Policy GBEE - DISTRICT PERSONNEL AND BOARD OF EDUCATION
MEMBERS USE OF THE INTERNET AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
The Internet, a global computer network referred to as the
World Wide Web, and electronic communications (e-mail, chat rooms and other
forms of electronic communication) have vast potential to support curriculum
and learning. The Board of Education
(Board) believes they should be used in schools as a learning resource to
educate and to inform.
The Board believes the educational opportunities inherent in
these tools far outweigh the possibility that users may procure material not
consistent with the education goals of the District. The Board also believes in
the value of using electronic opportunities to conduct its business and to foster
District communications. However, the Internet and electronic communications
are fluid environments in which users may access materials and information from
many sources. School personnel and Board
members shall take responsibility for their own use of District computers and
computer systems to avoid contact with material or information that violates
this policy.
BLOCKING OR FILTERING OBSCENE, PORNOGRAPHIC, AND HARMFUL
INFORMATION
All District computers having Internet or electronic
communications access shall be subject to software that is designed to block or
filter material and information that is obscene, pornographic or otherwise
harmful to minors, as defined by the Board. Specific sites may be unblocked
with Director approval if necessary for educational purposes providing those
sites contain no materials that are obscene, pornographic, or otherwise harmful
to minors.
NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY
District computers and computer systems are owned by the
District and are intended for educational purposes and District business at all
times. District personnel and Board of
Education members shall have no expectation of privacy when using the Internet
or electronic communications. The
District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review, and store (at
any time and without prior notice) all usage of District computers and computer
systems, including all Internet and electronic communications access and
transmission/receipt of materials and information. All material and information accessed/received
through District computers and computer systems shall remain the property of
the School District.
PUBLIC RECORDS
Electronic communications sent and received by District
employees and Board of Education members may be considered a public record subject
to public disclosure or inspection under the Colorado Open Records Act. Electronic communications are retained,
archived and destroyed in accordance with applicable law, regulations, and/or
policy.
UNAUTHORIZED AND UNACCEPTABLE USES
District personnel and Board of Education members shall use
District computers and computer systems in a responsible, efficient, ethical
and legal manner.
Because technology and ways of using technology are
constantly evolving, every unacceptable use of District computers and computers
systems cannot be specifically described in policy. Therefore, examples of unacceptable uses
include, but are not limited to, the following.
No District personnel or Board of Education members shall
access, create, transmit, retransmit, or forward material or information:
· that promotes
violence or advocates destruction of property including, but not limited to,
access to information concerning the manufacturing or purchasing of destructive
devices or weapons
· that contains
pornographic, obscene, or other sexually oriented materials, either as pictures
or writings, that are intended to stimulate erotic feelings or appeal to
prurient interests in nudity, sex or excretion
· that
harasses, threatens, demeans, or promotes violence or hatred against another
person or group of persons with regard to race, color, sex, religion, national
origin, age, marital status, disability, or handicap
· for personal
profit, financial gain, advertising, commercial transaction, or political
purposes
· that
plagiarizes the work of another without express consent
· that uses
inappropriate or profane language likely to be offensive to others in the
school community
· that is
knowingly false or could be construed as intending to purposely damage another
person's reputation
· in violation
of any federal or state law, including but not limited to, copyrighted material
and material protected by trade secret
· that contains
personal information protected by confidentiality laws
· using another
individual’s Internet or electronic communications account without written
permission from that individual
· that
impersonates another or transmits through an anonymous remailer
· that accesses
fee services without specific permission from the building technology
specialist or site administrator
SECURITY
Security on District computer systems is a high
priority. District personnel and Board
of Education members who identify a security problem while using the Internet
or electronic communications must immediately notify an
administrator/supervisor. Logging onto the Internet or electronic
communications falsely acting as a system administrator is prohibited.
