real life.

Funny article though.

Oh my gah!!!!

We had a twonk like that when I was at school. Too long ago for computers, but twonk status was achieved by making everyone write in black ink, despite everyone having their own biro. Strangely, he was also proud of being incapable of operating a digital watch...

It is possible that the IE installed on the computers have active content blocking configured & proxy etc, and by using a different browser, he could pass the blocked content and surf freely which broke school regulations.

Just a theory :)


I got a disciplinary at work for installing 'Firefox', because it is 'unauthorised software'... Or maybe it was because everyone who works in our IT department is a moron and expects us to cope with IE6!

So what it this clowns email so we can all flame it?

when you're teaching something, you need to make sure that everyone is on the same applications. It doesn't matter that FF is better, if that's not the tool the teacher wants them to use, then you can't use it. Then being insubordinate when the teacher tells you this becomes a detention-deserving offense.

Except that if you read the whole thing it was a three day IN SCHOOL suspension.

Take the suspension. Forget the school's negligence. The comment above, oh ya. My girlfriend has friend's that get detention and suspension for stupid things like this all the time (maybe that's why Florida high schools are all rated C or below..). They really DON'T know what's best for the kids. Thanks for adding more sales tax last year for "bettering" our schools and wasting my money on teachers like this.

Well, I have taken it upon myself to write to the principal and his assistant and give them a little piece of my mind.

Should you choose to as well, their e-mails are provided here below:

Mr. John Scudder, High School Principal
jscudder@bigspring.k12.pa.us

Mr. Christopher Boyd, Assistant Principal
cboyd@bigspring.k12.pa.us

Education...emm...I suppose schools have heard of it, although it is really doubtfull.

I'm most interested in what happened to the kid and how this story got to this website in the first place. Are his parents gonna sue the school or make a crack at the teacher? Seriously, incompetent teachers. I know why the kid got the detention, but he was probably saying, "look, I'm trying to help the revolution here, I'm still doing my work as told, but I'm doing it different than others, can you let my creativity slide?"

That's my opinion.

Good practice for the real world, where most sane companies don't approve of employees running any old unauthorised software over their networks. I'm a Firefox fan, and do think the teacher overreacted, but that's life.

You'll notice that the school state that the detention letter being distributed has been "altered"

See http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

I emailed the district director along with the principle and vice principles on this. I can see why a specific browser may be required in certain cases (such as Javascript incompatibilities) but if there's no valid reason to request a student use a specific browser other than "I said so", then SHAME on that teacher, principle and school district! Limiting our great minds of tomorrow and TEACHING them how NOT to think outside the box and come up with new, innovative ways to learn is STUPID!

At my highschool last year i used firefox on the school system and recieved 5 days In school suspension for the incident simply for using it when the use wasn't even mentioned in my schools handbook. I was also duing research in my AP united states history class when the computer administrator ran into the room threw me in her office and gave me the suspension for in her words "Hacking" the school system when the Mozilla site wasn't even blocked. I'm ranked 5th in my senior class and i believe that the screwed up school systems would do as they say in the article.
High school senior MCA highschool Georgia

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2131

xbbdc, you can't find the teachers because a) it's probably fake/altered, and b) you're looking at a school in Texas, this school is in Pennsylvania.

Was it his own computer or the school's computer? If it was his, then he should be allowed to use whatever browser he wants to. If it was the schools, then he was wrong.

This reminds me of when I was at secondary school back in the early 90's (before the release of Windows 95). A friend of mine and I were friendly with the school IT technician and he gave us power user rights on the RM Network. This allowed us to change the standard boring layout of icons and add our own.

The thing is, a couple of the teachers didn't know this and noticed my friend's Program Manager screen. The teacher then shouted across the room "Why are you using Program Manager!?!?!?"

Little did the teacher realise that Program Manager was the default application for Windows 3.1 and was what the school used to launch applications.

I expect some teachers these days are just as clueless, maybe even some of the ICT teachers.

I guess the teacher in the Foxfire.exe story didn't realise that Firefox was a perfectly good (imo better) browser.

