Delphos City School District
Computer
Network and Internet Acceptable Use Policy
__________________________________________________________
This
document constitutes the
1.
Definitions. For
purposes of this Policy,
Ø the term “Network” shall mean the
District’s group of interconnected via cable and/or wireless computers and
peripherals, all other District software and hardware resources including all
Web-based material and all Web hosting, all data, databases and storage media, all
standalone, portable and/or borrowed devices, and all provided connectivity
between and among Users and from Users to the global Internet, including any
and all Instructional Technology Centers or other third-parties providing
connectivity and other services, and any and all identifiers, accounts, rights,
permissions, and current or future hardware, software, or connectivity owned or
managed by the District to which access is provided to Users. Individual system computers are considered to
be part of the “Network” and are subject to the terms of this Policy even when
the User is not attempting to connect to another computer or to the Internet.
Ø the term “Use” of the Network shall
mean any and all actions of a User which create traffic on the Network,
including traces or remnants of traffic that pass through District equipment,
wiring, wireless networks, or storage devices regardless of any other factor
such as passage of time, user deletion, transit of the Network without storage
or origination and/or storage on personal equipment.
2.
Purpose and Use: The
3.
Users Bound by Policy in
Accepting Access:
The User consents to the terms of this Policy whenever he or she accesses the
Network. Users of the Network are bound
to the terms of this Policy regardless of whether or not a copy was received
and/or signed for by the User.
4.
Personal Responsibility: Users are responsible for their
behavior on the Network just as they are in a classroom, school hallway, or
other
5.
Reporting Misuse of the Network: Users must report any misuse of
the Network to a staff member or system administrator. “Misuse” means any apparent
violation of this Policy or other use which has the intent or effect of harming
another person or another person’s property.
6.
Violating Policy with Personal
Equipment: The use
of personal equipment and/or personal Internet access to violate this Policy or
to assist another to violate the Policy is prohibited. Exceeding permission (such as abusing access
to unfiltered Internet connectivity) is a violation of this Policy. Using private equipment to divert
student time and/or attention from scheduled educational activities, or to
divert paid work time from its proper purpose, is always strictly prohibited. Personal
equipment used to violate this Policy on school property is subject to search
related to the violation and seizure for a period of up to thirty (30) days.
7.
Discipline for Violation of
Policy: Violations of each of the
provisions of this Policy are considered violations of the Student Code of
Conduct (or if an employee, of the contract of employment), and each violation
is a separate infraction. Violations may
result in disciplinary action for students up to and including suspension or
expulsion and/or referral to law enforcement, or up to termination and referral
to law enforcement for employees. The District reserves the right to seek
reimbursement of expenses and/or damages arising from violations of these
policies. Disciplinary action relating to employees is always subject to the
provisions of any applicable collective bargaining agreement.
8.
Waiver of Privacy:
By accepting Network access, Users waive any and all rights of privacy
in connection with their communications over the Network or communications
achieved through the use of District equipment or software. Electronic mail
(e-mail) and other forms of electronic communication (including instant
messaging of all forms and SMS messages originating from email) are not guaranteed
to be private. The District owns all
data in the system. Systems managers have access to all messages for purposes
of monitoring system functions, maintaining system efficiency, and enforcing
computer/network use policies and regulations, District policies, and state and
federal laws. Illegal activities or suspected illegal activities may be
reported to the authorities.
9.
Confidentiality and Student
Information: Users are responsible for
maintaining security of student information and other personally identifiable
data that they access, even if they access such data accidentally or without
permission, and for upholding FERPA (20 U.S.C. § 1232g), the student
confidentiality law (Ohio Revised Code Section 3319.321), the Ohio Privacy Act
(Chapter 1347 of the Ohio Revised Code), and any other applicable privacy
policies and regulations. Users are responsible whether such data is downloaded
from the Network to their computer screen, transmitted by e-mail, stored on a
flash drive, portable device or laptop, copied by handwriting or by any or all
other devices, forms of storage or methods. Negligence with respect to
protecting the confidentiality of such data will be considered a violation of
this Policy whether or not such negligence results in identity theft or other
harm.
10.
District-Owned Equipment: Desktop computers, laptops, portable devices,
and other equipment belonging to the District are your responsibility. Any misuse, failure, damage or loss involving
such equipment must be reported to a staff member or system administrator. Periodic
maintenance on laptops and other hardware is required. It is your
responsibility to make such equipment timely available for maintenance at the
request of a staff member or system administrator. You may be held financially responsible for
the expense of any equipment repair or replacement.
11.
Unacceptable Uses of the Network: All
Users must use the Network in an appropriate and responsible way, whether their
specific actions are described in this Policy or not. Examples of unacceptable uses include, but
are not limited to, the following
Ø OFFENSIVE
OR HARRASSING ACTS:
Creating, copying, viewing,
transmitting, downloading, uploading or seeking sexually explicit, obscene, or
pornographic materials. Using language inappropriate to the school environment,
including swearing, vulgarities or language that is suggestive, obscene,
profane, abusive, belligerent, harassing, defamatory or threatening. Making,
distributing or redistributing images, jokes, stories or other material that
would violate this Policy or the
Ø VIOLATIONS
OF PRIVACY: Unauthorized copying, modifying, intruding, or
attempts to copy, modify or intrude, into the folders, files, data, work,
networks, passwords or computers of others, or intercepting communications
intended for others. Copying, downloading, uploading, or transmitting student or
Ø CREATING
TECHNICAL PROBLEMS: Knowingly performing actions that cause
technical difficulties to the system, other users or the Internet. Attempting to bypass school Internet filters
or to “hack” into other accounts or restricted information. Uploading,
downloading, creating, or transmitting a computer virus, worm, Trojan horse, or
other harmful component or corrupted data. Attempting to hack, alter, harm,
destroy or interfere with the normal operation of software, hardware, data,
other District Network resources, or using the District Network or to do any of
the same acts on the Internet or outside Networks. Downloading, saving, and/or
transmitting data files large enough to impede the normal functioning of the
computer or the Network (such as many music, video, image, or software files) unless
given permission by the System Administrator. Moving, “repairing,” reconfiguring,
reprogramming, modifying, or attaching any external devices to Network equipment,
computers or systems without the permission of the System Administrator. Removing, altering, or copying District
software for personal use or for the use of others.
