I personally think it's ridiculous to block YouTube in school. Yes, some may argue that it can be a distraction for certain students, however, many teachers rely on YouTube to aid in their presentations. Just having a PowerPoint with text on the screen does not help some students. They need visual models of concepts their teachers are discussing. Another thing I would like to mention is that listening to music can often significantly help students perform better in class. I always listen to drum n' bass mixes while creating stories in my Creative Writing class. I'm sure other students listen to relaxing music so they can pay attention their current task more easily; Kids with attention disorders will be calmer and more focused. Also, if the majority of the class is silently listening to music, that will help the students that need complete silence in order to work.
My major point here is that everyone learns and works differently. Why would you ever want to restrict something that will massively benefit a student's productivity and capacity for learning? The benefits of allowing students to use YouTube in school far outweighs the negative aspects. If your school does happen to block that website, I strongly encourage you to write a letter to your principal and address the important topics above. Include statistics, back up your claims, and explain it better than I could.
