A number of students have had complaints about the program Go Guardian with a majority having concerns towards their privacy.

Many teachers use this program to make sure their kids stay on track, but many students claim that this program is nothing but an invasion of privacy. The software company was founded in 2014 and is still widely used in many states, including Arkansas. At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, students were introduced to the Bell to Bell No Cell law. The restriction on cellular devices has led to more use of school-provided devices and therefore, more activity on the GoGuardian program.

Assistant football coach Robert Staggs said, “Having Go Guardian helps keep students on task as far as what they need to do. If they get off track you’re able to limit certain pages or keep them off certain pages. I can see why they think [it could be an invasion of privacy because] somebody is looking at what you’re doing at all times but also think if you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing then it’s really not an issue. Students who believe [it’s an invasion of privacy] are probably the ones who need it the most.”

However, some students at Heritage High school seem to disagree.

“Some features that I don’t like is that they’re able to look at what I’m looking at. What if I’m just trying to write an email about something personal and they can see what I’m writing about,” said Ashley Hernandez (12).

Overall, our school seems to have some mixed opinions about Go Guardian, with some believing the system is used for student safety and to keep students on track. On the other hand, other students believe that Go Guardian could be an invasion of their privacy. However, the software seems like an unnecessary tool our district has implemented. Important academic factors such as grade point average are all a student’s responsibility, therefore they should not require extra supervision or be controlled.