Acceptable Use Policy

Athens Independent School District

Acceptable Use of Technology Resources

Terms: You will comply at all times with the Athens School District’s Acceptable Use Policy, incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof for all purposes. Any failure to comply may terminate your rights of possession effectively immediately and the District may repossess the property.

Title: Legal title to the property is in the District and shall at all times remain in the District. Your right of possession and use is limited to and conditioned upon your full and complete compliance with this Agreement.

Loss or Damage: Loss or theft of the property must be reported to the AISD Police and Technology Departments by the next school day after the occurrence. Seniors must clear all records and pay all fees before participating in graduation ceremonies.

Repossession: If you do not timely and fully comply with all terms of this Agreement and the Athens ISD Acceptable Use Policy, including the timely return of the property, the District shall be entitled to declare you in default and come to your place of residence, or other location of the property, to take possession of the property.

Term of Agreement: Your right to use and possession of the property terminates not later than the last day of the school year unless earlier terminated by the District or upon withdrawal from the District.

Appropriation: Your failure to timely return the property and the continued use of it for nonschool purposes without the District’s consent will be considered unlawful appropriation of the District’s property.

Pricing For Lost Power Supplies and Batteries: The student will be charged actual cost of the replacement power supply and batteries as stated on the manufactures website.

Use of Computers and Laptops on the Network: Athens ISD is committed to the importance of a student being able to continue with his work when his laptop is experiencing problems. To assist with this problem the District is providing the following:

Network Student Drives: The students will have a network drive setup from their login. Students can save important items on this network drive, keeping a backup that they can access from anywhere on the network. Students will also have drive space available associated with their email account.

Library Computers: The District has desktop computers in the library. These computers can be used by students if they do not have their laptop. They will be able to access their saved work on their network drive.

Loaning Laptops: The technology department will provide a loaner laptop for the students to use while repairs are being made to their system if one is available.

Internet Safety: There are many sites on the Internet that can be potentially dangerous to minors. These sites are blocked while students are logged on to the District network, but may be unprotected at home. Students are in violation of district policy if they access these sites through proxies. Parents may want to restrict their home access. For more information about Internet safety, go to www.isafe.org.

Risk: Sites accessible via the Network/Internet may contain material that is illegal, defamatory, inaccurate or controversial. Although the District will attempt to limit access to objectionable material by using filtering software, controlling all materials on the Network/Internet is impossible. With global access to computers and people, a risk exists that students may access material that may not be of educational value in the school setting.

Monitored Use: Electronic mail transmissions and other use of the electronic communications system by students and employees shall not be considered confidential and may be monitored at any time by designated District staff to ensure appropriate use. This monitoring may include activity logging, virus scanning, and content scanning. Participation in computer-mediated conversation/discussion forums for instructional purposes must be approved by curriculum and campus administration. The District has provided students with access to “Digital Lockers,” a network storage location for files. The “digital locker” provides an area where certain school-related student products can be stored from year to year, thus creating the student digital portfolio. To enforce the Student AUP and to maintain the integrity of the network, digital lockers, shared network space, and any District storage space will be monitored by District staff and files such as games, inappropriate images and files will be deleted. External electronic storage devices are subject to monitoring if used with District resources. Student disciplinary action may follow.

General Laptop Rules

Inappropriate Content & Graffiti: Inappropriate content will not be allowed on laptops. Athens ISD will have the final word in determining inappropriate content. Presence of weapons, pornographic materials, inappropriate language, alcohol, drug, gang-related symbols or pictures will result in disciplinary actions.

Sound: Sound will be muted at all times unless permission is obtained from the teacher for instructional purposes.

Deleting Files: Do not delete any folders or files that you did not create or that you do not recognize. Deletion of certain files will result in a computer failure and will interfere with your ability to complete class work and may affect your grades.

Music, Games, or Programs: Music and games may not be downloaded or streamed over the Internet. All software loaded on the system must be District approved. Students are not allowed to load any type of software onto their laptop without written approval of the technology department.

No Loaning or Borrowing Laptops

Do not loan laptops to other students.

Do not borrow a laptop from another student.

Do not share passwords or usernames.

Photographs/Videos: It is in violation of this policy to view, access or store photographs or video content without the consent or knowledge of all involved parties. Content in violation of this acceptable use policy will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the District’s Student Code of Conduct.

