District 204 ​Steps Up Security For Online Classrooms

AURORA, IL — Indian Prairie School District 204 on Friday enacted a number of new measures intended to help protect the privacy of students and staff members and prevent distractions in online classrooms.

The district's enhanced security measures took effect on Friday, the school announced in a release. Students who violate the rules — including a ban on recording or photographing class sessions and general poor behavior — could be met with consequences like a removal of a student's access to remote learning.

The new regulations include the use of safe, U.S.-based data centers, randomized meeting ideas to prevent Zoom bombings — the act of interrupting and disrupting an online meeting — and unique passwords that limit who can join a Zoom meeting.

The new measures also require students to enter a virtual "waiting room" before joining a classroom, letting teachers give unwanted attendees the boot.

At home, students are prohibited from using Zoom's private chat feature or sharing their own computer screens in the meeting. Further, students and parents are not allowed to take pictures or videos during instruction without the permission of the teacher.

To protect students' privacy, phone numbers will also be hidden from public view in Zoom.

Inappropriate actions, of course, could met with consequences. The district said students could be removed from a Zoom meeting by a teacher. Anyone removed from a meeting will not be allowed to reenter that particular class session.

According to the release, misconduct could also result in the removal of a student's access to remote learning activities.

Parents are asked to speak with their children about classroom etiquette and remind students to be "good digital citizens" when in online classrooms.