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St. Mary Parish Schools

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Student Computer Access and Use

STUDENT COMPUTER ACCESS AND USE

FILE:  IFBGA

Cf:  EBBB, EFA, EFC

Cf:  JCDAF, JCDAG, JR

INTERNET SAFETY

The Internet is a vast, global computer network that provides access to major universities, governmental agencies, other school systems, and commercial providers of data banks.  The St. Mary Parish School Board shall establish appropriate guidelines for exploring and using Internet resources within the school district to enhance learning and teaching activities.  Acceptable use of these resources shall be consistent with the philosophy, goals and objectives of the St. Mary Parish School Board.

Internet access has been made available to enhance innovative education for students through access to unique resources and collaborations.  Furthermore, the School Board expects teachers will improve learning and teaching through research, teacher training, collaboration, and dissemination of successful educational practices, methods, and materials.

Age and grade appropriate classroom instruction shall be provided regarding Internet and cell phone safety.  Such instruction shall include appropriate online behavior, interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response, as well as areas of concern as authorized in state and federal law.

In addition, the School Board, in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies, shall develop and distribute age and grade appropriate information to each student regarding Internet and cell phone safety and online content that is a threat to school safety.  The information shall include the following:

Instruction on how to detect potential threats to school safety exhibited online, including posting on any social media platform.

Visual examples of possible threats.

The process for reporting potential threats, which shall be in accordance with the procedures referenced in policy EBBB, School and Student Safety.

Such information shall be either distributed to or explained to students and school personnel at the beginning of each school year and shall be posted on an easily accessible page of the School Board’s website and the website of each school.

If information reported to a school is deemed a potential threat to school safety, the school shall present the written form and any further evidence to local law enforcement.

In its continued efforts to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act, the School Board shall adopt and enforce a policy of Internet safety that incorporates the use of computer-related technology or the use of Internet service provider technology designed to block or filter Internet access for minors and adults to certain visual depictions, including without limitation those that are obscene, pornographic, or harmful to minors, including without limitation sites that are excessively violent, pervasively vulgar, or sexually harassing.  Sites which contain information on the manufacturing of bombs or other incendiary devices shall also be prohibited.  In spite of precautions taken to restrict access to these materials, the nature of the Internet makes it extremely difficult to catalog all controversial materials in order to restrict or completely block access to them.  Only authorized persons may disable for an adult user the blocking or filtering mechanism in order to enable Internet access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes, which shall include online services for legitimate scientific or educational purposes approved by the School Board, or access to online services of a newspaper with a daily circulation of at least 1,000.

In addition to filtering requirements, the School Board shall maintain regulations which:

Prohibit access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web;

Address the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications, such as "Instant Messaging";

Prohibit unauthorized access, including what is now known as Ahacking@ and other unlawful on-line activities by minors online;

Prohibit unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors; and

Institutes measures designed to restrict minors' access to materials harmful to minors.

Guidelines are provided so that Internet users are aware of the responsibilities they are about to assume.  Responsibilities include efficient, ethical, and legal utilization of network resources. All users, including students, employees, or any other users of School Board computers, hardware, and School Board network shall abide by all policies of the School Board and any applicable administrative regulations and procedures.

The student and parent or guardian shall be required to sign the acknowledgement page of the School Board’s student handbook A Guide for St. Mary Parish Public Schools, which contains provisions governing student usage of the system’s technology resources, before any student will be allowed to use school district computers or the St. Mary Parish Network.  The student and parent/guardians signatures shall be legally binding on all parties and shall indicate they have read the regulations carefully and understand their significance.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET USE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Acceptable Use - The purpose of the St. Mary Parish Network and access to the Internet is to support research and education by providing access to unique resources and opportunities.  Transmission of any material in violation of any U.S., state, local or School Board regulations shall be prohibited.  This includes, but is not limited to, copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade institutions.  Use for product advertisement, political lobbying, or illegal activities shall be strictly prohibited.  Subscriptions to listservers, bulletin boards, and online services must be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

Privileges - The use of the St. Mary Parish Network is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use shall result in a cancellation of those privileges and may result in disciplinary action by the administration, faculty or staff and/or legal action by the Board.  All users shall be advised that School Board personnel shall have access to all messages or mail and that routine monitoring of the system and tracking of student navigation on the Internet shall be conducted.  Routine maintenance of the system may purge files from individual accounts.

