Regulation Glen
Ridge Board of Education
R 3321 ACCEPTABLE USE
OF COMPUTER NETWORK(S)/COMPUTERS AND RESOURCES BY TEACHING STAFF MEMBERS
The
school district provides computer equipment, computer services, and Internet
access to its pupils and staff for educational purposes only. The purpose of providing technology resources
is to improve learning and teaching through research, teacher training,
collaboration, dissemination and the use of global communication
resources. The “system administrators”
referred to herein as employees of the school district who administer the
school district computer network(s)/computers and the system administrators
reserve the right to monitor all activity on network(s)/computer
facilities/computers.
Because
of the complex association between so many government agencies and computer
network(s)/computers must adhere to strict regulations. Regulations are provided here so that
teaching staff members are aware of their responsibilities. The school district may modify these
regulations at any time by publishing modified regulations on the network(s)
and elsewhere.
Teaching
staff members are responsible for good behavior on computer
network(s)/computers. Communications on
the computer network(s)/computers are often public in nature. Policies and Regulations governing teaching
staff members behavior and communications apply. The school district’s network(s), Internet
access and computers are provided to conduct research and as a tool for
instruction and to communicate with others.
Access to computer network services/computers is given to teaching staff
members who are expected to act in a considerate, responsible and professional
manner. Access is a privilege, not a
right. Access entails
responsibility. Individual users of the
district computer network(s)/computers are responsible for their behavior and
communications over the computer network(s)/computers. It is presumed that users will comply with
district standards. Beyond the
clarification of such standards, the district is not responsible for the
actions of
individuals utilizing the computer network(s)/computers who violate the policies
and regulations of the Board.
Computer
network(s)/computer storage areas shall be treated in the same manner as other
school storage facilities. Computer
network(s)/computer administrators may review files and communications to
maintain system integrity and ensure that users are using the system
responsibly. Users should not expect
that files stored on district servers will always be private. Users should expect all files stored on
district servers will be available for review by Director of Technology and/or
school administrators.
Within
reasonable limits, freedom of speech and access to information will be honored. During school, teaching staff members will
guide pupils toward appropriate materials.
Behaviors
including but not limited to the following are prohibited:
1.
Sending or displaying offensive messages or pictures;
2. Using
obscene language;
3.
Harassing, insulting or attacking others;
4.
Damaging, degrading or disrupting computers, computer systems or computer
network(s)/computers;
5.
Violating copyright laws;
6. Using
another’s password;
7.
Trespassing in another’s folders, work or files;
8.
Intentionally wasting limited resources;
9.
Employing the network(s)/computers for commercial purposes;
10.
Engaging in other activities which do not advance the educational purposes for
which computer network(s)/computers are provided;
11. Stealing
data or other intellectual projects;
12.
Forging electronic mail messages;
13.
Posting anonymous messages;
14.
Accessing school computers for other than educational purposes; and/or
15. Any other
unethical, unacceptable, illegal and/or inappropriate activity.
Information
Content and Uses of the System
Users
agree not to publish on or over the system any information which violates or
infringes upon the rights of any other person or any information which would be
abusive, profane or sexually offensive to an average person, or which without
the approval of the system administrators, contains any advertising or any
solicitation of other members to use goods or services. The user agrees not to use the facilities and
capabilities of the system to conduct any non-school related business or
solicit the performance of any activity which is prohibited by law or
non-educational.
While
most of the content available on the Internet is innocuous and much of it a
valuable educational resource, some objectionable material exists. The Board will provide pupil access to
Internet resources only in supervised environments and has taken steps to lock
out objectionable areas to the extent possible, but potential dangers
remain. Teaching staff members are
advised that some systems may contain defamatory,
inaccurate,
abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive,
or otherwise illegal material and are to supervise pupil use of computers and
the Internet. The Board and the system
administrators do not condone the use of such materials and do not permit usage
of such materials in the school environment.
Teaching staff members should discipline pupils knowingly bringing such
materials into the school environment in accordance with Board policies and
regulations and inform pupils that such activities may result in termination of
such pupils' accounts on the computer network(s) and their independent use of
computers.
On-line
Conduct
Any
action by a teaching staff member or other user of the school district’s
computer network(s)/computers that is determined by a system administrator to
constitute an inappropriate use of computer network(s)/computers resources or
to improperly restrict or inhibit other members from using and enjoying those
resources is strictly prohibited and may result in limitation on or termination
of an offending member's account and other action in compliance with the Board
policy and regulation. The user
specifically agrees not to submit, publish, or display any defamatory,
inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially
offensive, or otherwise illegal material; nor shall a user encourage the use,
sale, or distribution of controlled substances.
Transmission of material, information or software in violation of any
local, state or federal law is also prohibited and is a breach of the Consent
and Waiver Agreement.
Users
agree to indemnify the Glen Ridge School District and the system administrators
for any losses, costs, or damages, including reasonable attorneys' fees
incurred by the Board relating to, or arising out of any breach of this section
by the user.
Computer
network(s)/computer resources are to be used by the user for his/her educational
use only; commercial uses are strictly prohibited.
Software
Libraries on the Network(s)
Software
libraries on the network(s) are provided to teaching staff members as an
educational resource. No teaching staff
member may install, upload, or download software without the expressed consent
of the system administrator. Any
software having the purpose of damaging other members' accounts on the school
district computer network(s)/computers (e.g., computer viruses) is specifically
prohibited. The system administrators,
at their sole discretion, reserve the rights to refuse posting of files and to
remove files. The system administrators,
at their sole discretion, further reserve the right to immediately limit usage
or terminate the account or take other action consistent with the Board’s
policies and regulations of a member who misuses the software libraries.
