Respected Margaret
Chromebook is a product of Google. A Google account, in other words, Gmail address is your Google account. Furthermore, all the products of Google are associated with one single user account. When you log in to your Chromebook, you are accessing all the Google products with a similar Google account. These products i.e known as Gmail, Drive, Google search, Chrome profile, etc.
Now Chromebook is designed for a single user. And a single user can sign in with his/her personal Google account. In other words, you can’t let your personal Chromebook device to use by other people. If you do so, other can view your saved items in the Chromebook device because you are signed in with your personal Google account. In other words, if the device is personal, and can’t be used by someone else, then there is no need for Gmail sign out. While instead, you use the Chromebook device to sign out or protect it by a password. So the current scenario is that Google removes the sign-out feature while using Chromebook. And you can find the signout button only if you are using another PC such as Windows or Mac Machine.
Previously, Sign in to Chromebook device, Google allows the user to sign in and out from the Gmail account. However, now this feature is missing and is not safe. Not safe means, people think sign out from Gmail will protect their account (Gmail). But actually, you already sign in to the Chromebook and a similar device used by someone else can sign in back. For example, Chrome browser saves the password, and even if the user signs out just Gmail while not Chromebook then someone can sign in easily.
Google is actually forcing people to understand the use of Chromebook and forcing them to sign out and protect the whole Chromebook device instead of a Gmail account. As an example, consider the Android smartphone, you sign in with your Gmail/Google ID. And Gmail App is always signed in.
