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JCS Internet Safety Policy


 
INTRODUCTION
 
 It is the policy of the Jasper City School System to provide technology resources, including Internet access, to its students and employees in order to more fully support the System’s mission statement and to meet educational and instructional goals set by the system and the state. It is the intention of the Jasper City School System that all technology resources will be used in accordance with any and all school/system policies and procedures as well as local, state, and federal laws and/or guidelines governing the usage of technology and its component parts. Additionally, it is implied that all students and employees of the Jasper City School System will use the provided technology resources so as not to waste them, abuse them, interfere with or cause harm to other individuals, institutions, or companies.
 
General Warning: Individual Responsibility of Parents and Users: All users and their parents/guardians are advised that access to the electronic network may include potential access to materials inappropriate for school-aged pupils. Every user must take responsibility for his or her use of the computer network and the Internet and stay away from these sites. Parents and teachers of minors are the best guides to assisting with appropriateness of materials. If a student finds that others are visiting offensive or harmful sites, he or she should report such use to the person designated by the school.
 
  • All technology resources, regardless of purchase date, location, or fund, are subject to this policy.
  • All users of Jasper City School System resources, including visitors to the system, are expected to comply with these measures.
  • All students and staff must have the appropriate Acceptable Use Policy on file with the system prior to use.  Permission is not transferable, and therefore, may not be shared.
  • All visitors must have the permission of school staff in order to access the Internet.  In the process of logging onto the system’s network, visitors will agree to abide by all school and system policies.
  • The policy will be displayed in each school media center and computer lab.  A copy of the policy will be available in each school’s office.
  • Any questions about this policy, its interpretation, or specific circumstances shall be directed to the System Technology Coordinator before proceeding.
  • Violators of this policy will be handled in a manner consistent with comparable situations requiring disciplinary and/or legal action.
  • The administrators of each school will be responsible for establishing specific practices to enforce this policy at individual schools.
 
 
Technology Protection Measure 
 
The system will utilize an Internet filtering system that will protect adults and minors from access to visual depictions that are obscene, including child pornography. The Jasper City School System will monitor the online activities of students and staff through direct observation and/or technological means to insure that students and staff are not accessing such depictions or any other inappropriate materials.
With respect to Internet access by minors, the filtering system will also protect against access to materials harmful to minors.  “Harmful to minors” is defined by the Communications Act of 1934 (47 USC Section 254 [h] [7], as any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:  
 
  • Taken as a whole, 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. 
  • taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.
 
The filtering software will filter all incoming Internet sites based on both URL (web site name) and IP address.  Adult staff members may request a review of filtered sites.  URLs and IP addresses may be added to the filtered list by the System office in cases where the filtering system may not have accurately identified an inappropriate site as defined above.  In addition, adults who are engaged in bona fide research or need access to blocked sites for other lawful purposes, may request a temporary release of specific sites at specific workstations to complete their work.
 
 
Monitoring of Online Activities
 
  • All teachers are expected to preview any Internet sites they plan to incorporate into classroom or library presentations to further ensure its safety and suitability.  
  • All students are expected to have a signed Acceptable Use Policy on file in order to access the Internet.  
  • All minor students are expected to also have a signed Parent Permission Form on file in order to independently access the Internet.  
  • All students must have specific permission from their teacher in order to access the Internet for each session.  
  • Teachers or another responsible adult staff member will supervise all students, regardless of age, while on the Internet at all times.  
  • The filtering software used by the system may also be used to monitor Internet activity, as needed.  
 
Electronic Communication
 
 
Electronic Mail 
 
The Jasper City School System provides access to electronic mail for all employees, class accounts upon request and, on a limited basis, for secondary students.  Access to e-mail is to be used for educational and instructional activities.   
 
  • All e-mail content is implicitly understood to be representative of the author’s individual point of view and not that of the school or school system.
  • All e-mail generated on System equipment or using a Jasper City Schools’ e-mail account is the property of the school district and may be reviewed and deleted as needed to ensure network integrity, confidentiality, and student safety.  E-mail created or received using the System e-mail account should not be considered private.  
  • The use of web-based or non-school issued email accounts by students is not permitted.  
 
    E-mail accounts may not be used for:
 
  • Sending or attempting to send anonymous messages;
  • Selling or advertising products or services;
  • Purchasing products or services;
  • Sending mass e-mails;
  • Posting or forwarding other user's personal communication without the author's consent;
  • Spreading viruses;
  • Spamming;
  • Hacking of any type;
  • Engaging in any other unlawful activities;
  • Contacting strangers or communicating with unknown individuals or organizations.
 
Other forms of electronic communication 
Students are not permitted to use instant messenger type programs and chat without the express permission and direct supervision of their teacher.  In these cases, such communication is to be used only for purposes that serve to support curriculum.  
 
Web Page Posting 
Students may not use technology resources operated by the school system to post information or graphics to personal web pages on the Internet.  
All users wishing to post pages or information on to the System’s web site must obtain prior permission to do so from the Technology Coordinator.   
 
When posting information to school or system web pages, the following rules must be followed:  
 
  • Pictures and other personally identifiable information should only be used with permission in writing from the parent/guardian of the student involved. Only first name and last initial of students may be used. No full names should be used.  
  • Student posting of personal information of any kind is prohibited. Personal information includes: home and/or school address, work address, home and/or school phone numbers, full name, social security number, etc.
 
Pages on the system’s website may contain links to other web sites provided:  
 
  • Content on the linked site meets the safety and professional standards set out in System policies.
  • The page contains a disclaimer for the downstream website content and links.
 
No written permission is required to list faculty/staff and their school contact information (phone extension, e-mail address, etc.)  Written consent will be required for posting of any employee photographs.  Infringement of copyright laws, obscene, harassing or threatening materials on web sites are against the law and are subject to prosecution.
 
Downloading of materials from the Internet 
Students may not download files of any type without the specific permission of their supervising teacher.  Under no circumstances will students be permitted to download graphic, video, or audio files in any format that violate the letter or intention of this or any other school/system policy.  
 
Limitations of Liability
Jasper City Schools makes no guarantee that the functions or the services provided by or through the District’s Network System will be error-free or without defect.  Jasper City Schools will not be responsible for any damage suffered by the user, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service.  Jasper City Schools will not be responsible for any financial obligations arising from the unauthorized or inappropriate use of the system.