7540.03 - ACCEPTABLE USE AND INTERNET SAFETY

Willard City School District

Bylaws & Policies

7540.03 - ACCEPTABLE USE AND INTERNET SAFETY

The Willard City School District is pleased to make available to students and staff access to interconnected computer systems within the Willard City School District and to the Internet, the world-wide network that provides various means of accessing significant educational materials.

In order for the Willard City School District to be able to continue to make its computer network and Internet access available, all users must take responsibility for appropriate and lawful use of this access. Users must understand that one user's misuse of the network and Internet access may jeopardize the ability of all users to enjoy such access. While the District's staff will make reasonable efforts to supervise users of the network and Internet access, they must have the cooperation of all users in exercising and promoting responsible use of this access.

Below is the Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy ("Policy") of the Willard City School District and the North Central Ohio Computer Cooperative (Data Acquisition Site) that provides Internet access to the District. Upon reviewing, signing, and returning this policy, each user will be given network and Internet access at school and is agreeing to follow the policy. If a user is under eighteen (18) years of age, s/he must have his/her parents or guardians read and sign the policy. The School District cannot provide access to any user who, if eighteen (18) or older, fails to sign and submit the policy to the school as directed or, if under eighteen (18), does not return the policy as directed with the signatures of the user and his/her parents or guardians.

Listed below are the provisions of the agreement regarding computer, computer network and Internet use. If you have any questions about these provisions, you should contact the Willard City School District Technology Coordinator (419-935-1541). If any user violates this policy, the user's access will be withdrawn, and s/he may be subject to additional disciplinary action.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

By signing this policy, you are agreeing not only to follow the rules in this policy, but also to report any misuse of the network by other individuals to school personnel. Misuse means any violations of this policy or any other inappropriate use that is not included in the policy but has the effect of harming another or his/her property.

TERM OF THE PERMITTED USE

A user who submits to the school a properly signed policy and follows the rules, regulations, and guidelines of the policy to which s/he has agreed will have computer, computer network and Internet access. Student users will be asked to sign a new policy each year during which they are students in the School District before they will be given access.

PURPOSE AND USE

A.	Educational Purposes Only

	The Willard City School District is providing access to its computer networks and the Internet for only educational purposes. If you have any doubt about whether a contemplated activity is educational, you may consult with school staff or the Technology Coordinator to help you decide if a use is appropriate.

B.	Unacceptable Uses of Network

	Among the uses that are considered unacceptable and which constitute a violation of this policy are, but are not limited to, the following:

	1.	Uses that violate the law or encourage others to violate the law.

		For example, don't transmit offensive or harassing messages; offer for sale or use any substance the possession or use of which is prohibited by the District's Student Code of Conduct; view, transmit or download pornographic materials or materials that encourage others to violate the law; intrude into the networks or computers of others; and download or transmit confidential, trade secret information, or copyrighted materials. Even is materials on the networks are not marked with the copyright symbol, you should assume that all materials are protected unless there is explicit permission on the materials to use them.

	2.	Uses that cause harm to others or damage to their property.

		For example, don’t engage in defamation (harming another's reputation by lies); employ another's password or some other user identifier that misleads message recipients into believing that someone other than you is communicating or otherwise using his/her access to the network or the Internet; upload a worm, virus, "trojan horse", "time bomb", or other harmful form of programming or vandalism; participate in "hacking" activities or any form of unauthorized access to other computers, networks, or information systems.

	3.	Uses the jeopardize the security of user access and of the computer network or other networks on the Internet.

		For example, don't disclose or share your password with others; don’t' impersonate another user.

	4.	Uses that are commercial or political in nature.

		For example, you may not use the network for personal financial gain or profit, and you should not sell or buy anything over the Internet. You should not give others private information about you or others, including credit card numbers and social security numbers.

	5.	Uses that cause harm to the District's computer, network, or equipment.

		For example, do not install software program, install and use instant messaging programs, alter system setting, or otherwise reconfigure computers without the approval of the Technology Coordinator.

C.	Netiquette

	All users must abide by rules of network etiquette, which include the following:

	1.	Be polite. Use appropriate language. No swearing, vulgarities, suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or threatening language.

	2.	Avoid language and uses which may be offensive to other users. Don't use, make, distribute, or redistribute jokes, stories, or other material which is based upon slurs or stereotypes relating to race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation.

	3.	Don't assume that a sender of e-mail is giving his/her permission for you to forward or redistribute the message to third parties or to give his/her e-mail address to third parties. This should only be done with permission or when you know that the individual would have no objection.

	4.	Be considerate when sending attachments with e-mail (where this is permitted). Be sure that the file is not too large to be accommodated by the recipient's system and is in a format which the recipient can open.