Rob

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2131

Thought this response was interesting for this article.

It was a hoax people move on
http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

http://<a href="http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130">This is a Hoax...</a>

The school -provided computers are tools, not toys. They are assets which are costly to buy and costly to maintain. Just as the bus driver has no say over what oil the maintenance department puts in the engine, the students have no say over what software to run on those computers.

The student should have complied without question, and nobody here or there should expect any teacher to have the necessary IT qualifications to determine the acceptability of any software that wasn't part of the delivered image.

It's disappointing that nobody here can see the business angle. Folks are too busy making anti-Microsoft commentary to recognize this for simple policy, security and managability issue that it is. Grow up folks. Stop cackling over the word "vole" just for one day and open your eyes.

-Brad

Response to Internet Hoax
December 17, 2007

Recently, a file was uploaded to the Internet purporting to be a copy of a letter from Big Spring High School to a student regarding a two hour detention. The uploaded letter was an altered version of a detention letter sent to a student. Unfortunately, privacy concerns prevent the School District from giving a full explanation of the nature and source of the letter’s alteration at this time. The Big Spring School District does have confirmation that the discipline letter was altered.

The reports, blogs and other sources on the Internet indicating that a Big Spring student was assigned detention for using the Firefox internet browser instead of Internet Explorer are untrue and were based on the fake letter. Detention is assigned in our schools after appropriate warnings are given, if students continue to engage in non-academic activities or fail to follow a teacher’s directive during class time discipline can and will be assigned.

Sincerely yours,

John C. Scudder

High School Principal

As per http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

You know what else gets around internet filters? Proxies.

But carry on with the outrage,

This was a hoax, check slashdot.org for details. Nothing to see here :)

I cringe at the thought of what would have happened to him had he used opera

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

The letter was apparently doctored as the world had its thong in a twist for a few hours.

Yeah no, hoax.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

According to the high school's website, this detention letter was altered, and this is a hoax. Seems to have worked.
http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

According to Slashdot's update, this is a hoax.

Guys, everything was a Hoax.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2131

Need I say more?...

It's a hoax...
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/07/12/17/1721232.shtml

I don't know about you folks, but have you noticed the person giving the detention wrote "Foxfire" instead of "Firefox"?

Anyway, the kid in question didn't obey the teacher, and was punished. Simple as that. The school must have had a policy in regards to students and third-party software. (probably in place due to malware potential of Windows).

Regardless, school isn't a democracy, its a dictatorship. Its an institution that has an adult as the ruler. There's nothing wrong with that, if the ruler is wise, guiding children to what is right or wrong, and open to new things. But the system becomes flawed when the ruler is ignorant and blindly following rules set by others.

What should the kid do?

Either be home schooled 
OR 
Seek the school's network admin for help, to assist with your scenario. (Fight the detention and prove your case).
OR 
Obey for now, use that frustration and ignorance of others to motivate you into contributing back to open source. Make what is good now, better for the future.

Its true, Microsoft is dominating and powerful. They have monetary resources to do things most companies dream of. They have worldwide "influence" in computing. But they rely on one important thing: ignorance.

What they're most afraid of is people realising about opensource solutions. More specifically, they are A LOT more worried about future programmers who write software under GPL v3. Have a think about why they introduced their own version of "open source" licenses and SourceForge.net? They try to emulate opensource, but its under THEIR interpretation.

There are many avenues through life, sometimes its better to take a moment to step back and have clarity to appropriately respond to the given situation.

Don't whinge, whine, complain about the problem, do something that solves it.

Posting the detention slip on the web doesn't solve the problem. It may gain you a brief moment of attention, but you're still getting the detention!

I see these comments about a Microsoft monopoly and that IE was required. How do you know he wasn't required to use Safari? Safari vs. Firefox...I'd also have to go with Firefox.



http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

ok clawhammer 17 who posted the following "really?
The kid got detention for disobeying, not for using Firefox..."

He was supposed to be on the internet doing his work and the teacher thought he was using a game or something. Assuming this because it did not say internet explorer. 

