Policies » Section J: Students » JICL-R: Acceptable Internet Use Procedures For Students

Policy Date: 06/13/2023

ASD File: JICL-R
See Policy JICL and IJNDB
AUBURN SCHOOL DISTRICT
ACCEPTABLE INTERNET USE PROCEDURES FOR STUDENTS

Purpose

The purpose of the Acceptable Use Procedures is to provide the procedures, rules, guidelines, and the
code of conduct for the use of technology, the Internet and email usage.

Definition

The definition of “information networks” is any configuration of hardware and software, which connects
users. The network includes, but is not limited to, all of the computer hardware, operating system
software, application software, stored text and data files. This includes electronic mail, cloud-based
technologies, local databases, externally accessed databases, DVD/CD-ROM, recorded magnetic or
optical media, clip art, digital images, digitized information, communications technologies, and new
technologies as they become available. Stand-alone workstations are also governed by this acceptable
use procedure.

The School District Services

The School District provides resources for teaching and learning, communication services, and business
data services by maintaining access to local, regional, national, and international sources of information.
The School District information resources will be used by members of the school community with respect
for the public trust through which they have been provided and in accordance with policy and regulations
established by the School District. These procedures do not attempt to articulate all required or
proscribed behavior by its users.

Successful operation of the network requires that all users conduct themselves in a responsible, decent,
ethical and polite manner while using the network. The user is ultimately responsible for his/her actions
in accessing the network. Students are given a district email account to be used as form of
communication with teachers and peers.

Guidelines

1. Access to the networks and to the information technology environment within the District is a privilege
and must be treated as such by all users of the network and its associated systems.

2. Information networks will be used for the purposes of research, education, and school-related business
and operations.

a) Below is a summary of behaviors that are not acceptable:

  a. Email used for non-school related communication.
  b. Harassing email messages or content.
  c. Offensive email messages or content.
  d. Email containing a virus or malicious content.
  e. Sending or reading email at inappropriate times, such as during class instruction.
  f. Sending email to share test answers or promote cheating in any way.
  g. Using the account of another person.
  h. Sending chain email.

b) Below are guidelines for student emails to staff:

  a. Students are encouraged to email staff concerning school-related content and questions.
  b. Teachers will not be expected to answer student email outside of their regular workday,
     although they certainly may do so. For example, an unanswered email to a teacher
     would not excuse a student from turning in an assignment.

3. Any system which requires password access or for which the District requires an account, will only be
used by the authorized user. Account users are ultimately responsible for all activity under their accounts.

4. The resources of the District are limited. All users must exercise prudence in the shared use of this
resource.

Unacceptable Use

The District has the right to take disciplinary action, remove device(s) and networking privileges and/or
take legal action, for any activity characterized as unethical and unacceptable. Unacceptable use activities
constitute, but are not limited to, any activity through which any user:

1. Violates such matters as institutional or third-party copyright, license agreements or other contracts.
The unauthorized use of and/or copying of software is illegal.

2. Interferes with or disrupts other network users, services or equipment. Disruptions include, but are not
limited to: distribution of unsolicited advertising, propagation of malware, distributing quantities of
information that overwhelm the system, and/or using a District network to make unauthorized entry into
any other resource accessible via the network.

3. Seeks to gain or gains unauthorized access to information resources.

4. Uses or knowingly allows another to use any device or computer system to devise or execute a scheme
to defraud or to obtain money, property, services, or other things of value by false pretenses, promises,
or representations.

5. Destroys, alters, dismantles or otherwise interferes with the integrity of computer based information
and/or information resources.

6. Invades the privacy of individuals or entities.

7. Uses the network for commercial or political activity.

8. Installs unauthorized software for use on device.

9. Uses a network to access inappropriate materials.

10. Submits, publishes or displays any defamatory, inaccurate, racially offensive, abusive, obscene,
profane, sexually oriented, or threatening materials or messages either publicly or privately.