Unauthorized Access: Access to another persons account or computer without their consent or knowledge is considered hacking and is unacceptable.

Student Guidelines for Acceptable Use of Technology Resources: These guidelines are provided here so that students and parents are aware of the responsibilities students accept when they use District-owned computer hardware, operating system software, application software, stored text, data files, electronic mail, local databases, CDROMs, digitized information, communication technologies, and Internet access. In general, this requires efficient, ethical, and legal utilization of all technology resources.

1. Expectations are as follows:

a. Student use of computers, other technology hardware, software, and computer networks, including the Internet, is only allowed when supervised or granted permission by a staff member.

b. All users are expected to follow existing copyright laws. Copyright guidelines are posted and/or available in the media center of each campus as well as posted on the District’s Web site.

c. Although the District has an Internet safety plan in place, students are expected to notify a staff member whenever they come across information or messages that are inappropriate, dangerous, threatening, or make them feel uncomfortable.

d. Students who identify or know about a security problem are expected to convey the details to their teacher without discussing it with other students.

2. Unacceptable conduct includes, but is not limited to the following:

a. Using the network for illegal activities, including copyright, license, or contract violations or downloading inappropriate materials, viruses, and/or software, such as but not limited to hacking and host file-sharing software.

b. Using the network for financial or commercial gain, advertising, or political lobbying.

c. Accessing or exploring online locations or materials that do not support the curriculum and/or are inappropriate for school assignments, such as but not limited to pornographic sites.

d. Vandalizing and/or tampering with equipment, programs, files, software, system performance, or other components of the network. Use or possession of hacking software is strictly prohibited.

e. Causing congestion on the network or interfering with the work of others, e.g., chain letters or broadcast messages to lists or individuals.

f. Intentionally wasting finite resources, i.e., online time, real-time music.

g. Gaining unauthorized access anywhere on the network.

h. Revealing the home address or phone number of one’s self or another person.

i. Invading the privacy of other individuals.

j. Using another user’s account, password, or ID card or allowing another user to access your account, password, or ID.

k. Coaching, helping, observing, or joining any unauthorized activity on the network.

l. Posting anonymous messages or unlawful information on the system.

m. Engaging in sexual harassment or using objectionable language in public or private messages, e.g., racist, terroristic, abusive, sexually explicit, threatening, demeaning, stalking, or slanderous.

n. Falsifying permission, authorization, or identification documents.

o. Obtaining copies of or modifying files, data, or passwords belonging to other users on the network.

p. Knowingly placing a computer virus on a computer or network.

3. Acceptable Use Guidelines for the District’s network computer online services are as follows:

a. General Guidelines:

(1) Students will have access to all available forms of electronic media and communication that is in support of education and research, and in support of the educational goals and objectives of the District.

(2) Students are responsible for their ethical and educational use of the computer online services in the District.

(3) All policies and restrictions of the District’s computer online services must be followed.

(4) Access to the District’s computer online services is a privilege and not a right. Each employee, student, and/or parent will be required to sign the Acceptable Use Policy Agreement Sheet and adhere to the Acceptable Use Guidelines in order to be granted access to District computer online services.

(5) The use of any District computer online services in the District must be in support of education and research and in support of the educational goals and objectives of the District.

(6) When placing, removing, or restricting access to specific databases or other District computer online services, school officials will apply the same criteria of educational suitability used for other education resources.

(7) Transmission of any material that is in violation of any federal or state law is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to confidential information, copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, and computer viruses.

(8) Any attempt to alter data, the configuration of a computer, or the files of another user without the consent of the individual, campus administrator, or technology administrator, will be considered an act of vandalism and subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the District’s Student Code of Conduct.

(9) Parents concerned with the District’s computer online services at their child’s school should refer to EFA (LOCAL): Instructional Resources: Instructional Material Selection and Adoption policy and follow the stated procedure.

(10) Any parent wishing to restrict their children’s access to any District computer online services will provide this restriction request in writing. Parents will assume responsibility for imposing restrictions only on their own children.

b. Network Etiquette:

(1) Be polite.

(2) Use appropriate language.

(3) Do not reveal personal data (home address, phone number, phone numbers of other people).

(4) Remember that the other users of the District’s computer online services and other networks are human beings whose culture, language, and humor have different points of reference from your own.

