File: IJNDB
ACCEPTABLE USE OF COMPUTERS
In support of the district’s mission for educational technology the West Springfield School District is now offering Internet access for student use. The use of the computer system is a privilege, not a right.
Inappropriate use will result in the loss of this privilege. This document contains the Acceptable Use Policy for student use of the West Springfield School District’s computer system.
A. Educational Purpose
B. Student Internet Access
C. Unacceptable Uses
The following uses of the West Springfield School District’s computer system are considered unacceptable:
1. Personal Safety a. Students will not post personal contact information about themselves or other people. Personal contact information includes your address, telephone, school address, work address, etc.
b. Students will not agree to meet with someone they have met online without their parent’s or guardian’s approval. Your parent or guardian should accompany you to this meeting.
c. Students will promptly disclose to their teacher or other school employee any site that is inappropriate or makes them feel uncomfortable.
d. Chat rooms cannot be accessed with the exception of teacher supervised sites for educational purposes.
2. Illegal Activities
a. Students will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the West Springfield School District’s computer system or to any other computer system through the West Springfield School District’s computer system or go beyond their authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another person’s account or access another person’s files. These actions are illegal, even if only for the purposes of “browsing”.
b. Students will not make deliberate attempts to disrupt the computer system or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means. These actions are illegal.
c. The West Springfield School District’s computer system cannot be used to engage in any other illegal act, such as arranging for a drug sale or the purchase of alcohol, engaging in criminal gang activity, threatening the safety of person, etc
3. System Security
a. Students are responsible for their individual accounts and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to use their accounts. Under no conditions should they provide their password to another person.
b. Students will immediately notify a teacher or the system administrator if they have identified a possible security problem. Do not go looking for security problems, because this may be construed as an illegal attempt to gain access.
c. To avoid the inadvertent spread of computer viruses students will not download software.
d. The student is responsible for keeping all accounts and passwords confidential, not sharing an account and not leaving an account open or unattended. It shall be a violation of school rules to divulge such information to another”.
4. Inappropriate Language
a. Restrictions against inappropriate language apply to public messages, private messages, and material posted on Web pages.
b. Students will not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory,threatening, or disrespectful language.
c. Students will not post information that could cause damage or a danger of disruption.
d. Students will not engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.
e. Students will not harass another person. Harassment is persistently acting in a manner that distresses or annoys another person. If you are told by a person to stop sending them messages, you must stop.
f. Students will not knowingly or recklessly post false or defamatory information about a person or organization.
5. Respect for Privacy
a. Students will not repost a message that was sent to them privately without permission of the person who sent the message.
b. Students will not post private information about another person.
6. Respecting Resource Limits
a. Students will use the system only for educational and career development activities.
b. Students will not download files.
7. Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement
a. Students will not plagiarize works that they find on the Internet. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were yours.
b. Students will respect the rights of copyright owners. Copyright infringement occurs when you inappropriately reproduce a work that is protected by a copyright. If a work contains language that specifies appropriate use of that work, you should follow the expressed requirements. If you are unsure whether or not you can use a work, you should request permission from the copyright owner. Copyright law can be very confusing. If you have questions ask a teacher.
8. Inappropriate Access to Material
a. The West Springfield School District’s computer system cannot be used to access material that is profane or obscene (pornography), that advocates illegal acts, or that advocates violence or discrimination towards other people (hate literature).
b. If students mistakenly access inappropriate information, they should immediately tell their teacher or another West Springfield School District employee. This will protect them against a claim that they have intentionally violated this Policy.
c. Parents or guardians should instruct their child if there is additional material that they think would be inappropriate for them to access. The district fully expects that students will follow your parent’s or guardian’s instructions.
D. Your Rights
1. Student Conduct - The student’s conduct, as set forth in the West Springfield School District’s disciplinary code, applies also to communication on the Internet. The West Springfield School District’s computer system is considered a limited forum, similar to the school newspaper, and therefore the District may restrict student communication for valid educational reasons. The District will not restrict speech on the basis of a disagreement with the opinions students are expressing.
2. Search and Seizure.
a. Students should expect only limited privacy in the contents of their personal files on the District system. The situation is similar to the rights you have in the privacy of your locker.
b. Routine maintenance and monitoring of the West Springfield School District’s computer system may lead to the discovery of violations of this Policy, the West Springfield School District’s disciplinary code, or the law.
c. An individual search will be conducted if there is reasonable suspicion that students have violated this Policy, the West Springfield School District’s disciplinary code, or the law. The investigation will be reasonable and related to the suspected violation.
3. Due Process
a. The District will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation related to any illegal activities conducted through the West Springfield School District’s computer system.
b. In the event there is a claim that you have violated this Policy or the West Springfield School District’s disciplinary code in your use of the West Springfield School District’s computer system, you will be provided with a written notice of the suspected violation and an opportunity to present an explanation before a neutral administrator (or - will be provided with notice and opportunity to be heard in the manner set forth in the West Springfield School District’s disciplinary code).
c. If the violation also involves a violation of other provisions of the West Springfield School District’s disciplinary code, it will be handled in a manner described in the West Springfield School District’s disciplinary code. Additional restrictions may be placed on your use of your Internet account.
d. All flies and resources on the network are the property of the West Springfield Schools. Any unauthorized use shall be grounds for disciplinary action or possible prosecution”
E. Limitation of Liability
The District makes no guarantee that the functions or the services provided by or through the District system will be error-free or without defect. The District will not be responsible for any damage you may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service. The District is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through or stored on the system. The District will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system.