Restricted??

School Board Internet security compromised.

Not too long ago I was working in a high school that had restricted WiFi. I went to the gentleman who was the IT department for help on connecting my computer. It turned out that the password for the school's restricted WiFi was the same password being used by the entire school board. The IT gentleman was no gentleman. He was very rude and agressive, not to mention insulting. He preached to me about security and demanded to have unlimited access to my system for 2 to 3 days before he would consider putting the password on my system. He told me a list of programs I could and could not have on my system. Basically making it impossible for me to join. When I told him that I have a Mac he became more insulting and went on to say that using a mac is stupid. I later learned from a newly hired teacher, that the IT guy told her that a mac would not connect to the WiFi.

One day after my run in with the IT guy, I was working with a student while I had my laptop in front of me. The student suggested that I look for something on the internet help with his research. I told the student I couldn't connect because I didn't have the Password. He smiled and looked at me like I had told him I had never heard of New York City or something just as ridiculous. He said, "All the student's know the the password. If you want to know the password you just ask a student."

I asked him why all the student's knew the password, and he told me that one of the students found out how to get on by watching a teacher type the password onto the compter four years earlier. He went on to say, "It's funny because if a teacher needs to know how to get on the WiFi they just ask one of the students for the password." "The password is passed from student to student like a beach ball at a beach party. This sentiment was later confirmed by one of the teachers I eventually became friendly with who said, "Unofficially, we avoid the IT guy if we can. Usually we go through the students. It's funny because the the IT Guy's preaching of "security" is laughable and kind of joke".

So, I pose the question to my readers; If a "secure" or "restricted" connection is shared openly does that fall under the category of Free Spot or hacking? Should we give out passwords to help out our restricted colleges or not?

Thank you for reading.