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August 2001 - June 2017

The School Survival Forums are permanently retired. If you need help with quitting school, unsupportive parents or anything else, there is a list of resources on the Help Page.

If you want to write about your experiences in school, you can write on our blog.

To everyone who joined these forums at some point, and got discouraged by the negativity and left after a while (or even got literally scared off): I'm sorry.

I wasn't good enough at encouraging people to be kinder, and removing people who refuse to be kind. Encouraging people is hard, and removing people creates conflict, and I hate conflict... so that's why I wasn't better at it.

I was a very, very sensitive teen. The atmosphere of this forum as it is now, if it had existed in 1996, would probably have upset me far more than it would have helped.

I can handle quite a lot of negativity and even abuse now, but that isn't the point. I want to help people. I want to help the people who need it the most, and I want to help people like the 1996 version of me.

I'm still figuring out the best way to do that, but as it is now, these forums are doing more harm than good, and I can't keep running them.

Thank you to the few people who have tried to understand my point of view so far. I really, really appreciate you guys. You are beautiful people.

Everyone else: If after everything I've said so far, you still don't understand my motivations, I think it's unlikely that you will. We're just too different. Maybe someday in the future it might make sense, but until then, there's no point in arguing about it. I don't have the time or the energy for arguing anymore. I will focus my time and energy on people who support me, and those who need help.

-SoulRiser

The forums are mostly read-only and are in a maintenance/testing phase, before being permanently archived. Please use this time to get the contact details of people you'd like to keep in touch with. My contact details are here.

Please do not make a mirror copy of the forums in their current state - things will still change, and some people have requested to be able to edit or delete some of their personal info.


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DET filter
Author Message
Nah Offline
Pariah

Posts: 890
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Given 4 thank(s) in 4 post(s)
Post: #1
DET filter

I sent this email to the DET (Department of Education and Training):
Quote:I am writing to request more information on the DET internet filter. More specifically, the reasons why certain websites are blocked. For example, http://www.school-survival.net is blocked with the catagory "Blocked sites for school students". This is not included in the list of catagories for blocked websites I found at http://sts.sydneyr.det.nsw.edu.au/files ... tering.pdf, and nor does it contain any content that would fit into these catagories. Please elaborate on the reasons for filtering this site, and others like it.
- Jon

And got this response:
Quote:Dear Jon

Thank you for your enquiry about the Department's internet browsing service.

The website you are enquiring about: http://www.school-survival.net is currently in the DET Custom Filter Category "Blocked sites for school students". The placement of a website into this category can occur when teachers express concern about potentially objectionable content on a website.

This website is also categorised as "Newsgroups/Forums". This is a blocked category for school students, due to the personal and unpredictable nature of the content.

You can access the current information on website filtering at this website:
Filtering information here: https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/it/learns ... _index.htm

Thank you again for your enquiry

XXXX XXXXX
Manager
Web Filter Unit
Information Technology Directorate
Australian Technology Park
Level 2, 1 Central Ave, Eveleigh NSW, 1430
9244 0231

NSW Department of Education and Training
03-19-2010 02:22 PM
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The Desert Fox Offline
Waging war with conviction

Posts: 12,063
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Given 102 thank(s) in 75 post(s)
Post: #2
Re: DET filter

Quote:The placement of a website into this category can occur when teachers express concern about potentially objectionable content on a website.
Ask them why it's oh-so-terrible.
Quote:This website is also categorised as "Newsgroups/Forums". This is a blocked category for school students, due to the personal and unpredictable nature of the content.
Anyone with an IQ above eighty should realize that they shouldn't post personal info on a forum like this out for the world to see, and "unpredictable nature"? So just because we allow free speech on our forums it's bad?

Also, I'd take out your last name in the letter if I was you, Jonno.

