FILE:  IFBGA

Cf:  EFA

 

STUDENT TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE

 

 

The Plaquemines Parish School Board (PPSB) believes it is necessary for all persons to become aware of acceptable use of computers.  Any person using computers or other electronic information resources shall be required to use such equipment and resources in a responsible, legal manner.  The School Board retains the right to monitor all computer usage and files for compliance to all regulations and/or procedures.  In order to comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, the School Board shall adopt and enforce a Student Technology Acceptable Use policy which addresses Internet Safety that incorporates the use of computer-related technology and the use of the Internet.

 

Computers and internet access enhance innovative educational opportunities for students through access to unique resources and collaborations.  Furthermore, such technology allows employees to facilitate learning and teaching through research, teacher training, communication, collaboration and use of successful educational practices, methods and materials.

 

The Student Technology Acceptable Use policy is provided to inform students, and parents of the responsibilities they will assume when using this PPSB resource.  Responsibilities include efficient, ethical, legal, and acceptable utilization of the network resources.

 

INTERNET SAFETY

 

The Internet is a vast global computer network that provides access to major universities around the world, governmental agencies, other school systems, and commercial providers of data banks.  The School Board has established appropriate guidelines for exploring and using Internet resources within the school district to enhance learning and teaching activities.  Age and grade appropriate classroom instruction shall be provided regarding Internet and cell phone safety.  Such instruction shall include appropriate online behavior, interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response, as well as areas of concern as authorized in state and federal law.  These instructions include grade appropriate materials regarding Internet safety, including cyber bullying, awareness and response and interacting with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms.

 

The School Board has provided filtering software designed to block access or exposure to any harmful materials or information, such as sites that contain obscene, pornographic, pervasively vulgar, excessively violent, or sexually harassing information or material.  The filtering software also filters sites which contain information on the manufacturing of bombs or other incendiary devices.  However, this software cannot replace the responsibility of the parents, students and teachers to take personal accountability to teach and behave responsibly when using the Internet.

 

It shall be the policy of the Plaquemines Parish School Board that any use of the Internet that adversely affects its operation in pursuit of teaching and learning or jeopardizes its use or performance for other community members is prohibited and may result in loss of Internet privileges, suspension of the student, or other appropriate disciplinary action.  The School Board does not condone the use of the Internet for any illegal or inappropriate activities and shall not be responsible for any such use by staff or students.  Parents shall be made aware that Internet usage is only partially controllable by supervision.

 

Students may use the Internet only under the direct supervision of a teacher or other professional designated by the teacher.

 

Use of any computers shall be reserved for academic purposes only.  All PPSB computer users shall be held accountable and required to use such equipment and other resources in a respectful, legal manner.  All users, including students, employees, or any other users of School Board computers, hardware, and Board network shall abide by all policies of the School Board and any applicable administrative regulations and procedures.

 

The PPSB Technology Department maintains the right to monitor all computer usage and files for compliance with all regulations and/or procedures.  Content on the network is not private and shall be treated as district property subject to control and inspection.

 

USE OF INTERNET REGULATIONS

 

The School Board provides access to the Internet to students, teachers, staff and administrators.  Research, collaborative learning, and exchange of educational ideas and information are regularly pursued on the Internet.  The School Board recognizes that there are appropriate regulations are needed to maximize effective educational use of the Internet and minimize abuse of the opportunity being provided to our schools.  Ethical, efficient and legal use of any network is the key to a successful linkage with the Internet.  The use of PPSB network is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use shall result in a cancellation of those privileges and may result in disciplinary action by the administration, faculty, or staff and /or legal action by the School Board.

 

All students and any other users of School Board computers, hardware, and the School Board network shall abide by policies of the School Board.  Accordingly, regulations for participation by anyone on the Internet shall include but not be limited to the following:

 

Communication And Collaboration

 

  1. Students must demonstrate honesty, integrity, and respect for others at all times.  Appropriate manners and language shall be required.

  2. Sending of threatening, profane, or abusive messages and/or pictures is forbidden.

  3. Re-posting of personal messages without the author's consent shall be forbidden.

  4. Sending or posting anonymous messages shall be forbidden.

  5. Sending of chain emails or spam messages is forbidden.

  6. Invading the privacy of another user, or using his/her account, is prohibited.

  7. Accessing, sending, receiving, or configuring electronically any profane or obscene language or pictures shall be forbidden.

  8. Perusing or otherwise accessing obscene or pornographic material, or using profanity in messages shall be forbidden.

  9. If granted, student email shall be used for educational purposes only and shall be provided upon teacher recommendation.  Only teachers and classes as a whole may be permitted to use e-mail.  Email transmissions, stored data, transmitted data, or any other use of the computer on-line services by students, employees or other user is not considered confidential, and may be monitored any time by designated staff to ensure appropriate use.  All email and all electronic content is shall be considered property of the District.

  10. Email, the use of MOODLE, and electronic communication of any kind shall be used for legitimate and responsible communication only.