Ø USE
OF OUTSIDE SERVICES: All
e-mail, document storage, blogs or any and all other services must be provided
by the
Ø VIOLATING
LAW: Actions that violate state or federal law or
encourage others to do so. Offering for sale or use, soliciting the purchase or
provision of, or advocating the use of any substance that the possession or use
of is prohibited by law or District Policy. Seeking information for the purpose
of creating an explosive device or biohazard, or communicating or seeking materials
in furtherance of criminal activities, terrorism, or other threatening acts.
Ø VIOLATING
COPYRIGHT: Uploading, downloading, copying,
redistributing or republishing copyrighted materials without permission from
the owner of the copyright. Users should
assume that materials are protected under copyright unless there is explicit
permission for use.
Ø PERSONAL
USE: Personal shopping, buying or selling items,
soliciting or advertising the sale of any goods or services, or engaging in or
supporting any kind of business or other profit-making activity. Interacting
with personal web sites or other social networking sites or tools that are not
part of an educational or work project, receiving or posting messages to web
sites or other social networking or blog sites not part of an educational or
work project, participating in any type of gaming activity, engaging in social
or hobby activities, or general recreational web browsing if such browsing
occurs during instructional time or designated work time.
Ø POLITICAL
USE: Creating, transmitting or downloading any
materials that support or oppose the nomination or election of a candidate for
public office or the passage of a levy or a bond issue. Soliciting political contributions
through the Network or conducting any type of official campaign business.
Ø GENERAL
MISCONDUCT: Using
the Network in a manner inconsistent with the expectations of the Delphos City Schools
for the conduct of students and employees in the school environment. Uses that improperly associate the
12. Specific
Limits on Communication Over the District Network:
Ø Expressing Opinion: The Network has been created at public
expense and exists for purposes relating to education and administration. It does not exist to serve as a personal blog
for the expression of opinions or as a public forum of any kind. It is not the intention of the District to
allow the public, staff, or students to use the Network, including the web
hosting or linking ability, for purposes of expressions of private opinions, or
to support private or public causes or external organizations.
Ø Personal E-mail:
Limited personal use of District e-mail by employees
to
communicate with family, friends, and colleagues who are willing recipients
is permitted as a personal convenience, but must not impact paid work time and is
subject to all of the provisions of this Policy. Misuse of the privilege is
prohibited, and includes but is not limited to excessive volume, frequency,
inappropriate content, mailing to unwilling addressees, or uses that may bring
the District into disrepute. Violations will be determined in the sole
discretion of the Superintendent. “Limited personal use” shall be defined as no more than ten (10) messages during any one day,
with no attachments large enough impede the normal functioning of
the computer or the Network, as determined by the System Administrator. Exceptions to this limitation may be
permitted for personal emergencies and other extenuating circumstances.
Ø Electronic Signatures: Users shall
not legally verify documents or use “electronic signatures” in any way unless they
have been trained in an approved verification or signature system approved by
the Administration. Users asked to legally verify or electronically sign documents
should report the situation to a staff member or system administrator.
13. System
Security and Integrity:
The District
reserves the right to suspend operations of the Network, in whole or in part,
at any time for reasons of maintaining data security and integrity or any other
lawful reason. The District reserves the
right to block or filter any web sites, e-mail addresses, servers or Internet
domains which it, in its sole judgment, has determined to present a risk of
exposing students or employees to sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate
content, or which exposes the system to undue risk of compromise from the
standpoint of security or functionality.
14. No
Warranties Created: By accepting access to the Network, you
understand and agree that the School District, any involved Information
Technology Centers, and any third-party vendors make no warranties of any kind,
either express or implied, in connection with provision of access to or the use
of the Network. They shall not be
responsible for any claims, losses, damages or costs (including attorneys’
fees) of any kind suffered, directly or indirectly, by any student or employee
arising out of that User’s use of and/or inability to use the Network. They shall not be responsible for any loss or
deletion of data. They are not
responsible for the accuracy of information obtained through electronic
information resources.
15. Updates
to Account Information:
You must
provide new or additional registration and account information when asked in
order for you to continue receiving access to the Network. If, after you have provided your account
information, some or all of the information changes, you must notify a staff
member, system administrator or other person designated by the School District
to receive this information.
16. Records
Retention and Production:
Users must
comply with all District directions regarding the retention and management of e-mail
or documents. The District retains the
right to receive a copy of a record from an Employee User’s private computer if
for some reason it exists only on that computer.
17. Web
Sites:
Web sites
created using the Network or the School District’s equipment, or web sites
created as part of a classroom or club assignment or activity are the sole and
exclusive property of the School District in perpetuity without any ownership
rights existing in the page creator(s).
The School District reserves the right to require that all material
and/or links with other sites found to be objectionable be altered or removed
for any reason or for no reason, in the sole judgment of the staff or
administration.
Legal
Ref.: Ohio Rev. Code 3313.20, 3313.47,
3319.321
Children’s Internet
Protection Act of 2000, 47 USC § 254 (h), (l)
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. §
1232g
Revised: _05_/_20_/_2010_