Hidden stuff:
(11-27-2011 01:00 PM)psychopath Wrote:  
(11-27-2011 10:52 AM)Efs Wrote:  Our Army is more professional than Amerika. Smile
Except ours isn't allowed to have guns
CrayolaColours Wrote:That post owned. TDF wins post of the year.
Faby Wrote:
krissy Wrote:dessert fox
Mmm, flambéed vulpine.
"There is no enemy, there is no victory, only boys who lost their lives in the sand."
[/center]
03-19-2010 02:33 PM
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Nah Offline
Pariah

Posts: 890
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Given 4 thank(s) in 4 post(s)
Post: #3
Re: DET filter

They block forums because they can't regulate the content on them, and don't have any influence over the people that do. Until this problem is solved, there isn't much point in arguing with them. However, maybe more people sending emails and complaining, as well as doing the survey I posted before, could influence their opinion about computer based schooling?
03-19-2010 02:38 PM
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The Desert Fox Offline
Waging war with conviction

Posts: 12,063
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Post: #4
Re: DET filter

Jonno Wrote:They block forums because they can't regulate the content on them, and don't have any influence over the people that do.
I fail to see how this is a problem.

Hidden stuff:
(11-27-2011 01:00 PM)psychopath Wrote:  
(11-27-2011 10:52 AM)Efs Wrote:  Our Army is more professional than Amerika. Smile
Except ours isn't allowed to have guns
CrayolaColours Wrote:That post owned. TDF wins post of the year.
Faby Wrote:
krissy Wrote:dessert fox
Mmm, flambéed vulpine.
"There is no enemy, there is no victory, only boys who lost their lives in the sand."
[/center]
03-19-2010 02:45 PM
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Nah Offline
Pariah

Posts: 890
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Given 4 thank(s) in 4 post(s)
Post: #5
Re: DET filter

Their thinking is that we shouldn't be exposed to anything even minimally unacceptable to peoples grandparents. For example, anything about weapons is blocked, and so is anything referring to the Holocaust. If you understand how ruthless they are at censoring everything, then its no wonder that forums would be blocked.
03-19-2010 02:52 PM
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The Desert Fox Offline
Waging war with conviction

Posts: 12,063
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Given 102 thank(s) in 75 post(s)
Post: #6
Re: DET filter

Jonno Wrote:Their thinking is that we shouldn't be exposed to anything even minimally unacceptable to peoples grandparents. For example, anything about weapons is blocked, and so is anything referring to the Holocaust. If you understand how ruthless they are at censoring everything, then its no wonder that forums would be blocked.
Oh I do understand how pathetic the internet censoring is in Ausfailia. Just to censor the internet for a whole nation is complete bogus.

Hidden stuff:
(11-27-2011 01:00 PM)psychopath Wrote:  
(11-27-2011 10:52 AM)Efs Wrote:  Our Army is more professional than Amerika. Smile
Except ours isn't allowed to have guns
CrayolaColours Wrote:That post owned. TDF wins post of the year.
Faby Wrote:
krissy Wrote:dessert fox
Mmm, flambéed vulpine.
"There is no enemy, there is no victory, only boys who lost their lives in the sand."
[/center]
03-19-2010 02:56 PM
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psychopath Offline
Fanatic

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Post: #7
Re: DET filter

Damn I remember the DET filter used to block google images and wikipedia, but I think they removed the block on those later
03-19-2010 05:45 PM
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Absnt Offline
Fanatic

Posts: 6,075
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Post: #8
Re: DET filter

I am never going to Australia unless it is to protest, or I'm just going sightseeing for a few days. At least until they fix themselves.

Blog I post to now:
http://blog.darknedgy.net

Edfreedom.org -- An organization for more freedom in education.
http://www.edfreedom.org/join-us/
03-20-2010 06:37 AM
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xcriteria Offline
Fanatic

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Post: #9
Re: DET filter

A partial solution to this is to create a variant of School Survival that is like a brochure/info site, and which is also spun in a bit more teacher/parent-friendly style. I think this could serve a lot of purposes.

I think SoulRiser started on something like this, but I forgot the URL...
05-13-2010 02:48 PM
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The Desert Fox Offline
Waging war with conviction

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Post: #10
Re: DET filter

Absentinsomniac Wrote:I am never going to Australia unless it is to protest, or I'm just going sightseeing for a few days. At least until they fix themselves.
Fucking this.

