Richmond County Board of Education Acceptable Use Policy
It is the policy of the Richmond
County Board of Education that employees and students should be furnished
educational opportunities and resources to have access to Internet based
instructional programs and administrative services. The primary purpose and mission of the
Richmond County Board of Education is to educate students to become lifelong
learners and productive citizens in the 21st Century. Technology plays a
role in this mission by providing quality programs, information and learning activities
along with support and services to improve student learning and enhance
instructional and administrative effectiveness. The
instructional use of interactive computer and web-based technology will prepare
students for the future. Technology includes computer hardware, software, local and wide
area networks and access to the Internet. Due to the complex nature of these
systems and the magnitude of information available via the Internet, the Richmond
County Board of Education has adopted guidelines regarding acceptable use to ensure
the technology users share in the technology resources in an effective,
efficient, ethical and lawful manner.
It is the policy of the Richmond
County Schools to: (a) prevent user access over its computer network to,
or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, or
other forms of direct electronic communications; (b) prevent unauthorized
access and other unlawful online activity; (c) prevent unauthorized online
disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of
minors; and (d) comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. No.
106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)]. Each school
principal in conjunction with the media/technology committee shall be
responsible for communication and monitoring of the Richmond County Acceptable Use policy
Guidelines:
This Acceptable Use Policy applies to all students, faculty, staff,
and visitors (both adults and minors). All users of the district wide area network
and/or other electronic informational services must maintain strict compliance
with all applicable ethical and legal rules and regulations regarding
access. The school system reserves the right
to monitor, access, and disclose the contents of any user’s files, activities,
or communications.
Availability of Access:
The Internet will be available to users for instructional and
administrative purposes. The electronic
information available to users does not imply endorsement by the Richmond
County Board of Education. The use of
the network is a privilege, not a right, and misuse will result in disciplinary
actions, including cancellation of those privileges.
Security:
It shall be the policy of the Richmond County Board of Education
that users maintain appropriate passwords to obtain access to the network. Login information, user names, and passwords
are confidential and it is the responsibility of the user to safeguard that
information. Passwords should be at
least 8 characters and should contain a number and a capital letter. At no time should any user login with another user’s
information.
While the Internet is an extremely valuable tool for educational
research, it has sites that are not appropriate according to community, school,
or family standards. The Richmond County Board of Education provides an
Internet filtering system which blocks access to a large percentage of
inappropriate sites. Specifically, as required by the Children’s Internet
Protection Act, visual depictions of material deemed obscene or child
pornography, or any material deemed to be harmful to minors will be blocked by
the web filtering system. Even though
most objectionable sites are blocked, various entities create new inappropriate
sites daily. If questionable site is
encountered, it should be reported to the school’s Media Specialist or to the
Media and Instructional Technology Department.
Staff members in Media and Instructional Technology will make every
effort to block the site as quickly as possible.
Internet
Safety:
It shall be the responsibility of
all educators of the Richmond County Schools, including administrators,
instructional supervisors, principals, teachers, media specialists, technology
specialists, guidance counselors, instructional paraprofessionals and any other
personnel having access to the online computer network for instructional
purposes, to supervise and monitor usage of the online computer network and
access to the Internet in accordance with this policy and the Children's Internet
Protection Act.
CIPA DEFINITION OF TERMS:
TECHNOLOGY PROTECTION MEASURE. The term "technology protection measure"
means a specific technology that blocks or filters Internet access to visual
depictions that are:
- OBSCENE, as that term is defined in section
1460 of title 18, United States Code;
- CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, as that term is
defined in section 2256 of title 18, United States Code; or
- Harmful to minors.
HARMFUL TO MINORS. The term "harmful to minors" means any
picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:
- Taken as a whole and with respect to
minors, appeals to 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.
SEXUAL ACT; SEXUAL CONTACT. The terms "sexual act" and "sexual
contact" have the meanings given such terms in section 2246 of title 18,
United States Code.
Students
should take precautions when using the network.
Internet safety is a great concern of the Richmond County Board of
Education. Students should:
·
Never provide
last name, address, telephone number, or school name online.
·
Never respond
to and always report any messages that make the student feel uncomfortable or
that are from an unknown origin.
·
Never
send a photo of themselves or anyone else.
·
Never
arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met online.
·
Never
open attachments or files from unknown senders.
·
Always
report any inappropriate sites observed.
Prohibitions:
Users
should NOT:
- Post,
publish, send or create materials or communications that are defamatory,
abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially
offensive, or illegal – including any type of cyber-bullying
- Use
the network for financial gain, advertising or commercial activity
- Transmit
any material in violation of any United States or State regulation
- Post
anonymous or forge electronic mail messages or alter, delete or copy
another user’s email
- Use
the school’s computer hardware or network for any illegal activity such as
copying or downloading copyrighted software, music or images, or violation
of copyright laws
- Download,
install, or play any unauthorized program or content (even that created at
home) on any school’s computer or network
- Purposely
bring any hardware on the premises or load any software that is designed
to damage, alter, destroy or provide access to unauthorized data
- Attempt
to vandalize or disassemble any network or computer component including
the attempt to alter network or computer configuration
- Gain
access or attempt to access unauthorized or restricted network resources
or the data and documents of another person
- Send
spam through email
- Use
the network while access privileges have been suspended
- Bypass
or attempt to circumvent network security, virus protection, network
filtering, or policies
Employee
Responsibilities:
·
Employees
must use good judgment and keep all passwords protected. Do not post a list of user names and
passwords where they are seen by students.
Never email user names and passwords to unknown sources. The Richmond County Information Technology
Department will never ask for passwords by email.
·
When
leaving a computer, always log off so to prevent unauthorized access to files
or email.
·
Students should
always be supervised while using the Internet, computers, handheld devices or
electronic resources.
·
Email
accounts are provided for professional use only. Email should not be used for personal gain or
business related activities.
Broadcasting of unsolicited messages is prohibited. All employees must request permission from
the building administrator before sending any messages to an entire building’s
staff.
·
If an employee
brings a personal computer or handheld device, he/she must fill out a form to
put the device on the network. The computer
or device must have updated antivirus software.
The device must be virus free and must not contain any unauthorized or
inappropriate files.
·
Employees
may not download any unauthorized software onto Richmond County computers.
Student
Responsibilities:
- Students should not use the Internet for
purposes other than instructional assignments related to the curriculum.
·
Students
must follow teacher directions for Internet related assignments.
·
Students
must heed prohibitions and Internet Safety rules.
Usage of Web-Enabled Devices and/or Personal
Computers
The use of web-enabled
devices or personal computers on campus is a privilege that the school grants
to students who are willing to assume the responsibilities outlined in the
Richmond County Acceptable Use Policy. This
usage policy also applies to the web-enabled devices checked out by the
school. All guidelines in the Richmond
County Board of Education Acceptable Use Policy continue to apply when a
student brings a personal laptop computer or other web-enabled device for use
on campus.
Failure to follow the Acceptable
Use Policy violates the requirements as set forth by the Official Code of
Georgia and the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
Approved by Board action on June 21, 2011