D91 blocks YouTube to protect students from sensitive material

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Local schools are reacting to the war in Israel by implementing new measures to protect children from being exposed to sensitive material online. 

Idaho Falls School District Superintendent Karla lKarla LaOrange sent out a memo Thursday outlining the district's plan of action.

She writes, "In response to Hamas’ reported vow to broadcast executions and other atrocities online, D91 has taken the proactive step of blocking YouTube and YouTube Kids on all district devices and channels through the weekend. We will be monitoring other sites and will take similar steps to block other violent content on district devices and channels as necessary. School districts are required by federal law to block children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the Internet. By taking this step, we are doing what we can to try and keep our students safe."

This measure was taken in compliance with federal law which requires schools to block children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the internet.

You can view the full letter below.

Dear Parents/Guardians,
Protecting the safety and security of our students every single day is one of our primary focuses in Idaho Falls School District 91. Sometimes, that means trying to protect them from the things that are happening in the world around them.

In response to Hamas’ reported vow to broadcast executions and other atrocities online, D91 has taken the proactive step of blocking YouTube and YouTube Kids on all district devices and channels through the weekend. We will be monitoring other sites and will take similar steps to block other violent content on district devices and channels as necessary. School districts are required by federal law to block children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the Internet. By taking this step, we are doing what we can to try and keep our students safe.

If your child has YouTube, YouTube Kids, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or other social media platforms on a personal device or access to those channels on a family computer, we would encourage you to monitor their activity more closely over the next few days. The National Association of School Psychologists has prepared some resources about supporting children affected by the violence in Israel and Gaza that we wanted to share in hopes they are helpful to you and your family. To access those resources, just click this link. 

Our hearts go out to the families that have been impacted by the horrific acts that occurred in the Middle East over the weekend. As events unfold, we will continue to do our part to try and protect our students and help them feel safe and secure.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely, 
Karla LaOrange
Superintendent