During my senior year of high school (I graduated this past June), we had this same problem. Not detentions, but definitely people getting kicked off the networks for a week, maybe two, always with detention threats, just for using Firefox. Same bit about how it gets around the network restrictions that only work through IE.

I personally used it for class projects - research blocked by the filters and what not - and they kicked me off for a week anyway. I even heard one kid say that a tech worker - a tech! - called it FoxFire on at least one occasion. (And no, I don't go to this guy's high school).


- Dan -

But according to the school's website, it's a hoax...

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

(I know this doesn't *prove* it's a hoax, but it seems likely.)


(I am bringing you news as it happens. Is this what internet journalism is all about?)

" Since when was using any browser, firefox or not, work?"

Its work when you have to use Internet Explorer...

You can't blame the teacher for this. As comment said only those who are IT savvy or have Firefox pushed in front of them know about it. I work as a tech at a State High School and our policy states that kids aren't allowed to bring .exe files onto the network anyway.

I also agree with clawhammer, if the rest of the class could do the work using IE then there's no reason this kid NEEDED Firefox to do his work and should have done what he's told.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130&PHPSESSID=ba6b071a3c6f46cd172cd882ff8f1fe7

The school is saying it was a doctored detention letter. The student was just having a joke at the internet. Nice one, kid.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

what do you expect, firefox has so many unpatched security vulnerabilities

Unfortunately, it appears it isn't:

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

The file name looks like it came from a *chan site.

Criminal regimes such as Microsoft, or the oil industry, exist because the public is not aware of the alternatives. The public believes this is the way computers are, and the bugs, viruses, tyrannical licensing, and endless upgrades is just the way it is. They believe that this is the leading-edge of technology, when in reality it is more like the stinky rear end of technology.

I support Linux and anything that is an alternative to the tyranny of the Microsofts of this world. Do not doubt for a second that given the chance Microsoft would exploit users far worse than they have done.

And all this says nothing about Microsoft's cooperation with US intelligence agencies. I know you must think this is paranoia, but I hope you have learned better since 9/11. They ARE out to get you. They are out to get your $$$ and take away your rights so you cannot oppose their profiteering! The "terror" is the corporate world!

Too bad, really.... <A HREF="http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130">
The letter.</A>

December 17, 2007

Recently, a file was uploaded to the Internet purporting to be a copy of a letter from Big Spring High School to a student regarding a two hour detention. The uploaded letter was an altered version of a detention letter sent to a student. Unfortunately, privacy concerns prevent the School District from giving a full explanation of the nature and source of the letter’s alteration at this time. The Big Spring School District does have confirmation that the discipline letter was altered.

The reports, blogs and other sources on the Internet indicating that a Big Spring student was assigned detention for using the Firefox internet browser instead of Internet Explorer are untrue and were based on the fake letter. Detention is assigned in our schools after appropriate warnings are given. If students continue to engage in non-academic activities or fail to follow a teacher’s directive during class time, discipline can and will be assigned.

Sincerely yours,

John C. Scudder

High School Principal



LOL this is redicilous.. really I would laugh so hard if I was that student... In Germany Firefox 
is the default browser in approx. 98% of all schools. That teacher should quit her job... dig a hole an burry his/her self for being so unworldly. Also I would be glad to take a 3 day vacation :D

People will do anything for attention these days it seems.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

What is funnier is that the kid owned theinquirer...not the school. This story is based on a fake document that was digitally altered...

newbs!

The story has been revealed to be a hoax, please update this piece to minimize the damage.

My school forced kids to use IE until some students got fed up with it and utterly destroyed the network inside out. Oh by the way it was thru a IE sercurity hole which hasnt been fixed yet after two years. sheash
<br>
PS: dont go to such extremes over a browser. It aint worth it. Even if it's by the monopolistic Vole in redmond.

Insubordination and sedition should be cause for detention. Perhaps he should learn to respect authoritay.

