Benefits, Risks, and Policies Reducing Risk
Monona Grove School District offers students access to the district computer network and the Internet, which gives students access to educational resources around the world. Many classes incorporate the Internet as a primary research resource. Although there is a national consensus among educators that the benefits of Internet access outweigh the risks, parents should know that because anyone can publish on the Internet, many sites contain material that is illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or offensive. Although it is impossible to eliminate the risk that students might be exposed to such material, Monona Grove students’ risk is reduced by the following rules and policies:
1. No student may use any district computer unless a supervising adult is in the same room.
2. Student use is electronically monitored, so that students can be held accountable for Internet sites they have visited. (See below for guidelines on acceptable sites.)
3. Monona Grove School District may filter Internet traffic coming into its network to restrict access to inappropriate sites.
Despite these risk-reducing policies, determined students might still be able to access inappropriate sites, and Monona Grove School District does not guarantee that such access will be impossible on the District computer system. Ultimately, students are responsible for where they choose to go on the Internet. Parents who are concerned about risk to their children because of Internet access should contact their child’s principal.
Policies Governing Student Use of the Monona Grove School District Computer Network
Students are responsible for good behavior on school computer networks just as they are in a classroom or school hallway. In general, school rules for behavior and communications apply to computer use as well.
Use of the Monona Grove School District computer system is a privilege, not a right. Failure to abide by the rules governing student computer use may result in a forfeiture of that privilege. The rules listed below provide specific examples of inappropriate and prohibited use, but those examples are not intended to be comprehensive.
1. All use of the district’s computer system must support learning appropriate for school.
2. No one may use a district computer unless a supervising adult is in the same room.
3. No one without an active user account may use the computer system, and no one may log onto the system using someone else’s account, even with his/her permission.
4. No one may access or attempt to access any material stored in another user’s designated network storage space. No one may access or attempt to access material that is not available using his or her system name and password. No one may access or attempt to access unauthorized areas of the system.
5. No one may use the system in such a way as to disrupt, or threaten to disrupt, the ability of others to use the system. Disruption may, but need not, include damage to equipment or stored data.
6. Threatening, hateful, harassing, insulting, defamatory, or offensive communication using the system is prohibited.
7. No one may use the system to obtain or transmit any material inappropriate for school.
8. No one may waste limited network resources, including bandwith and storage space.
9. No student may download software without a teacher’s permission.
10. Any use of the district’s computer system for illegal or commercial purposes is prohibited.
Students suspected of inappropriate or prohibited computer use will be investigated. Students and parents are advised that students’ use of the network including which computers they use, which Internet sites they visit, what e-mail they send and receive, and what material they save on the network, will be monitored and sometimes accessed. Students should not expect privacy in any work they do, any communication they make, or any material they save.
Students found to have violated the rules above, or other school rules governing behavior and communication, may lose computer privileges, even if this leaves them unable to complete required assignments. They might also be subject to other discipline including suspension, expulsion, and/or criminal prosecution. Decisions about punishment, and whether to involve the police, will be made by the building and district administration.
Online Safety/Privacy Reminders
• Once you post something, you cannot remove it - even deleting an item will not erase it from some servers/computers.
• Sharing information (address, phone number, credit card number, etc.) is risky. Once this information is online it is out of your control.
• You cannot control your audience. Potential employers, university officials, law enforcement officials and others may have or ask for access to any/all of your information.
• Do not share your passwords with anyone. You are responsible for any negative activity on your accounts.
• Communicating with anyone that you do not personally know, is risky. The stranger danger of your childhood exists online and is very hard to identify.
• Err on the side of caution. If you had any suspicious or inappropriate contacts, report them to a school official.