INTERNET SAFETY

	A.	General Warning; Individual Responsibility of Parents and Users

		All users and their parents/guardians are advised that access to the electronic network may include the potential for access to materials inappropriate for school-aged students. Every user must take responsibility for his/her use of the computer network and Internet and stay away from these sites. Parents of minors are the best guide to materials to shun. If a student finds that other users are visiting offensive or harmful sites, s/he should report such use to the person designated by the School.

	B.	Personal Safety

		Be safe. In using the computer network and Internet, do not reveal personal information such as your home address or telephone number. DO not use your real last name or any other information which might allow a person to locate you without first obtaining the permission of a supervising teacher. Do not arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone you "meet" on the computer network or Internet without your parent's permission (if you are under eighteen (18)). Regardless of your age, you should never agree to meet a person you have only communicated with on the Internet in a secluded place or in a private setting.

	C.	"Hacking" and Other Illegal Activities

		It is a violation of this policy to use the District's computer network or the Internet to gain unauthorized access to other computers or computer systems, or to attempt to gain such unauthorized access. Any use which violates State or Federal law relating to copyright, trade secrets, the distribution of obscene or pornographic materials, or which violates any other applicable law or municipal ordinance, is strictly prohibited.

	D.	Confidentiality of Student Information

		Personally identifiable information concerning students may not be disclosed or used in any way on the Internet without the permission of a parent or guardian or, if the student is eighteen (18) or over, the permission of the student himself/herself. Users should never give out private or confidential information about themselves or others on the Internet, particularly credit card numbers and Social Security numbers. A supervising teacher or administrator may authorize the release of directory information, as defined by Ohio law, for internal administrative purposes or approved educational projects and activities.

	E.	Active Restriction Measures

		The Willard City School District, either by itself or in combination with the Data Acquisition Site providing Internet access, will utilize filtering software or other technologies to prevent students from accessing visual depictions that are (1) obscene, (2) child pornography, or (3) harmful to minors. The District will also monitor the online activities of students, through direct observation and/or technological means, to ensure that students are not accessing such depictions or any other material which is inappropriate for minors. Internet filtering software or other technology-based protection systems may be disabled by a supervising teacher or school administrator, as necessary, for purposes of bona fide research or other educational projects being conducted by students age seventeen (17) and older.

	The term "harmful to minors" is defined by the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. Section 254 (h)(7)), as meaning any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:

	1.	taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

	2.	depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals;

	3.	taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

PRIVACY

Network and internet access is provided as a tool for education. The Willard City School District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review and store at any time and without prior notice any and all usage of the computer network and internet access and any and all information transmitted or received in connection with such usage. All such information files shall be and remain the property of the District, and no user shall have any expectation of privacy regarding such materials.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW POLICY

The user's use of the computer network and Internet is a privilege, not a right. A user who violates this policy, shall at a minimum, have his/her access to the computer network and Internet terminated, which the District may refuse to reinstate a student user for the remainder of the student's enrollment in the District. A user violates this policy by his/her own action or by failing to report any violations by other users that come to the attention of the user. Further, a user violates this policy if s/he permits another to use his/her account or password to access the computer network and Internet, including any user whose access has been denied or terminated. The District may also take other disciplinary action in such circumstances.

WARRANTIES/INDEMNIFICATION

The Willard City School District makes no warranties of any kind, either express or implied, in connection with its provision of access to and use of its computer networks and the Internet provided under this policy. It shall not be responsible for any claims, losses, damages or costs (including attorney's fees) of any kind suffered, directly or indirectly, by any user or his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) arising out of the user's use of its computer networks or the Internet under this policy. By signing this policy, a user is taking full responsibility for his/her use, and the user who is eighteen (18) or older or, in the case of a user under eighteen (18), the parent(s) or guardian(s) are agreeing to indemnify and hold the school, the Willard City School District, the North Central Ohio Computer Cooperative that provides the computer and Internet access opportunity to the District and all of their administrators, teachers, and staff harmless from any and all loss, costs, claims, or damages resulting from the user's access to its computer network and the Internet, including but not limited to any fees or charges incurred through purchases of goods or services by the user. The user or, if the user is a minor, the user's parent(s) or guardian(s) agree to cooperate with the District in the event of the District's initiating an investigation of a user's use of his/her access to its computer network and the Internet, whether that use is on a District computer or on another computer outside the District's network.

UPDATES

Users, and if appropriate, the user's parents/guardians, may be asked from time to time to provide new or additional registration and account information or to sign a new policy, for example, to reflect developments in the law or technology. Such information must be provided by the user (or his/her parents or guardian) or such new policy must be signed if the user wishes to continue to receive service. If after you have provided your account information, some or all of the information changes, you must notify the Technology Coordinator or other person designated by the District to receive such information.

Adopted 10/8/01