| Grosse Ile Township Schools |
| Bylaws & Policies |
7540.04 - STAFF NETWORK AND INTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE AND SAFETY
Advances in telecommunications and other related technologies have fundamentally altered the ways in which information is accessed, communicated, and transferred in our society. Such changes are driving the need for educators to adapt their means and methods of instruction, and the way they approach student learning, to harness and utilize the vast, diverse, and unique resources available on the Internet. The Board of Education is pleased to provide Internet, Network, and Electronic Mail service to its staff. The Board encourages staff to utilize these services in order to promote educational excellence in our schools by providing them with the opportunity to develop the resource sharing, innovation, and communication skills and tools which will be essential to life and work in the 21st century. The Board encourages the faculty to develop the appropriate skills necessary to effectively access, analyze, evaluate, and utilize these resources. The instructional use of the Internet will be guided by the Board's policy on Instructional Materials.
The Internet is an electronic highway connecting computers and users in the District with computers and users worldwide. Access to the Internet enables staff members to explore thousands of libraries, databases, and bulletin boards, while exchanging messages with people throughout the world. Access to such an incredible quantity of information and resources brings with it, however, certain unique challenges.
| A. | First, and foremost, the Board may not be able to technologically limit access to services through the Board's Internet connection to only those that have been authorized for the purpose of instruction, study and research related to the curriculum. Unlike in the past when educators and community members had the opportunity to review and screen materials to assess their appropriateness for supporting and enriching the curriculum according to adopted guidelines and reasonable selection criteria (taking into account the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students who would be exposed to them), access to the Internet, because it serves as a gateway to any publicly available file server in the world, will open classrooms and students to electronic information resources which have not been screened by educators for use by students of various ages. | |
| B. | UNACCEPTABLE USES | |
| The following uses of the Grosse Ile Township Schools computer network/Internet access are unacceptable and may result in the user’s loss of access to the Grosse Ile Township Schools computer network/Internet access along with appropriate discipline as per the Student Handbook for the building the student attends. |
| 1. | Personal Safety |
| a. | The user must not post personal contact information about yourself or other people. Personal contact information includes your address, telephone number, school address, work address, etc. | |||
| b. | Use of any chat line on school computer equipment is prohibited unless that chat line is sponsored and monitored by a member of the professional staff for educational purposes. | |||
| c. | The user must promptly disclose to your teacher or school administrator illegal activities. |
| 2. | Illegal Activities |
| a. | The user must not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Grosse Ile Township Schools computer network/Internet access or to any other computer system through the Grosse Ile Township Schools computer network/Internet access or go beyond your authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another person’s account or access another person’s files. These actions are prohibited, even if only for the purposes of "browsing." | |||
| b. | The user must not make deliberate attempts to disrupt the computer system or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means. These actions are prohibited. | |||
| c. | The user will not use the Grosse Ile Township Schools computer network/Internet access to engage in any illegal act, to solicit others to engage in any illegal act, or for any illegal purpose, including arranging for a drug sale or the purchase of alcohol, engaging in criminal activity, threatening the safety of any person. | |||
| d. | The user may not illegally copy, send or distribute any copyrighted software, work or other material. | |||
| e. | The user must not make any attempt to harm or destroy the data of any other user or any system on the network, including creating or sending computer viruses, Trojan horses or similar computer codes. | |||
| f. | These regulations and all of its provisions are subordinate to local, State and Federal policies. |
| 3. | System Security |
| a. | The user is responsible for his/her individual account(s) and must take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to use their account. Under no conditions should the user provide their password to another person. | |||
| b. | The user must immediately notify a teacher or the system administrator if you have identified a possible security problem. Do not go looking for security problems because this action may be construed as a prohibited attempt to gain access. | |||
| c. | The parents/guardians of a minor student have the right at any time to review the contents of their student’s files. | |||
| d. | Any attempt to breach the system security or firewall is prohibited. | |||
| e. | Users are prohibited from encrypting any messages or files sent or received. For example, E-mail or websites. | |||
| f. | Users are prohibited from using, installing, or downloading any outside software on the District’s network workstations unless expressly authorized in advance by the building administrator and screened for viruses. |
| 4. | Inappropriate Language |
| a. | Restrictions against inappropriate language apply to all messages and material posted on any Web page. | |||
