File: IIBEA/GAB
ACCEPTABLE COMPUTER SYSTEM USE – School Board Policy
The Buena Vista City School Board provides a computer
system, including the internet, to promote educational excellence by
facilitating resource sharing, innovation and communication. The term computer system includes hardware,
software, data, communication lines and devices, terminals, printers, CD-ROM
devices, tape drives, servers, mainframe and personal computers, the internet
and other internal or external networks.
All use of the Division’s computer system must be (1) in
support of education and/or research, or (2) for legitimate school
business. Use of the computer system is
a privilege, not a right. Any communication or material used on the computer
system, including electronic mail or other files deleted from a user’s account,
may be monitored or read by school officials.
The Division Superintendent
shall establish administrative procedures, for the School Board’s approval,
containing the appropriate uses, ethics and protocol for the computer
system. The procedures shall include:
(1) a prohibition against use by division employees and students
of the division’s computer equipment and communications services for sending,
receiving, viewing or downloading illegal material via the Internet;
(2) provisions, including the selection and operation of a
technology protection measure for the division’s computers having Internet
access to filter or block Internet access through such computers, that seek to
prevent access to
(a) child pornography as set out in Va. Code § 18.2-374.1:1 or as defined in 18 U.S.C. §
2256;
(b) obscenity as defined by Va. Code § 18.2-372 or 18 U.S.C. §
1460; and
(c) material that the school division deems to be harmful to
juveniles as defined in Va. Code § 18.2-390, material that is harmful to minors
as defined in 47 U.S.C. § 254(h)(7)(G), and material that is otherwise
inappropriate for minors;
(3) provisions establishing that the technology protection
measure is enforced during any use of the Division’s computers by minors;
(4) provisions establishing that the online activities of minors
will be monitored;
(5) provisions designed to protect the safety and security of
minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct
electronic communications;
(6) provisions
designed to prevent unauthorized online access by minors, including “hacking”
and other unlawful activities by minors online;
(7) provisions prohibiting the unauthorized disclosure, use, and
dissemination of personal information regarding minors;
(8) a component on Internet safety for students that is
integrated in the division’s instructional program.
Use of the School Division’s computer system shall be
consistent with the educational or instructional mission or administrative
function of the Division as well as the varied instructional needs, learning
styles, abilities and developmental levels of students. The Division’s computer system is not a
public forum.
Each teacher, administrator, student and parent/guardian of
each student shall sign the Acceptable Computer System Use Agreement,
GAB-E1/IIBEA-E2, before using the Division’s computer system. The failure of any student, teacher or
administrator to follow the terms of the Agreement, this policy or accompanying
regulation may result in loss of computer system privileges, disciplinary
action, and/or appropriate legal action.
The School Board is not responsible for any information
that may be lost, damaged or unavailable when using the computer system or for
any information retrieved via the Internet.
Furthermore, the School Board will not be responsible for any
unauthorized charges or fees resulting from access to the computer system.
The Division Superintendent shall submit to the Virginia
Department of Education this policy and accompanying regulation biennially.
Adopted: 11/24/03; 06/27/05; 08/24/06
ACCEPTABLE COMPUTER SYSTEM USE – Superintendent’s
Regulation
All use of the BUENA VISTA CITY
School Division’s
computer system shall be consistent with the School Board’s goal of promoting
educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation and
communication. The term computer system
includes hardware, software, data, communication lines and devices, terminals,
printers, CD-ROM devices, tape drives, servers, mainframe and personal
computers, the internet and any other internal or external network.
Computer System Use-Terms
and Conditions:
(1) Acceptable Use - Access to the Division’s
computer system shall be (1) for the purposes of education or research and be
consistent with the educational objectives of the Division or (2) for
legitimate school business.
(2) Privilege - The use of the Division’s computer
system is a privilege, not a right.
(3) Unacceptable Use - Each user is responsible for
his or her actions on the computer system.
Prohibited conduct includes:
- using
the network for any illegal activity, including violation of copyright or other
contracts, or transmitting any material in violation of any federal, state or
local law.
- sending,
receiving, viewing or downloading illegal material via the computer system.
- unauthorized downloading of software.
- downloading
copyrighted material for unauthorized use.
- using
the computer system for private financial or commercial gain.
- wastefully using resources, such as file space.
- gaining
unauthorized access to resources or entities.
- posting
material authorized or created by another without his or her consent.
- using
the computer system for commercial or private advertising.
- submitting,
posting, publishing or displaying any obscene, profane, threatening, illegal or
other inappropriate material.
- using
the computer system while access privileges are suspended or revoked.
- vandalizing
the computer system, including destroying data by creating or spreading viruses
or by other means.
(4) Network Etiquette - Each user is expected to
abide by generally accepted rules of etiquette, including the following:
- Be
polite.
- Users
shall not forge, intercept or interfere with electronic mail messages.
- Use
appropriate language. The use of
obscene, lewd, profane, threatening or disrespectful language is prohibited.
- Users
shall not post personal contact information, including names, home, school or
work addresses, telephone numbers, or photographs, about themselves or others.
- Users
shall respect the computer system’s resource limits.
- Users
shall not post chain letters or download large files.
- Users
shall not use the computer system to disrupt others.
- Users
shall not read, modify or delete data owned by others.
(5) Liability - The School Board makes no
warranties for the computer system it provides.
The School Board shall not be responsible for any damages to the user
from use of the computer system, including loss of data, non-delivery or missed
delivery of information, or service interruptions. The School Division denies any responsibility
for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through the computer
system. The user agrees to indemnify the
School Board for any losses, costs or damages incurred by the School Board
relating to or arising out of any violation of these procedures.
(6) Security - Computer system security is a high
priority for the school division. If any
user identifies a security problem, the user shall notify the building
principal or system administrator immediately.
All users shall keep their passwords confidential and shall follow
computer virus protection procedures.
(7) Vandalism - Intentional destruction of any part
of the computer system through creating or downloading computer viruses or by
any other means is prohibited.
(8) Charges - The School Division assumes no
responsibility for any unauthorized charges or fees as a result of using the
computer system, including telephone or long-distance charges.
(9) Electronic Mail - The School Division may
provide electronic mail to aid students and staff in fulfilling their duties
and as an education tool. Electronic
mail is not private. Students’ electronic
mail will be monitored. The electronic
mail of staff may be monitored and accessed by the School Division. Unauthorized access to an electronic mail
account by any student or employee is prohibited. Users shall be held personally liable for the
content of any electronic message they create.
Downloading any file attached to an electronic message is prohibited
unless the user is certain of that message’s authenticity and the nature of the
file.
(10) Enforcement
- Software will be installed on the division’s computers having Internet access
to filter or block internet access through such computers to child pornography
and obscenity. The online activities of
minors may also be monitored manually.
Any violation of these regulations shall result in loss of computer
system privileges and may also result in appropriate disciplinary action, as
determined by School Board policy, or legal action.
Adopted: 11/24/03; 06/27/05