  11. No photographs, personal addresses, personal phone numbers, or last names shall be permitted in student use of the Internet.

  12. Transmission of any material in violation of any U.S., state, local or School Board regulations shall be prohibited.

 

Online Use

 

  1. A student shall not attempt to access any Internet resources or entities (including games, email, social networking sites, directories, or other sites or files) not previously authorized by the teacher.

  2. Students shall make use of assigned filtered network resources only for educational and/or professional development purposes.  Personal use of these resources shall be prohibited.  This includes using network resources for personal monetary gain such as operating a personal business.  The Internet may not be used for financial or commercial gain.

  3. A student shall not engage in unauthorized access, including hacking, and other unlawful activities on any computer.

  4. Perusing or otherwise accessing information on manufacturing bombs, other incendiary devices or firearms shall be forbidden.

  5. Product advertising, political lobbying, or sending messages involving illegal activities shall not be permitted.

  6. Students shall not harass or engage in personal attacks against another person.  Harassment is persistently acting in a manner that distresses or annoys another person.

  7. Students shall not use the PPSB network to access or create obscene, profane, discriminatory, harassing, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, unprofessional or disrespectful content in any electronic form including audio, images, video and text.

  8. Students shall not circumvent district content filters using any means in order to access inappropriate content as listed above.

  9. Students shall not access or use sites to make activity on the internet untraceable.

 

Presentation

 

  1. Illegal activities, including copyright or contract violations shall not be permitted.  All persons who willfully violate copyright laws do so without the sanction of the PPSB School Board and at their own risk and shall assume all liability and responsibility. 

  2. Students shall not plagiarize works found on the Internet.  Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writing of others and presenting them as if they were the creator.

  3. Students shall not publish online any personal information regarding students, including minors and employees – this includes contact information about themselves or any other person on any PPSB webpage or project.

 

Equipment Use

 

  1. All students shall respect the privacy of other’s’ access codes and passwords.  Sharing network/computer access codes and passwords is shall be prohibited. 

  2. No activities shall be allowed which may damage or interrupt equipment or any networking system.

  3. Any subscriptions to list servers, bulletin boards, or on-line services shall be only high quality discussion groups and information feeds that are relevant to educational or professional development activities and approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee prior to any such usage.

  4. Students must be under the supervision of a teacher, para-educator, school administrator, librarian or supervisor while using any computer.  All students who log into the network are responsible for maintaining security of their access codes.

  5. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy hardware or software data of the school system and/or another user.  Any report of vandalism shall result in disciplinary action.

  6. Any attempt to alter, harm or destroy equipment, the data of another user of the Internet, or any network on the Internet shall be forbidden. 

  7. No student is permitted to upload, or create a computer virus on the Internet or any networking system.  No software, programs or files may be installed or downloaded by any user without the prior permission of the tech department who must check for compatibility.  

  8. Violations shall be reported when evidence of such is encountered on the Internet.  Students shall promptly disclose to the teacher or other school employee any message they receive that is considered inappropriate or makes them feel uncomfortable.

  9. Tampering with selection menus, procedures or icons for the purpose of misleading or confusing others shall be prohibited.

  10. Music and non-educational video files shall not be downloaded or stored on PPSB computer/networks unless approved by school or district network administrators.

  11. Resources offered by the Internet and paid for by the School Board may not be willfully wasted.

  12. When a security problem is detected, it shall be reported immediately to the teacher.  The problem shall not be demonstrated to other users.

 

SECURITY

 

  1. Students shall not post information related to the school, school staff, students, use images of the school, the school logo, initials or seal in any form on the Internet or in any form of electronic communication without specific written permission of the Superintendent and/or his/her designee.  The posting of any such information on any website, bulletin board, chat room, e-mail or elsewhere without permission or the posting or transmission of images or information in any format related to the school, staff, or students that are defamatory, abusive, pornographic, or which could be construed as threatening or impugning the character of another person is prohibited.

 

Any violation of the Student Technology Acceptable Use policy shall be reported to the teacher, technology coordinator or principal.  That person shall report the incident to the technology department or other appropriate personnel.

 

CONSEQUENCES OF MISUSE

 

School principals may suspend from school any student who accesses, sends, receives, or configures electronically any profane language or pictures or violates any regulations for computer use or any rules contained herein.  Moreover, students may also be disciplined for off campus speech, Internet activities, or use of off-campus computer and or electronic systems that may cause a substantial disruption of the educational environment, interfere with the rights of others or can be considered a threat.

 

Revised:  August, 1999 Adopted:  November 1, 2010
Revised:  April, 2010 Revised:  August 8, 2011
Approved:  September 13, 2010 Revised:  April, 2012

 

 

Ref:    20 USC 7131 (Internet Safety)

47 USC 254 (Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA))

47 CFR 54.520 (Children's Internet Protection Act Certifications for Schools and Libraries)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:100.7, 17:280

Board minutes, 7-13-09, 11-1-10, 8-8-11, 12-17-12, 11-10-14

 

Plaquemines Parish School Board