POLICY FOR ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES & THE INTERNET (2013 Policy)
LIMITED EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE
The school district is providing students and employees with access to the school district computer system, which includes Internet access. The purpose of the system is more specific than providing students and employees with general access to the Internet. The school district system has a limited educational purpose, which includes use of the system for classroom activities, educational research, and professional or career development activities. Users are expected to use Internet access through the district system to further educational and personal goals consistent with the mission of the school district and school policies. Uses which might be acceptable on a user’s private personal account on another system may not be acceptable on this limited-purpose network.
USE OF SYSTEM IS A PRIVILEGE
The use of the school district system and access to use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right. Depending on the nature and degree of the violation and the number of previous violations, unacceptable use of the school district system or the Internet may result in one or more of the following consequences: suspension or cancellation of use or access privileges; payments for damages and repairs; discipline under other appropriate school district policies, including suspension, expulsion, exclusion or termination of employment; or civil or criminal liability under other applicable laws.
- Only essential educational files should be saved and stored on network accounts.
- The following uses of the school district system and Internet resources or accounts are considered unacceptable:
- Users will not use the school district system to access, review, upload, download, store, print, post, receive, transmit or distribute:
- pornographic, obscene or sexually explicit material or other visual depictions that are harmful to minors;
- obscene, abusive, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, disrespectful, or sexually explicit language;
- materials that use language or images that are inappropriate in the education setting or disruptive to the educational process;
- information or materials that could cause damage or danger of disruption to the educational process;
- materials that use language or images that advocate violence or discrimination toward other people (hate literature) or that may constitute harassment or discrimination.
- Users will not use the school district system to knowingly or recklessly post, transmit or distribute false or defamatory information about a person or organization, or to harass another person, or to engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.
- Users will not use the school district system to engage in any illegal act or violate any local, state or federal statute or law.
- Users will not use the school district system to vandalize, damage or disable the property of another person or organization, will not make deliberate attempts to degrade or disrupt equipment, software or system performance by spreading computer viruses or by any other means, will not tamper with, modify or change the school district system software, hardware or wiring or take any action to violate the school district’s security system, and will not use the school district system in such a way as to disrupt the use of the system by other users.
- Users will not use the school district system to gain unauthorized access to information resources or to access another person’s materials, information or files without the implied or direct permission of that person.
- Users will not use the school district system to post private information about another person, personal contact information about themselves or other persons, or other personally identifiable information, including, but not limited to, addresses, telephone numbers, school addresses, work addresses, identification numbers, account numbers, access codes or passwords, labeled photographs or other information that would make the individual’s identity easily traceable, and will not repost a message that was sent to the user privately without permission of the person who sent the message.
- Users must keep all account information and passwords on file with the designated school district official. Users will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the school district system or any other system through the school district system, attempt to log in through another person’s account or use computer accounts, access codes or network identification other than those assigned to the user. Messages and records on the school district system may not be encrypted without the permission of appropriate school authorities.
- Users will not use the school district system to violate copyright laws or usage licensing agreements, or otherwise to use another person’s property without the person’s prior approval or proper citation, including the downloading or exchanging of pirated software or copying software to or from any school computer, and will not plagiarize works they find on the Internet.
- Users will not use the school district system for conducting business, for unauthorized commercial purposes or for financial gain unrelated to the mission of the school district. Users will not use the school district system to offer or provide goods or services or for product advertisement. Users will not use the school district system to purchase goods or services for personal use without authorization from the appropriate school district official.
- Users are encouraged to minimize unnecessary and wasted printing.
- If a user inadvertently accesses unacceptable materials or an unacceptable Internet site, the user shall immediately disclose the inadvertent access to an appropriate school district official. In the case of a school district employee, the immediate disclosure shall be to the employee’s immediate supervisor and/or the building administrator. This disclosure may serve as a defense against an allegation that the user has intentionally violated this policy. In certain rare instances, a user also may access otherwise unacceptable materials if necessary to complete an assignment and if done with the prior approval of and with appropriate guidance from the appropriate teacher or, in the case of a school district employee, the building administrator.
LIMITED EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY
- By authorizing use of the school district system, the school district does not relinquish control over materials on the system or contained in files on the system. Users should expect only limited privacy in the contents of personal files on the school district system.
- Routine maintenance and monitoring of the school district system may lead to a discovery that a user has violated this policy, another school district policy, or the law.
- An individual investigation or search will be conducted if school authorities have a reasonable suspicion that the search will uncover a violation of law or school district policy.
- Parents have the right at any time to investigate or review the contents of their child’s files and e-mail files. Parents have the right to request the termination of their child’s individual account at any time.
- School district employees should be aware that the school district retains the right at any time to investigate or review the contents of their files and e-mail files. In addition, school district employees should be aware that data and other materials in files maintained on the school district system may be subject to review, disclosure or discovery under Minn. Stat. Ch. 13 ( the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act).