Hidden stuff:
(11-27-2011 01:00 PM)psychopath Wrote:  
(11-27-2011 10:52 AM)Efs Wrote:  Our Army is more professional than Amerika. Smile
Except ours isn't allowed to have guns
CrayolaColours Wrote:That post owned. TDF wins post of the year.
Faby Wrote:
krissy Wrote:dessert fox
Mmm, flambéed vulpine.
"There is no enemy, there is no victory, only boys who lost their lives in the sand."
[/center]
05-13-2010 03:50 PM
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SoulRiser Offline
Site Founder

Posts: 18,240
Joined: Aug 2001
Thanks: 2669
Given 1978 thank(s) in 1208 post(s)
Post: #11
Re: DET filter

Quote:I think SoulRiser started on something like this, but I forgot the URL...
Do you mean www.alteducationhome.com? Because that's really kinda a half-assed site atm. Razz

"If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them." - Dalai Lama
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05-14-2010 08:38 AM
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AWOL Offline
The Spooning Bard

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Post: #12
Re: DET filter

Rofl, our filter blocks everything. Except 'HOLY FUCKING TREES WITH DICKS'. Seriously. And pretty much all the 4chan threads. They block everything that most people would find funny, and then leave things they'd find offensive unblocked.

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05-14-2010 08:45 PM
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Blood Demon Offline
Revolutionary

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Post: #13
Re: DET filter

Jonno Wrote:Their thinking is that we shouldn't be exposed to anything even minimally unacceptable to peoples grandparents. For example, anything about weapons is blocked, and so is anything referring to the Holocaust. If you understand how ruthless they are at censoring everything, then its no wonder that forums would be blocked.
why do they block shit about the holocaust? well I think we know were all the nazi's went once germany was defeated lol.
06-01-2010 05:49 AM
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McGee! Offline
Defender of...

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Post: #14
Re: DET filter

Blood Demon Wrote:
Jonno Wrote:Their thinking is that we shouldn't be exposed to anything even minimally unacceptable to peoples grandparents. For example, anything about weapons is blocked, and so is anything referring to the Holocaust. If you understand how ruthless they are at censoring everything, then its no wonder that forums would be blocked.
why do they block shit about the holocaust? well I think we know were all the nazi's went once germany was defeated lol.
Maybe there's someone who figures if it's blocked, maybe it didn't happen....
Worst case scenario.
But if it's something you can learn about in school, would't you want to know more, anyway.

Sociopath Wrote:
The Desert Fox Wrote:Colbert is awesome.
/threaditude.
Generation Y Cuban blog-English blog
Hidden stuff:
hewhodestroysall Wrote:Honestly I never figured the point of the esrb.
Point is you can't censor reality.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas, Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) Wrote:In our system, state-operated schools may not be enclaves of totalitarianism. School officials do not possess absolute authority over their students. Students in school as well as out of school are "persons" under our Constitution."
Rebelnerd Wrote:Human rights are being violated by US law enforcement. This is what the media is here for, you're supposed to be the watchdogs! You're supposed to stand up for the downtrodden, not belittle them as though all their problems amount to nothing more than some angry glares toward parents and sabotaging their computers.
I've seen so much shit done to youth and for some reason, this has made me angrier than I've felt in years. Abuse and oppression happens all over the world. It's a terrible reality of modern society, but we've all accepted that it happens and we're doing what we can to fight it and build a better world.
But this...this mindless, condescending disrespect toward people who have no legal voice with which to defend themselves, this reduction of parents' betrayal into a cheap crack about kids being computer-savvy...it's like watching a surgeon joke about life insurance while his patient bleeds to death on the operating table. The media's job is to protect society from oppression and they've drawn a clear line between the people worth protecting and the people that don't matter. How can they people sleep at night?

You're a journalist. DO. YOUR. FUCKING. JOB.

(04-28-2010 08:17 AM)Liquid Wrote:  Laws never seem to help people fight School. Laws only matter if the students are braking them...

(12-03-2011 07:40 AM)SoulRiser Wrote:  Solution to all these problems: don't fuck people you can't negotiate with in a civilized manner.
(02-09-2012 02:14 PM)Absentinsomniac Wrote:  The only solution is democratic self-paced education where students can excel in what they are good at and work on what their not if necessary, AT THEIR OWN DAMN PACE IN THEIR OWN DAMN WAY.



Don't Board the Censor Ship
06-01-2010 06:00 AM
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Blood Demon Offline
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Post: #15
Re: DET filter

McGee! Wrote:But if it's something you can learn about in school, would't you want to know more, anyway.
do you mean why would you want to know more,or wouldn't you want to know more?
06-01-2010 06:30 AM
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AWOL Offline
The Spooning Bard

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Post: #16
Re: DET filter

L3rn to make sense, McGee.

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06-01-2010 06:04 PM
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