The letter was a hoax.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

This is a hoax.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

Well, not really. It was a student prank. 
Quote from the school website:

Recently, a file was uploaded to the Internet purporting to be a copy of a letter from Big Spring High School to a student regarding a two hour detention. The uploaded letter was an altered version of a detention letter sent to a student. Unfortunately, privacy concerns prevent the School District from giving a full explanation of the nature and source of the letter's alteration at this time. The Big Spring School District does have confirmation that the discipline letter was altered.

The reports, blogs and other sources on the Internet indicating that a Big Spring student was assigned detention for using the Firefox internet browser instead of Internet Explorer are untrue and were based on the fake letter. Detention is assigned in our schools after appropriate warnings are given, if students continue to engage in non-academic activities or fail to follow a teacher's directive during class time discipline can and will be assigned.

Sincerely yours,

John C. Scudder

High School Principal

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2131

they are outright denying the whole situation happened as described. I can't say I'm surprised.

According to the school's principal.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

That is Big Spring High School in PA not in TX.

Emails of the heads of school:
Mr. John Scudder, High School Principal
jscudder@bigspring.k12.pa.us

Mr. Christopher Boyd, Assistant Principal
cboyd@bigspring.k12.pa.us

http://digg.com/tech_news/Internet_Hoax_Student_WAS_NOT_Suspended_for_using_Firefox

GGed!

the link posted in a comment above is for a high school in Texas, not the PA school.

here's the principal's email, found from 
http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/our_schools.php

Mr. John Scudder, High School Principal
jscudder@bigspring.k12.pa.us

Mr. Christopher Boyd, Assistant Principal
cboyd@bigspring.k12.pa.us


This has been outed as a hoax hours ago....

The school emails you dug up is in Texas, and the story takes place in Pennsylvania.

Luckily this kid was not using Linux... because all those system policies and fancy MS wizard security goes to shit.

But if he got detention for using a different browser he would have probably gotten the firing squad for using a different OS.

The teacher is not to blame here, she is just a person. How many people have no clue about computers?

The person/body that has placed this teacher in such a position is to blame.
Because obviously this teacher is in no position to teach anything computer related.
I suggest the teacher be re-assigned to play-dough training. It would also be important to make sure everyone understands that only bright yellow dough is allowed, all others will be shot.
(for reasons best left a mystery)

The funniest part is that everybody thinks this story is true.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

From boing boing's blog entry [boingboing.net]:

" I just spoke to the principal of the high-school -- nice enough fellow. According to him:

- The kid altered the document after scanning it

- The kid was punished for mouthing off to the teacher, not for using Firefox

- The kid had been asked to work in Word on a resume (the assignment) and kept looking at the Web instead (and this was a recurring problem)

- The kid has admitted this and will be posting a followup / correction / retraction today "

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

"Recently, a file was uploaded to the Internet purporting to be a copy of a letter from Big Spring High School to a student regarding a two hour detention. The uploaded letter was an altered version of a detention letter sent to a student..."

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

I like the way it caused people to go off on anti-microsoft and anti-education tirades.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

Damn kids trying for internet fame....

Perhaps Big Spring High School employ the same grammar checker as the Inq.

Getting punished for doing school work is not so unusual. It has happened to me. I think it's because the teachers aren't used to it.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

I held that very job until 2 yrs ago. The issue likely was in installing something against their policy, or simple defiance. I actually used FF in class - and still do. The school's website indicates that maybe more than just omitting the student's name has been changed in that letter.

http://www.bigspring.k12.pa.us/news.php?action=view_article&article_id=2130

From the school. Its a hoax lads, you've been had 8o)

Speaking of 'detached from reality'...

"Linux
It's *really* funny that some of you seem to consider linux a realistic alternative to windows for the average public. You're detached from reality.
posted by : meelk, 17 December 2007" 

Perhaps you should check some credible sources before making statements like this...

We're detached from the M$ Kool-aide anyway.

I often violated school policies. They found it embarrassing to suspend the straight-A student that was learning to think for himself. (Another violation of M$ policy(

heh, shoulda used an IE theme so that sack of hammers they call a teacher woulda thought everything was just peachy keen.

To me step in a univesidad Argentine By saying that "the public university must defend free software" could not enter to cover an internship