Purpose:
The West Warwick Public Schools recognizes its responsibility to comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and Rhode Island General Law 16-21.6-1.
In accordance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), the West Warwick Public Schools is required to have in place a filtering device on all computers with Internet access. The filter should protect minors from access to visual depictions that are obscene or constitute child pornography, or that are harmful to minors, as defined in CIPA below: Harmful to minors, means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that -- (A) taken as a whole and
with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion; (B) depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and (C) taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.
School Improvement Team - Technology Subcommittee:
A. Each school as a part of their School Improvement Team will constitute a subcommittee of more than two members (possible members might include: librarian, administrator, general educator, special educator, IT staff) to review WWPS filtering categories. The SIT subcommittee will make recommendations concerning content filtering categories, or changes wherein.
B. The Superintendent of Schools, Director of Education Reform, Compliance & IT along with Professional Development Staff will review any requested changes to the District’s content filtering categories. The Superintendent will recommend approval to the WWSC.
C. All decisions concerning filtered categories will consider the impact such decisions will have on the stated curricula goals of the WWPS.
D. The Director of Education Reform, Compliance and IT (or designee) will compile a list of filtered categories with a justification concerning the legal basis or educational basis to filter each category.
E. Each School Improvement Team subcommittee will review the filtered categories and make any recommended changes as part of the annual School Improvement Plan submission. Any recommended changes will be reviewed by the process in subsection B.
Request to Unblock Website:
A. Websites may be unblocked in certain circumstances for anyone who meets the following criteria:
a. Educational purposes – there is educational material being blocked by the filtering system. Where access to a specific site consistent with the purpose of education is blocked, the site shall be unblocked.
b. Staff related purposes – a staff member needs a website unblocked related to their job (such as
purchasing, law enforcement, bona fide research).
c. The school district has a mechanism so staff members can temporarily unblock a site that falls within a filtered category.
B. Any person requesting to have a site unblocked should submit a formal request using the online form on the WWPS website. The request submission will include:
a. Date of the request
b. Website address to be unblocked
c. Explanation of purpose for unblocking the site (refer to criteria above)
d. Name and title of the requester
C. If deemed appropriate to the criteria mentioned above and if there is no threat to the network or resources , the site will be unblocked and access granted in a timely manner (anywhere from immediately to within 48 hours depending on availability of IT staff to intercede)
Denied Requests:
A. All information regarding the request will be displayed on the District’s website. As part of the disposition of all
requests any justification will be issued. Educators have the right to appeal to the Superintendent of Schools.
B. Any appeals need to be made in writing to the Superintendent of Schools.
Reporting:
A. All requests concerning unblocked sites will be maintained on the District’s website.
B. The Superintendent of Schools will submit an annual report to the West Warwick School Committee concerning
our internet filtering requests/approvals/denials.
C. The District shall use this information to assess the effectiveness of its filtering policy and technical solutions.
Policy Adopted:
12/12/17