- The school district will cooperate fully with local, state and federal authorities in any investigation concerning or related to any illegal activities or activities not in compliance with school district policies conducted through the school district system.
INTERNET USE AGREEMENT
- The proper use of the Internet and the educational value to be gained from proper Internet use is the joint responsibility of students, parents, and employees of the school district. All users are encouraged to help maintain and monitor the network security of the district.
- This policy requires the permission of and supervision by the school’s designated professional staff before a student may use a school account or resource to access the Internet.
LIMITATION ON SCHOOL DISTRICT LIABILITY
Use of the school district system is at the user’s own risk. The system is provided on an “as is, as available” basis. The school district will not be responsible for any damage users may suffer, including, but not limited to, loss, damage or unavailability of data stored on school district diskettes, tapes, hard drives or servers, or for delays or changes in or interruptions of service or misdeliveries or non-deliveries of information or materials, regardless of the cause. The school district is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of any advice or information obtained through or stored on the school district system. The school district will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through unauthorized use of the school district system or the Internet.
- All users shall be notified of the school district policies relating to Internet use.
- This notification shall include the following:
- Notification that Internet use is subject to compliance with school district policies.
- Disclaimers limiting the school district’s liability relative to:
- Information stored on school district diskettes, hard drives or servers.
- Information retrieved through school district computers, networks or online resources.
- Personal property used to access school district computers, networks or online resources.
- Unauthorized financial obligations resulting from the use of school district resources/accounts to access the Internet.
- A description of the privacy rights and limitations of school-sponsored/managed Internet accounts.
- Notification that, even though the school district may use technical means to limit student Internet access, these limits do not provide a foolproof means for enforcing the provisions of this acceptable use policy.
- Notification that goods and services can be purchased over the Internet that could potentially result in unwanted financial obligations and that any financial obligation incurred by a student through the Internet is the sole responsibility of the student and/or the student’s parents.
- Notification that the collection, creation, reception, maintenance, and dissemination of data via the Internet, including electronic communications, is governed by Policy 406, Public and Private Personnel Data, and Policy 515, Protection and Privacy of Pupil Records.
- Notification that, should the user violate the school district’s acceptable use policy, the user’s access privileges may be revoked, school disciplinary action may be taken and/or appropriate legal action may be taken.
- Notification that all provisions of the acceptable use policy are subordinate to local, state and federal laws.
PARENTS’ RESPONSIBILITY; NOTIFICATION OF STUDENT INTERNET USE
- Outside of school, parents bear responsibility for the same guidance of Internet use as they exercise with information sources such as television, telephones, radio, movies and other possibly offensive media. Parents are responsible for monitoring their student’s use of the school district system and of the Internet if the student is accessing the school district system from home or a remote location.
- Parents will be notified that their students will be using school district resources/accounts to access the Internet and that the school district will provide parents the option to request alternative activities not requiring Internet access. This notification should include:
- A copy of the user notification form provided to the student user.
- A description of parent/guardian responsibilities.
- A notification that the parents have the option to request alternative educational activities not requiring Internet access and the material to exercise this option.
- A statement that the Internet Use Agreement must be signed by the user, the parent or guardian, and the supervising teacher prior to use by the student.
- A statement that the school district’s acceptable use policy is available for parental review.
PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY DEVICES
Non-school issued personal electronic devices will not be allowed in the classrooms. Students may use personal electronic devices before school, after school, during lunch period, and during passing time.
Definition: Non-school issued personal electronic devices include but are not limited to any device not provided the student by the school such as cell phones, smartphones, iPads, tablets.
Personal Computers may be allowed with administrative consent.
- The student takes full responsibility for his or her device. The school is not responsible for the security of the device.
- The school reserves the right to inspect a student’s personal devices if there is a reason to believe the student has violated ISD 91 School Board policies, administrative procedures, school expectations or has engaged in other misconduct while using their personal device.
- Violations of any ISD 91 School Board policies, administrative procedures or school rules involving a student’s personally owned device may result in the loss of use of the device in school and/or other disciplinary action.
- The student must comply with a staff request to shut down the device; put the screen to sleep, or to turn in the device.
- 1st Offense: Teachers will return the personal electronic device at the end of the period
- 2nd Offense: The device will be turned into the office and parents will have to pick up the device.
- No personal devices are allowed during district-wide assessments. Assessments will be administered using the school issued devices.
- The student may not use the device to record, transmit or post photos or video of a person or persons on campus. Nor can any images or video recorded at school be transmitted or posted at any time without the expressed permission of a teacher and filmed subject.
- All personal electronic devices (school issued or non-school issued) are strictly prohibited from locker rooms and restrooms.