11. Uses a District network for illegal harassing, vandalizing, inappropriate or obscene purposes, or in
support of such activities.

School District Rights

The District reserves the right to:

1. Monitor all activity. Notwithstanding FERPA and other related laws, students have no expectation of
privacy regarding their use on the school district computer network.

2. Make determinations on whether specific uses of a network are consistent with these acceptable use
procedures.

3. Log network use and monitor storage utilization by users.

4. Determine what is appropriate use.

5. Remove a user's access to the device or network at any time it is determined that the user engaged in
unauthorized activity or violated these acceptable use procedures.

6. Cooperate fully with any investigation concerning or relating to the District's network activity.

School District Internet Code of Conduct

Use of the Internet by students and staff of the District shall be in support of education and research that
is consistent with the mission of the District. Internet use is limited to those persons who have been
issued District-approved accounts. Use will be in accordance with the District's Acceptable Use Procedures
and this Code of Conduct. Users are expected to abide by the following terms and conditions:

1. Protect their Internet log-in information from others.

2. Respect the privacy of other users. Do not use other users' passwords.

3. Be ethical and courteous. Do not send hate, harassing or obscene mail, discriminatory remarks, or
demonstrate other antisocial behaviors.

4. Maintain the integrity of files and data. Do not modify or copy files/data of other users without their
consent.

5. Treat information created by others as the private property of the creator. Respect copyrights.
6. Use any network in a way that does not disrupt its use by others.

7. Do not destroy, modify or abuse the hardware or software in any way.

8. Do not develop or pass on programs that harass other users or infiltrate a computer or computing
system and/or damage the software components of a computer or computing system, such as viruses,
worms or other malware, "chain" messages, etc.

9. Do not use the Internet to access or process pornographic or otherwise inappropriate material.

10. Do not use the Internet for commercial purposes.

The District reserves the right to remove a user's account if it is determined that the user is engaged in
unauthorized activity or is violating this code of conduct.

School District Internet Access Release Form

As a condition of my right to use the School District network resources, including access to the Internet, I
understand and agree to the following:

1. To abide by the District Acceptable Use Procedures and Code of Conduct.

2. That District administrators and designated staff have the right to review any material stored on
District computers in files and to edit or remove any material which they, in their sole discretion, believe
may be unlawful, obscene, abusive, or otherwise objectionable and students hereby waive any right of
privacy which I may otherwise have to such material.

3. That the School District will not be liable for any direct or indirect, incidental, or consequential
damages due to information gained and/or obtained via use of the District's network resources.

4. That the School District does not warrant that the functions of any District network, or any network
accessible through District resources, will meet any specific requirements you may have, or that the
network resources will be error-free or uninterrupted.

5. That the School District shall not be liable for any direct or indirect, incidental, or consequential
damages (including lost data or information) sustained or incurred in connection with the use, operation,
or inability to use District networks and resources.

6. That the use of the District network(s), including access to public networks, is a privilege which may
be revoked by network administrators at any time for violation of the Acceptable Use Procedures and
Code of Conduct. The School District will be the sole arbiter(s) of what constitutes violation of the
Acceptable Use Procedures or Code of Conduct.

7. In consideration for the privilege of using the School District network resources and in consideration
for having access to the public networks, I hereby release the School District, its operators, and any
institutions with which they are affiliated from any and all claims and damages of any nature arising from
my use, or inability to use, the District network resources.


Print Name of User/Student: ________________________________________


I hereby certify that I have read the Acceptable Use Policy and Procedures; that I fully understand their
terms and conditions; and that I will abide by the terms and conditions set forth in this document.


Signature of User/Student: ________________________________________

Date: ________________________________________

Signature of Building Principal: ________________________________________

Date: ________________________________________



Adopted: January 10, 2017
Reviewed: June 11, 2019
Revised: June 8, 2021
Reviewed: June 13, 2023