Security - Security on any computer system is a high priority, especially when the system involves many users.  Any suspected security problem with the St. Mary Parish Network or the Internet shall be immediately reported to the teacher, building technology coordinator or the principal.  The problem shall not be demonstrated to other users.  Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with other computer systems shall be denied access to the Internet through the Network.

Vandalism - Vandalism shall result in cancellation of privileges and or other disciplinary actions.  Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy hardware or software data of the school system, another user, the Internet Service Provider, or the St. Mary Parish Network or other networks that are connected to the Internet. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses or worms.  No software, programs, or files may be installed or downloaded by any user without the prior permission of the building technology coordinator, who must scan for appropriateness and viruses or worms.

Consequences of Misuse - School principals may suspend from school any student who accesses, sends, receives, or configures electronically any profane language or pictures, or violates any regulations for computer use, or any rules contained herein.  Moreover, students may also be disciplined for off-campus speech, Internet activities, or use of off-campus computer and/or electronic systems that may cause a substantial disruption to the educational environment, interfere with the rights of others, or can be considered a threat.  Consequences for violations of these standards may range from loss of Internet privileges to expulsion from school depending on the nature and severity of the act.

UNAUTHORIZED AND ILLEGAL USE

Tampering with selection menus, procedures, or icons for the purpose of misleading or confusing other users shall be prohibited.  Any use by any person of the St. Mary Parish Network that incurs expenses to the school other than the monthly user fees and rates shall be strictly prohibited.  Furthermore, district computers and the St. Mary Parish Network shall not be used for commercial, political or religious purposes.

Use of the St. Mary Parish Network for any illegal activities shall also be prohibited.  Illegal activities include (a) tampering with computer hardware or software, (b) unauthorized entry into computers and files (hacking), (c) knowledgeable vandalism or destruction of equipment, and (d) deletion of computer files.  Such activity is considered a crime under state and federal law.

RESPONSIBLE USE

The St. Mary Parish School Board Student Code of Conduct applies to all users of the Internet. Honesty, integrity, and respect for the rights of others should be evident at all times.  E-mail shall be limited to teachers and whole classes.  Individuals shall not have accounts unless specifically authorized by the parent.  In no case shall photographs be permitted. Students shall only be identified by first names.

The use of the Internet in any St. Mary Parish school must be in support of education and academic research and consistent with the educational objectives of the St. Mary Parish School Board.  Neither the St. Mary Parish School Board nor any of the schools shall be responsible for any financial obligations incurred by users of the Internet.

Internet activities that are permitted and encouraged:

Investigation of topics being studied in school;

Investigation of opportunities outside of school related to community service, employment or further education.

Any computer user shall be held responsible for his/her actions and activities.  Unacceptable use of any computer or other technology equipment of the St. Mary Parish School Board, and the St. Mary Parish Network shall result in appropriate disciplinary action, including school suspension, expulsion, or revoking of technology privileges. School and parish administrators shall make the determination as to what constitutes unacceptable use, with the Superintendent making the final decision. Regulations for participation by anyone using technology equipment, the St. Mary Parish Network, or on the Internet shall include but not be not be limited to the following:

Users must demonstrate honesty, integrity, and respect for others at all times.  Appropriate manners and language shall be required.

Illegal activities, including copyright or contract violations shall not be permitted.  The Internet may not be used for financial or commercial gain.

Degrading or disrupting equipment or system performance shall not be permitted.

