The one thing I have noticed in this thread is that nobody has mentioned the fact that the reason could be e-mails with virus or Trojan Horses. My employer had no issue with employees checking outside e-mail accounts but has since blocked all outside access due to these problems. It is hard to believe that someone working for a communications company can be duped into opening these e-mails which infect the company's intranet, so what would you expect of a child? This could simply be nothing more then the schools trying to keep their network safe, as well as helping to remove a distraction that the kids don't need.
Chip Cryderman
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: That is a very good point! PAT]