POLICY

  • 2001 8343a

    •  

    Instruction

     

    SUBJECT: INTERNET PROTECTION POLICY

    General Information

    Internet access will be provided to students in accordance with the terms of this policy. Internet access from school computers is reserved solely for educational purposes. Use by outside groups is prohibited. Use by student clubs and organizations is limited to those times when the Internet access points are not in use for instruction, and shall be limited to educational purposes and governed by this policy. Access to the Internet will be under the direction and supervision of the staff assigned to the particular Internet access area or computer.

    The school district reserves the right to monitor all Internet activity including transmission and receipt of e-mail. Use of e-mail is limited to school district purposes.

    Every computer in the district having Internet access shall not be operated by a student unless Internet access from the computer is subject to filtering software. Such filtering software shall be designed and it shall operate so that images which are obscene, pornographic or harmful to minors shall not be displayed. Such filtering software shall also be designed and it shall operate so that images or language which advocate or promote violence or hatred against particular individuals or groups of individuals or promotes the superiority of one racial, ethnic or religious group over another shall not displayed. For purposes of this policy, the phrase harmful to minors means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that, taken as a whole, and with respect to minors, appeals to prurient interest in nudity, sex or excretion; depicts, describes or represents in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors an actual or simulated sexual actor sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals and, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value as to minors.

    Prohibited Conduct

    No student shall while using a computer or other device connected to the Internet:

    1. Access, transmit or retransmit material which promotes violence or advocates destruction of property, including information concerning the manufacture of destructive devices, such as explosives, fireworks, smoke bombs, incendiary devices or the like;

    2. Access, transmit or retransmit any information which is harmful to minors as that phrase is defined in this policy.

    3. Access, transmit or retransmit material which advocates or promotes violence or hatred against particular individuals or groups of individuals or advocates or promotes the superiority of one racial, ethnic or religious group over another.

    4. Use or possesses bootleg software. Bootleg software means any software which has been downloaded or is otherwise in the user's possession -without the appropriate registration of the software, including the payment of any fees owing to the owner of the software.
      5. Use encryption software from any access point within the school district.
      6. Transmit credit card or other personal identification information, including home addresses or telephone numbers from any school district computer.
              7. Transmit e-mail through an anonymous remailer.

              8. Access the Internet from a school district computer using a non-school district Internet account.

    9. Use an instant messenger service or program, Internet Relay Chat or other forms of direct electronic communication, or enter a chat room without the express permission of the staff member supervising the computer resource.

    10. Commit or attempt to commit any willful act involving the use of the network which disrupts the operation of the network within the school district or any network connected to the Internet, including the use or attempted use or possession of computer viruses or so-called hacking or other unlawful activities on line.
    11. Disable or attempt to disable filtering software. However, such filtering software may be disabled for bona fide research or other lawful purposes, when the building principal of the building in which such research or other lawful activity will be conducted has given written permission to disable the filtering software.

    In addition to those penalties set forth in the student discipline code, a violation of this Internet policy may also result in loss of Internet privileges.

    Opinions, advice, services, and all other information expressed on line are those of the on-line authors and not of the school district. The Internet contains information pertaining to a variety of subjects. Not all of this information is accurate or reliable, particularly where the advice of medical, legal, accounting, or other professionals would be appropriate. Users are advised not to rely on advice found on the Internet. The school district is not responsible for such advice.

    The school district does not guarantee or imply that access to the Internet will always be available when students want access or that the software provided by the district will always work as intended. The school district is not responsible for failures in the operation or technical functioning of the Internet or the computers or software used to access the Internet.

    Adopted: 2/9/98

    Revised: 4/9/01

    Back