8 CENTERSPREAD 10-11 GRAPHICS
3 FEATURE
OPINION
Prop. 50
dhth: shazam
Experiential Learning
board game cafés
SMOKE SIGNAL
THE
MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 61, NO. 3
November 14, 2025
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
MSJ’s expanding internet restrictions By Mansi Mundada, Kelly Shi, & Lucas Zhang
Staff Writers
Introduction In May 2025, MSJ administrators reconfigured the school Wi-Fi networks to block popular apps, such as Discord, in an ongoing effort to protect students from harmful online material and minimize distractions. Along with the restrictions, FUSD has also implemented GoGuardian to allow teachers to monitor their students’ activity on school Chromebooks during class. These changes sparked debate among students who believe that these restrictions are limiting their communication options on campus and preventing them from accessing entertainment platforms during school breaks. However, the district and teachers argue that other platforms like text messaging and FUSD email accounts are still accessible for all students. “A lot of clubs post their information and meeting notifications on Discord, so now, [club officers] cannot access that information when they’re at school, when it’s probably the most important,” Senior Shriya Prabhudev said.
FUSD Tech Policy The FUSD Board Policy 6163.4 specifies school Wi-Fi is intended for educational purposes. As mentioned before, to follow the CIPA, the district blocks gaming, entertainment, and social media platforms like Discord and Instagram. “[The Superintendent and Technology Advisory Committee (TAC)] consistently monitors and decides to block websites based on if it’s appropriate for school or not,” Principal Amy Perez said. MSJ students can no longer access popular sites like Instagram, Discord, Brawl Stars, and Roblox on school devices.
US Public School cellPhone Policy Distributions
Background The website filtering policy stems from a mix of federal law and FUSD’s own policies. To comply with the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), public schools are required to use content filters to protect students from harmful or inappropriate online content. Many districts use third-party software to monitor and manage student online activity on school devices and networks, with FUSD using GoGuardian. For example, the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) and the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) use Securly to filter all district devices in order to minimize distractions during school as well as filter inappropriate content. Before reconfiguring the school Wi-Fi, FUSD had blocked a range of international, gaming, and governmental websites for classroom management as well as cybersecurity concerns. “I had issues before when they were blocking a lot of different websites in the past that I would use to gamify my class.” English Teacher Flora Kang said.
DATA: INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES (2025)
Staff Writers
www.thesmokesignal.org
like Medicare, Social Security, and certain laws, among other topics. Others were drawn to the protest to advocate for more local reasons, like Proposition 50, a measure that was up for vote on November 4. It would redesign CA’s congressional maps to grant the Democratic Party up to five more seats in the House of Representatives, a response to Republican redistricting and power-grabbing efforts earlier this year in Texas and seven other states. The demonstration brought hundreds of people together across the TriCity Area for a shared cause. Behind the backdrop of chants and honking, saxophone music filled the busy air, presenting a unique form of expression. “I think music brings people together. It’s a natural thing for us,” local Saxophonist and Music Teacher Andy Ehling said about playing saxophone at the protest. “It’s a universal language ... It’s all about people coming together.”
Conclusion Although some students feel that the network updates are unwarranted, the district maintains that the actions are necessary to ensure students’ focus and engagement in a proactive manner. These periodic updates are enforced due to the rapidly expanding and evolving changes of technology. Consequently, MSJ staff have encouraged students to turn to other sources of more equitable communication such as iMessages and school email accounts to work around these restrictions. “I would suggest that students use their email, since email [accounts] are available to every student, so it’s equitable. Not all students have access to Discord,” Perez said.
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ALBUM REVIEW: SON OF SPERGY R&B singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar released his latest album, Son of Spergy, on October 24. Exploring themes of romance, legacy, and his relationship with his father, the album is Caesar’s most introspective work yet. Read the full review on our website.
Starting in the 2025-26 school year, teachers can monitor MSJ students using their school accounts using GoGuardian, an administrative tool that allows staff to view the browsing history within the classroom. The implementation is part of FUSD’s measures to comply with CIPA and other regulations relating to on-site use of electronic devices. Teachers can close tabs for students who use websites they deem inappropriate for school, which allows them to minimize distractions in class and prevent cheating on online tests. For example, AP Music Theory and Choir Teacher David Belles uses GoGuardian to ensure that students are working on an assignment for his class rather than having other tabs open as distractions. Teachers have found it useful to use the tool to easily monitor student activity on electronic devices. “If something pops up that shouldn’t be there, I lock the screen, I have the student come and talk to me, address what’s going on, unlock it, close whatever needs to be closed, and they keep working on what they should,” Belles said.
Though the new policies serve to get students off websites labeled as potential distractions, students have found ways to circumvent the firewall at school, leading to concerns from teachers. “I think that attending class is really important, and using your [cellular] data to avoid restrictions is really doing yourself a disservice because you are missing out on opportunities to learn,” Social Studies Teacher Katherine Williams said. One of FUSD’s next steps to further minimize distractions in the classroom is to implement CA Assembly Bill 3216 (AB 3216). Effective starting in the 2026-27 school year, the legislation requires school districts to implement policies limiting the use of cell phones at school. “To accomplish [compliance with AB 3216], the district can look to form a task force or policy review committee to determine implementation models suitable for the local context,” FUSD Director of Information Technology Anthony Talbert said.
By Luna Bichon & Michael Qin
Fremont protesters gathered for the second No Kings demonstration of the year on October 18, expressing criticism against the current presidential administration along Walnut Avenue and Paseo Padre Parkway. The demonstration was assembled by a coalition of organizations that included advocacy organization Indivisible Fremont. Hundreds held countless handmade picket signs of crossed out crowns as drivers passing by blared their car horns in support. The Fremont rally was part of the wider No Kings movement, which organized more than 2,700 protests on the same day in opposition to the Trump administration. In addition to Fremont, protests were held in almost all major Bay Area cities including Alameda, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and San José. “We have to stop what’s going on in Washington. We know we’re afraid that people are going to come to our city as well. Who’s going to send the National Guard or troops? We can’t have that,” Attendee Joseph Magdalena said. Like Magdalena, many protesters voiced opposition to the administration’s actions regarding immigration, budget cuts to agencies
GoGuardian
Future policy expansions
Hundreds Show for Fremont No Kings Protest
Online THIS MONTH
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PHOTOS BY NEWS EDITOR JENNIFER LI (TECH RESTRICTIONS), STAFF WRITERS LUNA BICHON & MICHAEL QIN (NO KINGS)
MSJ MEETS CAR MEET COVERAGE
MSJ Meets held its first annual MSJ Car Meet on November 8, featuring millions of dollars worth of exotic luxury cars, food trucks, raffles, a DJ, and family-friendly games. Watch the video event coverage on our website.
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