AR 6163.4 - STUDENT USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Instruction > Administrative Regulation 6163.4 - Student Use of Technology

The principal or designee shall oversee the maintenance of each school's technological resources and may establish guidelines and limits on their use. All instructional staff shall receive a copy of this administrative regulation, the accompanying Board policy, and the district's Acceptable Use Agreement describing expectations for appropriate use of the system and shall also be provided with information about the role of staff in supervising student use of technological resources. All students using these resources shall receive instruction in their proper and appropriate use.

Teachers, administrators, and/or library media specialists shall prescreen technological resources and online sites that will be used for instructional purposes to ensure that they are appropriate for the intended purpose and the age of the students.

Online/Internet Services: User Obligations and Responsibilities

Students are authorized to use district equipment to access the Internet or other online services in accordance with Board policy, the user obligations and responsibilities specified below, and the district's Acceptable Use Agreement.

1. The student in whose name an online services account is issued is responsible for its proper use at all times. Students shall keep personal account numbers and passwords private and shall only use the account to which they have been assigned.

2. Students shall use the district's system safely, responsibly, and primarily for educational purposes.

3. Students shall not access, post, submit, publish, or display harmful or inappropriate matter that is threatening, obscene, disruptive, or sexually explicit, or that could be construed as harassment or disparagement of others based on their race/ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or political beliefs.

   Harmful matter includes matter, taken as a whole, which to the average person, applying contemporary statewide standards, appeals to the prurient interest and is matter which depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct and which lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors. (Penal Code 313)

4. Unless otherwise instructed by school personnel, students shall not disclose, use, or disseminate personal identification information about themselves or others when using email, chat rooms, or other forms of direct electronic communication. Students also shall be cautioned not to disclose such information by other means to individuals contacted through the Internet without the permission of their parents/guardians.

   Personal information includes the student's name, address, telephone number, Social Security number, or other personally identifiable information.

5. Students shall not use the system to encourage the use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, nor shall they promote unethical practices or any activity prohibited by law, Board policy, or administrative regulations.

6. Students shall not use the system to engage in commercial or other for-profit activities.

7. Students shall not use the system to threaten, intimidate, harass, or ridicule other students or staff.

8. Copyrighted material shall be posted online only in accordance with applicable copyright laws. Any materials utilized for research projects should be given proper credit as with any other printed source of information.

9. Students shall not intentionally upload, download, or create computer viruses and/or maliciously attempt to harm or destroy district equipment or materials or manipulate the data of any other user, including so-called "hacking."

10. Students shall not attempt to interfere with other users' ability to send or receive email, nor shall they attempt to read, delete, copy, modify, or use another individual's identity.

11. Students shall report any security problem or misuse of the services to the teacher or principal.

The district reserves the right to monitor use of the district's systems for improper use without advance notice or consent. Students shall be informed that computer files and electronic communications, including email, are not private and may be accessed by the district for the purpose of ensuring proper use.

Whenever a student is found to have violated Board policy, administrative regulation, or the district's Acceptable Use Agreement, the principal or designee may cancel or limit a student's user privileges or increase supervision of the student's use of the district's technological resources, as appropriate. Inappropriate use also may result in disciplinary action and/or legal action in accordance with law and Board policy.

Cyberbullying - Includes the posting of harassing messages, direct threats, social cruelty, or other harmful text or images on the Internet, social networking sites, or other digital technologies, as well as breaking into another person's account and assuming that person's identity in order to damage that person's reputation or friendships.

Filtering - District has the right, to the extent required by law, to place reasonable restrictions on the material accessed or posted through the system.

Media Publishing - All published media must follow district guidelines and is subject to review.

Plagiarism - Students will not plagiarize works. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were their own.

Copyright Infringement - Students will respect the rights of copyright owners. Copyright infringement occurs when a work, software, music, video, etc. that is protected by a copyright is inappropriately reproduced. Students should ask their teacher and request permission from the copyright owner if they are unsure whether or not they can use a work.

Services - The district makes no guarantee that the functions of the services provided by or through the district system will be error-free or without defect. The district will not be responsible for any damage suffered, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruption of service.

Consequences - The use of technology in district is a privilege, not a right. In addition to any criminal and civil penalties, students are also subject to school discipline for technology-related offenses.

 

Board approved: September 12, 2013
Regulation approved: March 21, 2013
Evergreen School District, San Jose, California