Policy 6:235

Instruction

Access To Electronic Networks

Electronic networks are a part of the District’s instructional program and serve to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. The Superintendent or designee shall develop an implementation plan for this policy and appoint system administrator(s).

The term electronic networks includes all of the District’s technology resources, including, but not limited to:

  1. The District’s local-area and wide-area networks, including wireless networks (WiFi), District-issued Wi-Fi hotspots, and any District servers or other networking infrastructure;
  2. District-authorized webpages or social media, regardless of access location; and
  3. District-owned or District-issued computers, laptops, tablets, phones, or similar devices.

The District does not guarantee the quality of services provided through its Electronic Network. The District is not responsible for any information that may be lost or damaged, or become unavailable when using the Electronic Network, or for any information that is retrieved or transmitted via the Internet or Electronic Network. The District is not responsible for the actions of users of the Electronic Network. Furthermore, the District will not be responsible for any unauthorized charges, costs, liabilities, or damages resulting from access to the Electronic Network. Users of the Electronic Network must assume responsibility for all costs, liabilities, or damages arising from their use of the Electronic Network and must reimburse the District for any losses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred as a result of their use to the extent permitted by law.

Curriculum and Appropriate Online Behavior

The use of the District’s electronic networks shall: (1) be consistent with the curriculum adopted by the District as well as the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students, and (2) comply with the selection criteria for instructional materials and library resource center materials. As required by federal law and Board policy 6:60, Curriculum Content, students will be educated about appropriate online behavior, including but not limited to: (1) interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and (2) cyber/bullying awareness and response.

Acceptable Use

All use of the District’s electronic network must be: (1) in support of education and/or research, and be in furtherance of the goals stated herein, (2) for a legitimate school business purpose, or (3) for school-sponsored extracurricular activities. Use is a privilege, not a right. Board policies regarding appropriate student and staff behavior apply when using electronic networks. The District’s administrative procedure, Acceptable Use of the District’s Electronic Networks, contains the appropriate uses, ethics, and protocol.

Internet Safety

Technology protection measures shall be used on each District-owned device with Internet access. They shall include a filtering device that protects against Internet access by both adults and minors to visual depictions that are: (1) obscene, (2) pornographic, or (3) harmful or inappropriate for students, as defined by federal law, and as determined by the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee shall enforce the use of such filtering devices. An administrator, supervisor, or other authorized person may disable the filtering device for bona fide research or other lawful purpose, provided the person receives prior permission from the Superintendent or system administrator. The District cannot, however, guarantee that filtering software will successfully block access to all materials deemed harmful, indecent, offensive, pornographic, or otherwise inappropriate.

The Superintendent or designee shall include measures in this policy’s implementation plan to address the following:

  1. Staff supervision of student access to online electronic networks;
  2. Restricting student access to inappropriate matter as well as restricting access to harmful materials;
  3. Providing student and staff education and training related to privacy, safety, and security when using electronic communications and social networks;
  4. Restricting unauthorized access, including "hacking" and other unlawful activities; and
  5. Restricting unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information, such as, names and addresses.

Authorization for Electronic Network Access

Each staff member must sign the Authorization for Access to the District’s Electronic Networks as a condition for using the District’s electronic network. Each student and their parent(s)/guardian(s) must sign the Authorization before being granted access to the District’s Electronic Network.

No Expectation of Privacy

Users of the District’s electronic networks have no expectation of privacy in any material that is stored on, transmitted through, or received via the District’s electronic networks, including access of the District’s internet or Wi-Fi using personal devices. The District has the right to monitor activity on District devices or electronic networks at any time for any reason, without prior notification. The District may access, review, copy, store, and/or delete electronic information accessed or stored on Electronic Networks and/or disclose information as necessary, in the District’s sole discretion, and/or as required by law. Electronic communications and downloaded material, including files deleted from a user’s account but not erased, may be monitored or read by school officials.

Confidentiality

All users of the District’s Electronic Network shall maintain the confidentiality of school student records, personnel records, and confidential information in accordance with District policies and procedures governing confidentiality of private information. Reasonable measures to protect against unreasonable access shall be taken before confidential student information is loaded onto the network.

Violations

The failure of any user to follow the terms of the District’s administrative procedure, Acceptable Use of the District’s Electronic Networks, or this policy, or any administrative procedures or related rules will result in the loss of privileges, disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legal action.

Adopted: June 8, 1998
Revised: October 15, 2001; November 16, 2009; September 29, 2014; April 23, 2018; April 25, 2022