In order for the Jasper City School System to continue to make its computer network and Internet access available, all students and personnel must take responsibility for appropriate and lawful use of this access. Students must understand that one student’s misuse of the network and Internet access may jeopardize the ability of all students to enjoy such access. While the Jasper City School System’s teachers and other staff will make reasonable efforts to supervise student use of the network and Internet access, they must have student cooperation in exercising and promoting responsible use of this access.
Students are expected to use all technology resources in accordance with this AUP, and all other applicable policies and procedures, as well as local, state, and federal laws and/or guidelines governing the usage of technology and its component parts. This AUP applies to all technology resources owned, leased, operated, or maintained by the Board, regardless of the physical location of the resource or the user. It also applies to all technology resources (regardless of ownership) brought onto school grounds during school hours or functions.
In general, students should only use technology resources under the direction and permission of their teacher. In addition, students will need the specific permission of their teacher in order to:
- Use personally-owned technology while in school. A permission form, including specific instructions and conditions, may need to be signed and additional restrictions may apply.
- Publish information to system, school, or class websites, blogs, wikis, or other online workspaces. When doing so, students are expected to adhere to applicable design requirements, online safety practices, and general rules of good behavior.
- Take technology resources off-campus. A permission form, including specific instructions and conditions, may need to be signed
Students and his/her parents/guardians are required to sign an Acceptable Use Agreement at the beginning of each school year. This agreement is kept on file at each school. Failure to sign the agreement will disallow a student’s privilege to access the system’s network and the Internet. Parents of minor students (under the age of 17) may request that their student(s) not be allowed to independently access the Internet by notifying the school principal in writing within fifteen days of the student’s first day of attendance each school year. This restriction will apply to the student independently operating any Board technology resource to access the Internet, and does not prohibit the student from viewing Internet sites presented by school personnel or by other students as part of a lesson, or from using Internet-hosted software used by the school. In these cases, school personnel will take appropriate steps to restrict the student from using computers to access the Internet independently. However, it is not reasonable that school personnel can directly supervise every student every minute of the day when they are on the computer.
Student Acceptable Use Policy
Students should be prepared to be held accountable for their actions and are expected:
• Not to damage computer equipment, peripheral devices, or the system network in any way.
• Not to share my password with others.
• Not to access another student's work, folders, or files.
• Not to change the settings or configuration of any computer or network equipment.
• Not to install software or download unauthorized files, games, programs, music, or other electronic media.
• Not to use a computer or the Internet to hurt, harass, bully, attack or harm other people or their work.
• Not to use the Internet for any illegal or threatening activity or to download instructions on how to perform such acts (i.e. child pornography, drug dealing, purchase of alcohol, weapons, gang activities, hacking, etc.)
• Not to violate copyright laws or plagiarize online documents.
• Not to view, send, display or download obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, disrespectful, threatening, or inflammatory language, messages or graphics/pictures. Not to use profane, abusive, or impolite language or commensurate graphical depictions to communicate.
• Not to degrade network performance by posting electronic chain letters or other useless information.
• Not to reveal personal addresses, phone numbers, or other personal data via the Internet.
• Not to re post non-academic personal communications without the original author's prior consent.
• Not to use school Internet access for personal profit in any way.
• Not to use Internet access to make purchases. All costs associated with such purchases will be the sole responsibility of the individual and not that of the school, school system or its employees.
• Not to use school Internet access to post information or graphics to personal web pages.
• Not to use school Internet access to engage in chat rooms, email, or instant messenger activities unless directly
instructed to do by a supervising adult.
• Not to use the school network to distribute confidential information such as test questions/answers.
• Not to attempt access to materials not in line with the rules of school behavior.
• To notify an adult immediately if he/she encounters materials or activities which violate these guidelines.
Legal Responsibilities
Technology networks can provide individuals with access to locations in the United States and around the world. Students and parents should be aware that they may be liable for hurtful speech, invasion of privacy, copyright, and other violations in all 50 states and worldwide. The Board of Education will cooperate with any properly executed request from any local, State, or Federal law enforcement agency or civil court.
Ownership of Resources and Expectations of Privacy
Network and Internet access is provided as a tool for the students’ and staff’s educational purposes. The Jasper City School System reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review and store at any time and without prior notice any and all usage of the computer network and Internet access and any and all information transmitted or received in connection with such usage. All information files shall be and remain the property of the Jasper City School System and no user shall have any expectation of privacy regarding such materials. All technology resources, including but not limited to, network and Internet resources, accounts, email systems, computers or other devices owned, leased, or maintained by the Board are the sole property of the Board. Users of school system technology resources have no personal right of privacy or confidentiality with respect to the use or content of such resources. Authorized Board personnel may, at any time and without prior notice, access, search, examine, inspect, collect, or retrieve information of any kind from the Board’s technology resources, including computer or related equipment, files, and data to determine if a user is in violation of any of the Board’s policies, rules, and regulations regarding access to and use of technology resources, for or in connection with any other matter or reason related to the safe and efficient operation, maintenance, or administration of the school system, or for any other reason not prohibited by law.
In addition, any device (regardless of ownership) brought onto school grounds by a student is subject to immediate inspection when there is a reasonable suspicion that the contents or recent utilization of the device is in violation of any of the Board’s policies, rules, or regulations regarding access to and use of technology resources.
FAILURE TO FOLLOW POLICY
The use of the Jasper City School’s computer network and the Internet is a privilege, not a right. Any user who violates this policy, shall at the minimum, have his or her access to the computer network and the Internet terminated, which the school system may refuse to reinstate. A user violates this policy by his or her own action or by failing to report any violations by other users that may come to the attention of the user. Further, a user violates this policy if he or she permits another user to use his or her account or password to access the computer network or the Internet, including any user whose access has been denied or terminated. The school system may also take other disciplinary action in such circumstances.
WARRANTIES/INDEMNIFICATION
The Jasper City School System makes no warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, in connection with its provision of access to and use of its computer networks and the Internet provided under this policy. It shall not be responsible for any claims, losses, damages, or costs (including attorney’s fees) of any kind suffered, directly or indirectly, by any user or his or her parents/guardians arising out of the user’s use of the computer networks or the Internet under this policy. By signing the Acceptable Use Agreement at the beginning of each school year, the user is taking full responsibility for his or her use. In addition, the user takes full responsibility for his/her activities. If over age 18, he/she agrees, or if under 18, the parents/or guardians are agreeing to indemnify and hold the school, the school system, the Data Acquisition Site that provides the computer and Internet access opportunity to the Jasper City School System, and all of the administrators, teachers, and staff harmless from any or all loss, costs, claims, or damages resulting from the user’s access to the computer network and the Internet, including but not limited to any fees or charges incurred through purchases of goods and services by the user. The user or, if the user is a minor, the user’s parents/or guardians agree to cooperate with the school and/or school system in the event of the school initiating an investigation of a user’s use or his/her access to its computer network and the Internet, whether that use is on a school computer or another computer outside the Jasper City School’s network.
UPDATES
Users, and if appropriate, the user’s parents/guardians, may be asked from time to time to provide new and additional registration and account information or to sign a new policy, for example, to reflect developments in the law or technology. Such information must be provided by the user (or his/her parents/guardians) or such new policy must be signed if the user wishes to continue to receive related services.