WCSD Internet Safety Policy

540.03 - NETWORK AND INTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE AND SAFETY

 

The District makes access to interconnected computer systems within the District as well as the Internet available to students to provide various means of accessing educational materials and opportunities.

 

The District's Internet system has a limited educational purpose and is not intended to serve as a public access service or a public forum. The Board  has the right to place restrictions on its use to assure that use of the District's computer system is in accord with its limited educational purpose. Student use of the District's computers, network and Internet services ("Network") will be governed by this policy, the related guidelines and the student disciplinary process.

 

The Board encourages all users to utilize the Internet to develop the resource sharing, innovation, and communication skills and tools that are essential to both life and work. The instructional use of the Internet will be guided by the Board's policy on instructional materials.

 

The Internet is a global information and communication network that provides an incredible opportunity to bring previously unimaginable education and information resources to all users. The Internet connects computers and users in the District with computers and users worldwide. Through the Internet, students and staff can access up-to-date, highly relevant information that will enhance their learning and the education process. Further, the Internet provides students and staff with the opportunity to communicate with other people from throughout the world. Access to such an incredible quantity of information and resources brings with it, however, certain unique challenges.

 

First, and foremost, the Board may not be able to technologically limit access, to services through the Board's Internet connection to only those that have been authorized for the purpose of instruction, study and research related to the curriculum. Unlike in the past when educators and community members had the opportunity to review and screen materials to assess their appropriateness for supporting and enriching the curriculum according to adopted guidelines and reasonable selection criteria (taking into account the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students who would be exposed to them), access to the Internet, because it serves as a gateway to any publicly available file server in the world, will open classrooms and students to electronic information resources which have not been screened by educators for use by students of various ages.

 

The Board utilizes software and/or hardware to block/filter access to pornography and other material that is obscene, objectionable, inappropriate and/or harmful to minors. "Harmful to minors" is a term defined by the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(h)(7)) as any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:

  1. taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

     

  2. 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;

     

  3. taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

At the discretion of the Board or the District Administrator, the technology protection measure may be configured to protect against access to other material considered inappropriate for students to access. The technology protection measure may not be disabled at any time that users may be using the Network, if such disabling will cease to protect against access to materials that are prohibited under the Children's Internet Protection Act. The District Administrator or technology director may temporarily or permanently unblock access to sites containing appropriate material, if access to such sites has been inappropriately blocked by the technology protection measure. The determination of whether material is appropriate or inappropriate shall be based on the content of the material and the intended use of the material, not on the protection actions of the technology protection measure.

 

The District Administrator or Technology Director may disable the technology protection measure to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.

 

The Board utilizes software and/or hardware to monitor all activity on a district-owned computer. This monitoring happens on and off of district property. This process is used to monitor staff/student use of the devices. The monitoring process will also notify district employees of potential harm to students. The district receives notification of potential harm to others, as well as self-harm notifications. If the harm notification arrives after the normal school day, the notification may not be addressed until the following school day. However, if the notification alludes to immediate harm, anyone getting the notification may take action by calling appropriate authorities.

 

Parents are advised that a determined user may be able to gain access to services on the Internet that the Board has not authorized. In fact, it is impossible to guarantee users will not gain access through the Internet to information and communications that they and/or their parents/guardians may find inappropriate, offensive, objectionable or controversial. Parents assume risks by consenting to allow their child to participate in the use of the Internet. Parents of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using the Internet. The Board supports and respects each family's right to decide whether to apply for independent student access to the Internet.

 

The District Administrator shall prepare guidelines which address students' safety and security while using e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging and other forms of direct electronic communications, and prohibit disclosure of personal identification information of minors and unauthorized access (e.g., "hacking") and other unlawful activities by minors online.

 

Network and Internet access is provided as a tool for your education. The School District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review and store at any time and without prior notice any and all usage of the computer network and Internet access and any and all information transmitted or received in connection with such usage. All such information files shall be and remain the property of the School District and no user shall have any expectation of privacy regarding such materials.

 

Pursuant to Federal law, students shall receive education about the following:

  1. safety and security while using e-mail, chat rooms, social media, and other forms of direct electronic communications;

     

  2. the dangers inherent with the online disclosure of personally identifiable information;

     

  3. the consequences of unauthorized access (e.g., "hacking"), cyberbullying, and other unlawful or inappropriate activities by students online;

     

  4. unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors.

Staff members shall provide instruction for their students regarding the appropriate use of technology and online safety and security as specified above. Furthermore, staff members will monitor the online activities of students.

 

Monitoring may include, but is not necessarily limited to, visual observations of online activities; or use of specific monitoring tools to review browser history and network, server, and computer logs.

 

Building principals are responsible for providing training so that Internet users under their supervision are knowledgeable about this policy and its accompanying guidelines. The Board expects that staff members will provide guidance and instruction to students in the appropriate use of the Internet. All Internet users (and their parents if they are minors) are required to sign a written agreement to abide by the terms and conditions of this policy and its accompanying guidelines (found in the student handbook).

 

Students and staff members are responsible for good behavior on the Board's computers/network and the Internet just as they are in classrooms, school hallways, and other school premises and school-sponsored events. Communications on the Internet are often public in nature. General school rules for behavior and communication apply. The Board does not sanction any use of the Internet that is not authorized by or conducted strictly in compliance with this policy and its accompanying guidelines.

 

The Board designates the District Administrator and Technology Director as the administrators responsible for initiating, implementing, and enforcing this policy and its accompanying guidelines as they apply to students' use of the Network.

 

Adopted September 15, 2014

Last Revised May 4, 2020