Internet User Policy
Internet Policy
Students Acceptable Use Policy
It is the policy of the Richmond County Board of Education that teachers and students should be furnished educational opportunities and resources to have access to programs and services available for "online" computer services offered by various vendors. In this connection, the Department of Instructional Technology is authorized to provide for procedures with various online suppliers to ensure that these online services do not cost the student or the school district any funds; to ensure that there is access limited to instructional and curriculum related matters; and to provide procedures for other similar matters to ensure that the rights of the online provider and the school district are protected. Particular attention should be given to ensuring that the students are not granted access to anything other than educational and instructional materials and resources.
Richmond County Procedures for Access to the Internet
Access to the Internet provides teachers and students with educational opportunities and resources that are unsurpassed by any other means. It brings worldwide multimedia resources (articles, books, maps, photographs, etc.) to the classroom, provides extensive research tools and methods for global communications. Internet access will increase the information and resources to classrooms, aid students in becoming more responsible and independent learners.
The Internet is an electronic highway connecting thousands of computers all over the world with millions of individual subscribers. The student has access to: electronic mail communication around the world, information and news from NASA (for example) as well as the opportunity to discussions with scientists at NASA and other research institutions, public domain and shareware software of all kinds, "chat" groups on a wide range of topics, and access to many University Library Catalogs, the Library of Congress and ERIC.
With this access to computers and information also comes the availability of material that may not be considered to be of educational value in a school setting. The valuable information and interaction available on this worldwide network-far outweighs the materials that a user could obtain that is not consistent with the educational goals for Richmond County. This requires efficient, ethical and legal utilization of all network resources. Proper conduct by the students and adherence to the guidelines stated below are essential.
It is the policy of the Richmond County Schools to: (a) prevent user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, or other forms of direct electronic communications; (b) prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; (c) prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors; and (d) comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. No. 106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)].
Acceptable use policy
To the extent practical, technology protection measures (or “Internet filters”) shall be used to block or filter Internet, or other forms of electronic communications, access to inappropriate information
Specifically, as required by the Children’s Internet Protection Act, blocking shall be applied to visual depictions of material deemed obscene or child pornography, or to any material deemed harmful to minors.
Subject to staff supervision, technology protection measures may be disabled or, in the case of minors, minimized only for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
- Internet is accessed only for support of the instructional program and the curriculum as outlined in the Richmond County Curriculum Guides.
- Transmission of any material in violation of any US or state regulation is prohibited, including copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material or material protected by trade secret.
- Use for commercial activities is prohibited.
- Use for product advertisement or political lobbying is prohibited.
- Netiquette - Generally accepted rules of network etiquette shall include, but not limited to the following; Be polite, use appropriate language, no swearing or vulgarities; E-Mail is not necessarily private, therefore be careful about what you say about others; no disruptive use of the network, such as "chain letters" or other non-educational traffic; remember statements offered by the user are a personal opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of Richmond County Schools.
- Internet usage is a, privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of those privileges and may result in disciplinary action.
- Security - Students are not to reveal their personal information (home address, telephone number, social security number, etc.) to other individuals on the Internet. On E-Mail, use only school addresses.
- Vandalism - Vandalism is defined as any attempt to harm or destroy hardware, software or data of another user, Internet or any agencies or other networks that are connected to the Internet. This includes, but not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses. Vandalism will result in the immediate cancellation of privileges and disciplinary action.
- No software of any kind may be brought from the student's home for use on any school computer.
- Each school media/ technology committee shall establish an individual school Internet policy in accordance with this Richmond county policy.
Inappropriate Network Usage
To the extent practical, steps shall be taken to promote the safety and security of users of the Richmond County Schools’ online computer network when using electronic mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, and other forms of direct electronic communications.
Specifically, as required by the Children’s Internet Protection Act, prevention of inappropriate network usage includes: (a) unauthorized access, including so-called ‘hacking,’ and other unlawful activities; and (b) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors.
Supervision and Monitoring
It shall be the responsibility of all educators of the Richmond County Schools, including administrators, instructional supervisors, principals, teachers, media specialists, technology specialists, guidance counselors, instructional paraprofessionals and any other personnel having access to the online computer network for instructional purposes, to supervise and monitor usage of the online computer network and access to the Internet in accordance with this policy and the Children’s Internet Protection Act.
Procedures for the disabling or otherwise modifying any technology protection measures shall be the responsibility of the Director of Educational Media and Technology or designated representatives.
CIPA DEFINITION OF TERMS:
TECHNOLOGY PROTECTION MEASURE. The term “technology protection measure” means a specific technology that blocks or filters Internet access to visual depictions that are:
- OBSCENE, as that term is defined in section 1460 of title 18, United States Code;
- CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, as that term is defined in section 2256 of title 18, United States Code; or
- Harmful to minors.
HARMFUL TO MINORS. The term “harmful to minors” means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:
- Taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;
- 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
- Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors
SEXUAL ACT; SEXUAL CONTACT. The terms “sexual act” and “sexual contact” have the meanings given such terms in section 2246 of title 18, United States Code.
RBOE Approved on July 13, 2006