| b. | The user will not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, or disrespectful language. | |||
| c. | The user will not engage in personal attacks. | |||
| d. | The user will not harass another person. Harassment is persistently acting in a manner that distresses or annoys another reasonable person. If a user is told to stop sending those messages, the user must stop. |
| 5. | Respect for Privacy |
| a. | The user will not re-post, redirect, or forward a message that was sent to the user privately without the permission of the person that sent the original message. | |||
| b. | The user will not post private information about another person, such as name, address, telephone number, etc. |
| 6. | Respecting Resource Limits |
| a. | The user will use the Grosse Ile School computer/Internet access only for educational and career development activities. There are reasonable limits on the system use for education and career development activities. | |||
| b. | The user will not download files or programs without the permission of a teacher or the system administrator. | |||
| c. | The user will not post chain letters or engage in "spamming." Spamming is sending an annoying or unnecessary message to a large number of people. | |||
| d. | The user will subscribe only to high quality discussion group mail lists that are relevant to specific educational objectives or career development activities. |
| 7. | Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement |
| a. | The user will not plagiarize any work that may be found on the Internet. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were one’s own work. | |||
| b. | The user will respect the rights of copyright owners. Copyright infringement occurs when you inappropriately reproduce a work that is protected by a copyright. If a work contains language that specifies appropriate use of that work, follow the expressed requirement. If you are unsure whether or not you can use a work, you should request permission from the copyright owner. | |||
| Copyright law can be very confusing. If you have questions, ask a teacher. |
| 8. | Inappropriate Access to Material |
| a. | The user will not use the Grosse Ile Schools computer network/Internet access to access material that is profane or obscene (pornography), advocates illegal acts, or that advocates violence or unlawful discrimination towards other people. | |||
| b. | If you mistakenly access inappropriate information, you must immediately tell your teacher or administrator. | |||
| c. | Your parents should instruct you if there is additional material that they think would be inappropriate for you to access. The District fully expects that you will follow your parent’s instructions in this matter. |
| C. | YOUR RIGHT |
| 1. | Free Speech | ||
| The Grosse Ile Schools computer network/Internet access is considered a limited forum, similar to the school newspaper, and therefore the District may restrict a user’s speech for valid educational reasons. | |||
| 2. | Search and Seizure |
| a. | The user should expect no privacy in the contents of their personal files on the District computer system. The Grosse Ile School District retains the right to monitor and review all files at any time, including deleted files and e-mail. | |||
| b. | Maintenance and monitoring of the Grosse Ile Schools computer network/Internet access may lead to the discovery that the user has violated these Acceptable Use Regulations, the Student Handbook, or the law. | |||
| c. | The parents/guardians of a minor student have the right at any time to review the contents of their student’s files. |
| 3. | Due Process |
| a. | The District will cooperate fully with local, State, or Federal officials in any investigation related to any illegal activities conducted through the Grosse Ile Township Schools computer network/Internet access. | |||
| b. | In the event there is a claim that a user has violated this Acceptable Use Regulation or the Student Handbook by his/her actions in using the Grosse Ile Schools network/Internet access, the user will be provided with a written notice of the suspected violation and an opportunity to present an explanation before a neutral administrator (or alternately, will be provided with notice and opportunity to be heard in the manner set forth in the Student Handbook for the building the student attends). | |||
| c. | If the violation also involves a violation of other provisions of the Student Handbook, it will be handled in a manner described in the Student Handbook. | |||
| Additional restrictions may be placed on a user’s access or use of District owned computers and/or Internet access. |
| D. | LIMITATION OF LIABILITY | |
| The District makes no guarantee that the functions or the services provided by or through the District network/Internet system will be error-free or without defect. The District will not be responsible for any damage a user 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 any damage to anyone, directly or indirectly, arising out of use of the Internet, the computer network or telecommunications resources. The District will not be responsible for any individual user’s use of Grosse Ile Township Schools computer system. All users are responsible to follow all applicable School District regulations and policies. | ||
| E. | PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY | |
| The user is responsible for all information put into the District computer system or alterations to it. By signing this agreement, you are accepting full responsibility for your actions regarding all aspects of the Acceptable Use Regulations. |
H.R. 4577, P.L. 106-554, Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000
47 U.S.C. 254(h), (1), Communications Act of 1934, as amended
20 U.S.C. 6801 et seq., Part F, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
as amended
18 U.S.C. 2256
18 U.S.C. 1460
18 U.S.C. 2246
Adopted 8/28/07