| Mercer County Educational Service Center |
| Bylaws & Policies |
7540.06 - SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS/AIDES NETWORK AND INTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE AND SAFETY
It is the intention of the Mercer County Educational Service Center’s Governing Board to protect the privacy of substitute teachers/aides who use the Center computers, computer network, and electronic messaging systems to the maximum extent possible given the operational and security needs of the Center. The purpose of this policy is to identify the limitations on this privacy and the general restrictions applying to the use of computers and electronic messaging systems of the Center.
Acceptable and Unacceptable Uses
The computers, computer network and messaging systems of the Center are intended for educational uses and work-related communications. Incidental use of the e-mail and voice mail systems by staff members for personal communications is permitted as long as such communications are limited in number, are initiated during non-work periods, and do not interfere with the primary intended uses of the system.
The following are uses which are unacceptable under any circumstances:
| A. | the transmission of any language or images which are of a graphic sexual nature | |
| B. | the transmission of jokes, pictures, or other materials which are obscene, lewd, vulgar, or disparaging of persons based on their race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation | |
| C. | the transmission of messages or any other content which would be perceived by a reasonable person to be harassing or threatening | |
| D. | uses that constitute defamation (libel or slander) | |
| E. | uses that violate copyright laws | |
| F. | uses that attempt to gain unauthorized access to another computer system or to impair the operation of another computer system (for example, the transmission of a computer virus or an excessively large e-mail attachment) | |
| G. | any commercial or profit-making activities | |
| H. | any fundraising activities, unless specifically authorized by an administrator |
Security and Integrity
Substitute teachers/aides shall not take any action which would compromise the security of any computer, network or messaging system. This would include the unauthorized release or sharing of passwords and the intentional disabling of any security features of the system.
Substitute teachers/aides shall not take any actions which may adversely affect the integrity, functionality, or reliability of any computer (for example, the installation of hardware or software not authorized by the System Administrator).
Substitute teachers/aides shall report to the System Administrator or a Center administrator any actions by students which would violate the security or integrity of any computer, network or messaging system whenever such actions become known to them in the normal course of their work duties. This shall not be construed as creating any liability for staff members for the computer-related misconduct of students.
Right of Access
Although the Governing Board respects the natural desire of all persons for privacy in their personal communications, and will attempt to preserve this privacy whenever possible, the operational and security needs of the Center’s computer network and messaging systems require that full access be available at all times. The Center therefore reserves the right to access and inspect any computer, device, or electronic media within its systems and any data, information, or messages which may be contained therein. All such data, information, and messages are the property of the Center and substitute teachers/aides should have no expectation that any messages sent or received on the Center’s systems will always remain private.
Revised 6/15/09