(5) Users should be polite when forwarding e-mail. The intent of forwarding email should be on a need-to-know basis.

c. E-Mail:

(1) E-mail should be used for educational or administrative purposes only.

(2) E-mail transmissions, stored data, transmitted data, or any other use of the District’s computer online services by students, employees, or any other user shall not be considered confidential and may be monitored at any time by designated staff to ensure appropriate use.

(3) All e-mail and all e-mail contents are property of the District.

4. Consequences are as follows:

a. The student in whose name a system account and/or computer hardware is issued will be responsible at all times for its appropriate use.

b. Noncompliance with the guidelines published here and in the Student Code of Conduct may result in suspension or termination of technology privileges and disciplinary actions. Use or possession of hacking software is strictly prohibited and violators will be subject to Level III consequences of the Student Code of Conduct. Violations of applicable state and federal law, including the Texas Penal Code, Computer Crimes, Chapter 33 will result in criminal prosecution, as well as disciplinary actions by the District.

c. Electronic mail, network usage, and all stored files will not be considered confidential and may be monitored at any time by designated District staff to ensure appropriate use.

d. The District will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to violations of computer crime laws. Contents of e-mail and network communications are governed by the Texas Open Records Act; therefore, proper authorities will be given access to their content.

Consequences of Violations:

Any attempt to violate the provisions of these guidelines may result in revocation of the user’s access to the Network/Internet, regardless of the success or failure of the attempt. In addition, disciplinary action consistent with the District discipline policy and/or appropriate legal action, which may include restitution, may be taken. District designees will make the final determination as to what constitutes inappropriate use. The users privileges may be denied, revoked, or suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.

DISCLAIMER:

These guidelines apply to stand-alone computers as well as computers connected to the Network/Internet. The District makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the services it is providing and is not responsible for any damages suffered by users. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mis-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its negligence or user errors or omissions. The District is not responsible for phone/credit card bills or any other charges incurred by users. Use of any information obtained via the Network/Internet is at the user’s own risk. The District specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services. Opinions, advice, services, and all other information expressed by system users, information providers, service providers, or other third party individuals in the system are those of the providers and not the District. The District will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to misuse of the District’s electronic communications system.

Consequences

The student in whose name a system account and/or computer hardware issued will be responsible at all times for its appropriate care and use.

Noncompliance with the guidelines published here in the Student Code of Conduct may result in suspension or termination of technology privileges and disciplinary actions. Use or possession of hacking software is strictly prohibited and violators will be subject to Level III consequence of the Code of Conduct. Violation of applicable state or federal law, including the Texas Penal Code, Computer Crimes, and Chapter 33 will result in criminal prosecution or disciplinary action by the District.

Electronic mail, network usage, and all stored files shall not be considered confidential and may be monitored at any time by designated District staff to ensure appropriate use.

The District cooperates fully with local, state or federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to violations of computer crime laws. Contents of email and network communications are governed by the Texas Open Records Act; proper authorities will be given access to their content.

Violations of Acceptable Use Policy

Violations of the Athens ISD Acceptable Use Policy may result in any or all of the following, as well as Student Code of Conduct Violations and Disciplinary Options:

1. First offense will be removal of student computer for one week.

2. Second offense will be removal of student computer for three weeks.

3. Third offense will be removal of student computer for the remainder of the year.

Texas Penal Code

§33.02. Breach of Computer Security

(a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly accesses a computer, computer network, or computer system without the effective consent of the owner.

(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor unless in committing the offense the actor knowingly obtains a benefit, defrauds or harms another, or alters, damages, or deletes property, in which event the offense is:

(1) a Class A misdemeanor if the aggregate amount involved is less that $1,500

(2) a state jail felony if

(A) the aggregate amount involved is $1,500 or more but less than $20,000; or

(B) the aggregate amount involved is less than $1,500 and the defendant has been previously convicted two or more times of an offense under this chapter;

(3) a felony of the third degree if the aggregate amount involved is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000

(4) a felony of the second degree if the aggregate amount involved is $100,00 or more but less than $200,000; or

(5) a felony of the first degree if the aggregate amount involved is $200,000 or more.

A person who is subject to prosecution under this section and any other section of this code may be prosecuted under either or both sections.

See Appendix G: AISD Acceptable Use of the Internet Contract