Any attempt to alter, harm or destroy the data of another user of the Internet, or any network on the Internet shall be forbidden.

Wasteful use of finite resources shall not be permitted.

Gaining unauthorized access to resources or entities shall not permitted.

Posting or forwarding chain letters or engaging in spamming.  Spamming is sending an unnecessary message to a large number of people.

Using an account owned by another user shall be prohibited.

Posting personal communications without the author's consent shall be prohibited.

Posting anonymous messages shall not be permitted.

Invading the privacy of individuals, sending of hate mail, harassing or making a disparaging remark or other anti-social behavior shall be prohibited.

Accessing or transmitting obscene, pornographic, threatening or abusive material shall be forbidden.

Perusing or otherwise accessing information on manufacturing bombs or other incendiary devices shall be forbidden.

No user shall be permitted to upload or create any form of computer virus on the Internet or any network system.

Downloading information without permission of Technology Coordinator shall be prohibited.

Accessing or creating exposure in any way to pictures, graphics, or other visual depictions that taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to the prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion.

Accessing or creating exposure in any way to pictures, graphics, or other visual depictions that describe or represent in an 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.

Accessing or creating exposure in any way to pictures, graphics, or other visual depictions that taken as a whole lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

If a student has questions about whether a specific activity is permitted, he or she should ask a teacher or administrator.  If a student accidentally accesses inappropriate material, she or he should back out of that information at once.

Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement

Plagiarism is taking ideas or writings from another person and offering them as original ideas.  Plagiarism has always been considered inappropriate, but the Internet makes it very easy to cut and paste ideas and writings of other people into documents.

When students use information, graphics, sounds, or other resources located through Internet use, they must use appropriate Internet documentation to give credit where it is due.

Information taken from electronic sources (online databases, electronic encyclopedias, CD-ROMS, news services, laser-discs, etc.) must be cited as a reference.

Copyright infringement occurs when a work that is protected by copyright is inappropriately reproduced.

School Board equipment shall not be used to make illegal copies of software.

Because of copyright law, only programs purchased by the School Board shall be used in School Board owned or leased computers.

CONSEQUENCES OF INAPPROPRIATE USE

The use of School Board computers and other technology resources and the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use may result in the temporary or permanent cancellation of that privilege and/or other disciplinary action (including suspension, expulsion, or legal action) as deemed appropriate by administration, faculty, and staff.  Inappropriate use of the St. Mary Parish Network may also result in legal action and/or prosecution, and may require restitution for costs associated with system restoration, hardware, or software.

No information on the network (including e-mail and personal files) is guaranteed to be private.  Information relating to or in support of illegal activities shall be reported to the authorities.

Users bringing illegal and/or inappropriate materials onto the network shall be subject to disciplinary action.

DISCLAIMER

The St. Mary Parish School Board technology network and computer system is provided on an “as is, as available” basis.  The School Board does not make any warranties, whether expressed or implied, including, without limitation, those of fitness for a particular purpose with respect to any services provided by the system and any information or software contained therein.  In addition, the School Board does not warrant that the functions or services performed by, or that the information or software contained on the system will meet the user’s requirements.  Neither does the School Board warrant that the system will be uninterrupted or error-free, nor that defects will be corrected.

The School Board shall not be responsible for any damage the user may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service.  The School Board shall not be responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through or stored on the system.  The School Board shall not be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system.  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 necessarily the School Board.

Revised:  June 11, 2009

Revised:  December 10, 2009

Revised:  December 13, 2012

Revised:  October 11, 2018

Ref:    20 USC 7131 (Internet Safety)

47 USC 254 (Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA))

47 CFR 54.520 (Children's Internet Protection Act Certifications for School and Libraries)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:100.7, 17:280, 17:410

Board minutes, 6-11-09, 1-8-09, 12-10-09, 1-14-10, 12-13-12, 10-11-18

St. Mary Parish School Board

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