Classroom screens are no longer just portals to access the internet — they’re being watched. To keep students focused, LAUSD is using a monitoring software called GoGuardian that lets teachers see and control what students are doing online in real time.  

While designed to help educators keep students focused and engaged, GoGuardian has sparked debates about privacy, particularly over whether it oversteps its boundaries by tracking students beyond class time and on their personal devices.

Science teacher Ms. Dana Hung, who has experience with GoGuardian, explained that its primary goal is to help teachers keep students focused during online lessons, assignments and tests. 

One key feature of the app is its ability to restrict students’ devices to specific websites, such as Schoology or designated quiz platforms. This prevents students from browsing unrelated sites or searching for answers during exams.

“I can limit how many tabs they can open and then I can allow certain websites,” she said. “I really like it because they can only access Schoology and nothing else.”

Beyond controlling websites and tabs, GoGuardian allows teachers to monitor students’ screens in real time. Ms. Hung notes that she can see exactly what each student is doing, helping her identify when they become distracted. 

If a student opens an unauthorized tab or attempts to access a blocked website, Ms. Hung can instantly close the tab. This real-time monitoring enables teachers to intervene quickly when students lose focus. 

“If I notice that they’re opening something they shouldn’t be, I can close it right away,” she said.

This level of control has sparked significant debate over the validity of GoGuardian’s use in the classroom, given concerns over how much control the system gives teachers.

Senior Hanna Berson shared her concerns about the extensive control of GoGuardian in relation to her privacy.

“I think GoGuardian can be helpful for teachers to ensure students are on task but I think it is intrusive on students’ privacy as we deserve the right to have privacy online even at school,” Berson said.

GoGuardian also includes a two-week activity history feature, according to Ms. Hung.

“If a student isn’t doing well in class, I can look at their last 14 days of activity, giving me insight so I can have a conversation with them or even send a report to their parents,” Ms. Hung said.

Berson argues that it’s unnecessary for teachers to have the ability to track students’ online activity over a 14 day period, as this online history is personal data. 

“I believe teachers should only be able to go back and take a look at a student’s online history if an issue arises that would make it necessary,” Berson explained. “Other than that, it seems intrusive.”

Although the app’s features have raised concerns, monitoring is limited to school hours. 

“Once school hours are over, I can’t monitor anything,” Ms. Hung said. “I can’t spy on students when they’re at home and I can’t track their activity after school or on weekends.”

The app is only active during the specific class period when it is in session. If a student is absent or logged in from home, GoGuardian functions solely during the teacher’s scheduled class time, meaning it does not track students outside these hours. 

“I do feel more comfortable knowing that my at home online activity can and will not be monitored by GoGuardian,” Berson stated. “But, you never know what could happen with the program and security of it.”

According to GoGuardian’s website, there is a scheduling feature that controls monitoring behavior. The “At Home Mode” is an optional setting that allows organizations like LAUSD to apply different sets of filtering and monitoring rules for students at home versus in school. 

By default, the “At Home Mode” is disabled, meaning students are unfiltered and unmonitored outside of specified in-school hours or IP range. This mode is an organizational mode managed by administrators. Individual teachers can’t modify the filtering or monitoring settings that are associated with it. 

This limited monitoring during class time serves as an important safeguard to prevent privacy violations. Ms. Hung has taken steps to ensure that students are aware of how GoGuardian works and the limitations of its monitoring. 

“I always tell my students upfront, ‘This is what I can see and this is what I can do,'” she said. “I want them to know that I’m not spying on them at home. The only time I can see what they’re doing is when they’re in class and only if I start a session.” 

By setting clear expectations and explaining how GoGuardian works to her students, she ensures that they understand the purpose of the tool is to support learning, not to be used in a way that violates privacy, a concern shared by some  students.

“I do believe that there should be a limit on when GoGuardian is used to monitor students,” Berson expressed. “Only when important tests are being taken do I feel that teachers should be able to check up on students’ online activity, other than that, I don’t think real-time monitoring of students online is necessary.”

One positive aspect of GoGuardian’s capabilities is that teachers can send direct messages to students during class, allowing them to check in and offer assistance.

“It’s a great way to provide support,” Ms. Hung said. “I can ask, ‘How’s everyone doing?’ and the students can reply with emojis or short messages to let me know if they need help.” 

Despite the many benefits of GoGuardian, Ms. Hung recognizes the importance of using it responsibly. While she acknowledges that the tool is particularly useful during tests to prevent cheating, she believes constant surveillance is unnecessary. 

“I don’t use it to constantly watch every single thing my students do,” Ms. Hung explained. “On regular days, I trust my students and I only monitor them when I think they need help or when we’re doing an important task.”

Like many students, Berson believes that teachers should be transparent when using GoGuardian in their classrooms.

“I do believe it’s very important for teachers to be open and honest when GoGuardian is being used and the range of what they oversee,” Berson said. “I feel that if I wasn’t educated on the topic it wouldn’t only be an invasion of privacy but it wouldn’t feel honest or fair either.”

By using GoGuardian within defined boundaries, teachers like Ms. Hung can foster an environment where students are supported in their learning while maintaining a sense of privacy and trust.