7540 - ACCEPTABLE USES OF THE INTERNET

Bay Village City School District

Administrative Guidelines

7540 - ACCEPTABLE USES OF THE INTERNET
Purpose

Bay Village City Schools is providing employees and students with access to the District's electronic communication system, which includes Internet access, through the classroom, library, or school computer lab.

The Bay Schools Instructional Network (I-Net) has a limited educational purpose. The purpose of I-Net is to assist in preparing students for success in life and work in the 21st century by providing them with electronic access to a wide range of information and the ability to communicate with people from throughout the world. Additionally, the system will be used to increase District intra-communication, enhance productivity, and assist District employees in upgrading their skills through greater exchange of information with their peers. I-Net will also assist the District in sharing information with the local community, including parents, social service agencies, government agencies, and businesses.

Bay Village City Schools has the right to place reasonable restrictions on the material accessed or posted through the system. The I-Net has not been established as a public access service or a public forum. The I-Net may not be used for political lobbying, though it may be used for communication of opinions on political issues to elected representatives. The I-Net may not be used for commercial services, that is, services or products may not be purchased or offered for purchase.

Students will have E-mail access only under their teacher's direct supervision using a classroom account. Students may be provided with individual E-mail addresses under special circumstances, at the request of their teacher and with the approval of their parent.

Parental Notification and Responsibility

The District will notify the parents about the District network and the policies governing its use and will provide students and parents with guidelines for student safety while using the Internet.

Parents must sign an agreement to allow their student to have Internet access. Parents have the right to request the termination of their child(ren)'s privilege at any time and may request alternative activities for their child(ren) that do not require Internet access.

This guideline contains restrictions on accessing inappropriate material. There is a wide range of material available on the Internet, some of which may not be fitting with the particular values of the families of the students. It is not practically possible for the District to monitor and enforce a wide range of social values in student use of the Internet. Further, the District recognizes that parents bear primary responsibilities for transmitting their particular set of family values to their children. The District will encourage parents to specify to their child(ren) what material is and is not acceptable for their child(ren) to access through I-Net.

District Acceptable Use Guidelines

The following describes the acceptable and unacceptable uses of I-Net:

Personal Safety (Restrictions are for students only.)

		1.	Users will not post personal contact information about themselves or other people. Personal contact information includes address, telephone, school addresses, work address, etc.
		2.	Users will not agree to meet with someone they have met on-line without their parent's approval and participation.
		3.	Users will promptly disclose to their teacher or other school employee any message they receive that is inappropriate or makes them feel uncomfortable.

Illegal Activities

		1.	Users will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to I-Net or to any other computer system through I-Net, or go beyond their authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another person's account or access another person's files. These actions are illegal, even if only for the purposes of "browsing".
		2.	Users will not make deliberate attempts to disrupt the computer system performance or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means. These actions are illegal.
		3.	Users will not use I-Net to engage in any other illegal act, including but not limited to arranging for a drug sale or the purchase of alcohol, engaging in criminal gang activity, threatening the safety of person, etc.

System Security

		1.	Users are responsible for the use of their individual account and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to use their account. Under no condition should users provide their passwords to another person.
		2.	Users will immediately notify the teacher or librarian if they have identified a possible security problem. Users will not go looking for security problems, because this may be construed as an illegal attempt to gain access.
		3.	Users will avoid the inadvertent spread of computer viruses by following the District virus protection procedures if they download software.

Inappropriate Language

		1.	Restrictions against inappropriate language apply to public messages, private messages, and material posted on Web pages.
		2.	Users will not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, or disrespectful language.
		3.	Users will not post information that, if acted upon, could cause damage or a danger of disruption.
		4.	Users will not engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.
		5.	Users will not harass another person. Harassment is persistently acting in a manner that distresses or annoys another person. For example, if a user is told by another person to stop sending them messages, s/he must stop.
		6.	Users will not knowingly or recklessly post false or defamatory information about a person or organization.

Respect for Privacy

		1.	Users will not repost a message that was sent to them privately without permission of the person who sent them the message.
		2.	Users will not post private information about another person.

Respecting Resource Limits

		1.	Users will use the system only for educational and professional or career development activities (no time limit), and limited, high-qualify, self-discovery activities.
		2.	Users will not download large files unless absolutely necessary. With the permission of the appropriate staff member, users may download the file at a time when the system is not being heavily used and immediately remove the file from the system computer to their personal computer.
		3.	Users will not post chain letters or engage in "spamming". Spamming is sending an annoying or unnecessary message to a large number of people or a large number of annoying or unnecessary messages to a single person.

Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement

		1.	Users will not plagiarize works that they find on the Internet. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were original to the user.
		2.	Users will respect the rights of copyright owners. Copyright infringement occurs when an individual inappropriately reproduces a work that is protected by a copyright. If a work contains language that specifies acceptable use of that work, the user should follow the expressed requirements. If users are unsure whether or not they can use a work, they should request permission from the copyright owner.

Inappropriate Access to Material

		1.	Users will not use the I-Net system to access material that is profane or obscene (pornography), that advocates illegal acts, or that advocates violence or discrimination towards other people (hate literature). For students, a special exception may be made if the purpose of such access to conduct research and is approved by both the teacher and the parent. District employees may access the above material only in the context of legitimate research.
		2.	If a user inadvertently accesses such information, s/he should immediately disclose the inadvertent access to a teacher or librarian. This will protect users against an allegation that they have intentionally violated the Acceptable Use Policy/Guidelines

Search and Seizure

System users have a limited privacy expectation in the contents of their personnel files on I-Net.

Routine maintenance and monitoring of the system may lead to discovery that the user has or is violating the District Acceptable Use Policy/Guidelines, the Student Code of Conduct, or the law.

An individual search will be conducted if there is reasonable suspicion that a user has violated the law or the Student Code of Conduct. The nature of the investigation will be reasonable and in the context of the nature of the alleged violation.

District employees should be aware that their personal files are discoverable under public records laws.

Due Process

The District will cooperate fully with local, State, or Federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to any illegal activities conducted through I-Net.

In the event, there is an allegation that a student has violated the District Acceptable Use Policy/Guidelines, the student will be provided with a written notice of the alleged violation and have an opportunity to present an explanation during an informal hearing with a building administrator.

Disciplinary actions will be tailored to meet specific concerns related to the violation and to assist the student in gaining the self-discipline necessary to behave appropriately on an electronic network. If the alleged violation also involves a violation of other provisions of the Student Code of Conduct, the violation will be handled in accord with the applicable provision of the Student Code of Conduct.

Student consequences of violations include but are not limited to temporary loss of computer access, revocation of computer access, in-school restriction, out-of school suspension, school expulsion, and/or legal action and prosecution by the authorities.

District Limitation of Liability

The District makes no warranties of any kind, either express or implied, that the functions or the services provided by or through I-Net will be error-free or without defect. The District will not be responsible for any damage users may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service. The District is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through or stored on the system. The District will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system.

Academic Freedom, Selection of Material, Student Rights to Free Speech

Board policies on Academic Freedom and Free Speech will govern the use of the Internet.

When using the Internet for class activities, teachers will select material that is appropriate in light of the age of the students and that is relevant to the course objectives. Teachers will provide guidelines and lists of resources to assist their students in channeling their research activities effectively and properly. Teachers will assist their students in developing the skills to ascertain the truthfulness of information, distinguish fact from opinion, and engage in discussions about controversial issues while demonstrating tolerance and respect for those who hold divergent views.

Approved 9/9/96
Revised 8/10/98