School computers are riddled with spyware & proprietary software, the fact that they use windows is bad enough, but then you are forced to use edge or chrome and other proprietary software and often you are blocked from installing open source alternatives like librewolf or duck duck go may be blocked.
What I am asking is, how can we get around this, do i just need to bring my own laptop using FOSS privacy respecting software. or is there another way around this. Thanks for the help.
A lot of already great advice here, often clarifying that a computer that is not yours... is not yours.
What I would still add though is that you are NOT, and I'm very confident in saying this, the only one there, in your very school, to ask that question. In fact I would argue MOST users have the exact same concerns but they might even be aware that alternatives exist.
So... do not push back, or even just avoid, all this alone. Find others who have similar problems and solve them together.
There might be a Linux User Group already, join them. If there isn't one, consider making it. It might just be you for few weeks, even month, but at least you will dedicate time and space to improve YOUR situation. Chances are though that others, even if only curious at first, might check what you are up to, if they can replicate that, etc.
Don't feel isolate, move the needle for yourself first, in your corner, but be welcoming to others who are eager to contribute.
It's a challenge, but it's a fun challenge while trying to tackle it with others.
Yeah... no, most users do not concern themselves with these things. Most users are focused on the tasks and not the tools, for better or worse.
You could argue that an increasing number of users do, but most is way too far.
Yes, they do. Most users, even young kids, are freaking out when you tell them anybody at Facebook (or Microsoft, or Google, or whatever, or whomever they delegate access to, can be school superintendent, boss, sysadmin, etc) can access their data. They either don't know about it, or knew about it once but decided it wasn't "right" enough to keep in mind and ignored it since.
Most users DO care and are concerned but they are so convinced there are no possible alternatives they convinced themselves no matter how terrible it is, there is just nothing they can do about it.
Please ask around, take a random person, close or not, stranger or not, technical or not, and ask them (explain if you most) if they do have such concerns. I bet they do. If they don't I'll apologize for my naivety.