BY KEVIN SHALVEY

The Bow School District is asking community members whether  students and school faculty should have unfiltered access to the Internet, coupled with instruction concerning safety.

“Because we have a safe system here, we’re not necessarily having instruction on safe Internet use,” said School Board Chairman Pansy Bloomfield.

At a Wednesday, Oct. 3, open forum, community members are invited to share in the discussion.

Since the school opened 10 years ago, Internet access has been filtered for both students and faculty -- making only certain, pre-approved Web sites available. That sometimes makes teachers’ research tough, Bloomfield said.

“Technology is rampant throughout our schools,” she said.

There are mobile laptop labs, computer labs and in-classroom computer engineering work at the school.

In the past, students have found ways around the filters, too, Bloomfield said. Because the filters are there, students will find ways around them.

“I think there’s a difference between being able to do whatever you want and actually doing whatever you want,” said Bloomfield.

The class of 2007 was the first class to go through their entire Bow School District careers with the Internet in every grade.

“As the generations come up, it’s not going to change, so we just wanted to get the conversation going,” said Bloomfield.

The meeting will take place Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m., at Bow High School. The School Board requests those interested  e-mail no-boundraries@bownet.org.