District personnel and Board of Education members shall not:
· use another
person's password or any other inaccurate or deceptive identifier
· gain or
attempt to gain unauthorized access to District computers or computers systems
· read, alter,
delete or copy, or attempt to do so, electronic communications of other system
users
Any District employee may be denied access to the Internet
and electronic communications for any reason considered appropriate by the
administrator/supervisor.
CONFIDENTIALITY
District personnel and Board of Education members shall not
access, receive, transmit, or retransmit material regarding students,
parents/guardians or District employees that is protected by confidentiality
laws. If material is not legally
protected but is of a confidential or sensitive nature, great care shall be
taken to ensure that only those with a “need to know” are allowed access to the
material. Staff members shall handle all employee, student, and District
records in accordance with policies GBJ (Personnel Records, Right to Privacy)
and JRA/JRC (Student Records/Release of Information on Students).
Disclosure of confidential student records, including
disclosure via electronic mail or other telecommunication systems, is governed
by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Therefore, the sharing of student records or
other confidential information with persons or agencies outside the School
District via e-mail is prohibited without prior written consent of
the student’s parent/guardian, unless disclosure is under an exception to FERPA
(See policy JRA/JRC, Student Records/Release of Information on Students for
detailed information on student records and FERPA). Student records and other confidential
information may be shared with other District personnel via e-mail, as long as
the District employee with whom the
records are shared has a legitimate educational interest in the student and the
records are shared for a legitimate educational purpose.
Any student records maintained on District technology,
including on the electronic mail system or in any other electronic format are
part of the student’s record and, as such, are available for parent/guardian
review and must be maintained in accordance with FERPA requirements. It is imperative that District personnel who
share confidential student information via electronic communications understand
the correct use of the technology, so that confidential records are not
inadvertently sent or forwarded to the wrong party. District personnel who use e-mail to disclose
student records or other confidential student information in a manner
inconsistent with FERPA requirements may be subject to disciplinary action.
VANDALISM
Vandalism will result in cancellation of privileges and may
result in school disciplinary action and/or legal action. Vandalism is defined
as any malicious or intentional attempt to harm, destroy, modify, abuse, or
disrupt operation of any network within the School District or any network
connected to the Internet, operation of any form of electronic communications,
the data contained on any network or electronic communications, the data of
another user, usage by another user, or District-owned software or
hardware. This includes, but is not
limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses and the use of
encryption software.
UNAUTHORIZED SOFTWARE
District personnel are prohibited from using or possessing
any software that has been downloaded or is otherwise in the user's possession
without appropriate registration and payment of any fees owed to the software
owner.
DISTRICT PERSONNEL USE IS A PRIVILEGE
Use of the Internet and electronic communications demands
personal responsibility and an understanding of the acceptable and unacceptable
uses of such tools. District personnel
use of the Internet and electronic communications is a privilege, not a
right. Failure to follow the use
procedures contained in this policy will result in the loss of the privilege to
use these tools and may result in school disciplinary action and/or legal
action. The School District
may deny, revoke, or suspend access to District technology or close accounts at
any time for any reason considered appropriate by the administrator/supervisor
or for regular maintenance or improvement of the District’s system.
District personnel and Board of Education members shall be
required to sign the District's Acceptable Use Agreement annually before
Internet or electronic communications accounts shall be issued or access shall
be allowed.
SCHOOL DISTRICT MAKES NO WARRANTIES
The School District makes no
warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, related to the use of
District computers and computer systems, including access to the Internet and
electronic communications services.
Providing access to these services does not imply endorsement by the
District of the content, nor does the District make any guarantee as to the
accuracy or quality of information received.
The School District shall not be responsible for
any damages, losses or costs a District employee suffers in using the Internet
and electronic communications. This includes loss of data and service
interruptions. Use of any information obtained via the Internet and electronic
communications is at the District employee’s own risk.
See GBEE-E for form
Attention! Please Read!
The official copy of the Board of Education Policy Manual is
Located in the office of the Superintendent at the Weld
County
School District 6 Administration
Building located at
1025 9th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631