Copyrighted
Material
Copyrighted
material must not be placed on any system connected to the network(s)/computers
without the author's specific written permission. Only the owner(s) or persons they
specifically authorize may upload copyrighted material to the system. Members
may download copyrighted material for their own use in accordance with Policy and
Regulation Nos. 2531, Copying Copyrighted Materials. Any member may also non-commercially
redistribute a copyrighted program with the expressed written permission of the
owner or authorized person. Permission
must be specified in the document, on the system, or must be obtained directly
from the author.
Public
Posting Areas (Message Boards/Usenet Groups)
Usenet
and Internet Relay Chat Room messages are posted from systems connected to the
Internet around the world and the
school district
system administrators have no control of the content of messages posted from
these other systems. To best utilize
system resources, the system administrators will determine which Usenet groups
are most applicable to the educational needs of the school district and will
carry these groups on the school district computer network(s). The system administrators or the school
administration, at their sole discretion, may remove messages posted locally
that are deemed to be unacceptable or in violation of the Board policies and
regulations. The system administrators
or the school administration, at their sole discretion, further reserve the
right to immediately terminate the account of a member who misuses the message
boards or Usenet groups.
Real-time,
Interactive, Communication Areas
The
system administrators, at their sole discretion, reserve the right to monitor
and immediately limit the use of the computer network(s)/computers or terminate
the account of a member who misuses real-time conference features
(talk/chat/Internet relay chat) etc.
Electronic
Mail
Electronic
mail (“E-mail”) is an electronic message sent by or to a member in
correspondence with another person having Internet mail access. All messages sent and received on the school
district computer network(s) must have an educational or administrative purpose
and are subject to review. A sender of
an E-mail message should expect the E-mail messages will be reviewed by the
system administrators or the school administration. Messages received by the system are retained
on the system until deleted by the recipient or for a maximum of thirty
calendar days. A canceled account will
not retain its E-mail. Members are
expected to remove old messages within thirty calendar days or the system administrators
may remove such messages. The system
administrators may inspect the contents of E-mail sent by one member to an
addressee, or disclose such
contents
to other than the sender or a recipient when required to do so by the Board
policy, regulation or other laws and regulations of the State and Federal
governments. The Board reserves the
right to cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any
investigation concerning or relating to any E-mail transmitted on the school
district computer network(s) or computers.
Disk
Usage
The
system administrators reserve the right to set quotas for disk usage on the
system. A member who exceeds his/her
quota of disk space will be advised to delete files to return to compliance
with predetermined quotas. A member who
remains in noncompliance of disk space quotas after seven school days of
notification will have their files removed by a system administrator.
Security
Security
on any computer system is a high priority, especially when the system involves
many users. If a member feels that
he/she can identify a security problem on the computer network(s), the member
must notify a system administrator. The
member should not inform individuals other than the system administrators or
other designated members of the school district staff of a security
problem. Professional staff may allow
individuals who are not members to access the system through the staff personal
account as long as the staff person does not disclose the password of the
account to the individuals and understands that the staff person assumes
responsibility for the actions of individuals using his/her account. Members may not otherwise allow others to use
their account and password. Passwords to
the system should not be easily guessable by others, nor should they be words
which could be found in a dictionary.
Attempts to log in to the system using either another member's account
or as a system administrator will result in termination of the account. Members should
immediately
notify a system administrator if a password is lost or stolen, or if they have
reason to believe that someone has obtained unauthorized access to their
account. Any member identified as a
security risk will have limitations placed on usage of the computer
network(s)/computers or may be terminated as a user and be subject to other
disciplinary action.
Vandalism
Vandalism
will result in cancellation of system privileges and other disciplinary
measures. Vandalism is defined as any
malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, the system, or any
of the agencies or other network(s)/computers that are connected to the
Internet backbone or of doing intentional damage to hardware or software on the
system. This includes, but is not
limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses.
Printing
The
printing facilities of the computer network(s)/computers should be used
judiciously. Printing for other than
educational, or school related purposes is prohibited.
Violations
Violations
of the Acceptable Use of Computer Network(s)/Computers and Resources may result
in a loss of access as well as other disciplinary or legal action. Disciplinary action shall be taken as
indicated in Policy and Regulation No. 3321, Teaching Staff Members, Acceptable
Use of Computer Network(s)/Computers and Resources, Policy No. 3150, Teaching
Staff Member Discipline, as well as possible legal action and reports to the
legal authorities and entities.
Determination
of Consequences for Violations
The
particular consequences for violations of this policy shall be determined by
the Director of Technology in matters relating to the use of computer
network(s)/computers and by the Superintendent or designee in matters of
discipline or employee suspension or actions by the authorities are the
appropriate course of action.
Individuals
violating this policy shall be subject to the consequences as indicated in
Policy No. 2361 and other appropriate discipline which includes but are not
limited to:
1. Use of
Computer Network(s)/Computers only under direct supervision;
2.
Suspension of network privileges;
3.
Revocation of network privileges;
4.
Suspension of computer privileges;
5.
Revocation of computer privileges;
6.
Suspension from employment;
7. Legal
action and prosecution by the authorities; and/or
8. Any
other unethical, unacceptable, illegal and/or inappropriate activity.
Decisions
of the Director of Technology may be appealed in accordance with the
appropriate employee grievance procedure.
Issued: