FILE: IFBGA
COMPUTER ACCESS AND USE-STUDENTS
INTERNET SAFETY
The Orleans Parish School Board provides its students the privilege of accessing the Internet over the School Board’s computer network. The computer network is intended to promote educational excellence and to locally and globally share educational resources. Students shall access and transmit information over the Internet or network for educational purposes. It is the intent of the Orleans Parish School Board to:
Prevent the transmission of or access to inappropriate material by means of Internet, electronic mail, or other forms of electronic communications;
Prevent unauthorized and malicious attempts to access valuable network resources;
Prevent unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors; and
Abide by the rules established in the Children’s Internet Protection Act and other pertinent federal and state laws
Acceptable use of these resources shall be consistent with the philosophy, goals and objectives of the Orleans Parish School Board.
Age and grade appropriate classroom instruction shall be provided regarding Internet and cell phone safety. Such instruction shall include appropriate online behavior, interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response, as well as areas of concern as authorized in state and federal law.
In addition, the School Board, in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies, shall develop and distribute age and grade appropriate information to each student regarding Internet and cell phone safety and online content that is a threat to school safety. The information shall include the following:
Such information shall be either distributed to or explained to students and school personnel at the beginning of each school year and shall be posted on an easily accessible page of the School Board’s website and the website of each school.
If information reported to a school is deemed a potential threat to school safety, the school shall present the written form and any further evidence to local law enforcement.
ACCESS TO INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL
The School Board shall incorporate the use of computer-related technology or the use of Internet service provider technology designed to block access or exposure to any harmful materials or information, such as sites that contain obscene, pornographic, pervasively vulgar, excessively violent, or sexually harassing information or material. Sites which contain information on the manufacturing of bombs or other incendiary devices shall also be prohibited. However, the School Board shall not prohibit authorized employees or students from having unfiltered or unrestricted access to Internet or online services, including online services of newspapers with daily circulation of at least 1,000, for legitimate scientific or educational purposes approved by the School Board.
Authorized personnel may disable or minimize technology protection measures for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
CONDITIONS OF USE
While using the computer network, students:
Shall not give out names, phone numbers, addresses or any personal information about themselves or others.
Shall not engage in activities that initiate or participate in any activities that are prohibited by local, state or federal laws.
Shall not use the Internet to send or receive messages that discriminate against others.
Shall not use abusive language or profanity over the Internet.
Shall not participate in any activities that can be construed as cyber-bullying of other students, faculty, staff, or community members in or out of the school network.
Shall always be polite and respectful of others.
Shall immediately report any activities about which they become aware that can be construed as cyber-bullying of other students, faculty, staff, or community members in or out of the school network
Shall communicate with caution, keeping in mind:
privacy cannot be guaranteed in a network environment.
the student cannot see the person with whom he/she is communicating.
the student cannot tell the age or the sex of the person with whom he/she is communicating.
the student cannot always be sure he/she is being told the truth
the student should think carefully about what to say and how to say it.
Shall report any problems to his/her teacher.
INAPPROPRIATE NETWORK USAGE
Accessing the Internet through the Orleans Parish School Board’s network is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate network usage shall result in disciplinary actions. The Orleans Parish School Board shall take actions to uphold the safety and security of users on the Orleans Parish School Board’s network.
Any student can be found in violation of acceptable network usage if he or she:
Uses the Internet or network for illegal, inappropriate, or obscene purposes, or supports such activities. Illegal activities shall be defined as those which violate local, state, and/or federal laws.
Violates copyrights, license agreements or other contracts.
Intentionally disrupts information network traffic or crashes the network and connected systems.
Uses Orleans Parish School Board’s Internet or network for commercial or financial gain, fraud, political campaigning or solicitation.
Steals or damages data, equipment, or intellectual property.
Gains or seeks to gain unauthorized access to the network system.
Forges electronic mail messages or posts anonymous messages.
Uses an account owned by another user or invades the privacy of individuals.
Changes or deletes another user’s account information.
Discloses personal information about anyone.
Participates in any behaviors that can be construed as cyber-bullying of other students, faculty, staff, or community members in or out of the school network
Students shall be made aware that any use of the network or of personal digital devices while on school property or at school events, regardless of whether the device is owned by the School Board, the school, or by the individual user, is subject to all the provisions of this and other policies of the Orleans Parish School Board. At no time within any property of the School Board, school, or off premises but engaged in activities connected to the educational efforts of the School Board, or school, is any student to violate the provisions of this or other policies of the School Board.
Consequences of network use violations include but are not limited to:
Suspension or revocation of network privileges;
Suspension or revocation of computer access;
School suspension or expulsion;
Legal action and prosecution by the authorities.
LEGAL ISSUES
Copyright/Trademark - According to the Copyright Act of 1976, Fair Use means that a user may freely use any information that he/she legally finds on the network as long as he/she does so only for scholarly purposes.
Plagiarism - Plagiarism is "taking ideas or writings from another person and offering them as your own." Credit should always be given to the person who created the article or the idea. The student who leads readers to believe that what they are reading is the student's original work when it is not is guilty of plagiarism.
Students shall be advised that they are subject to all federal, state, and local laws if they access the computer network for inappropriate or illegal purposes.
OFF-CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY USE
Students may be subject to discipline for off-campus speech, Internet activities, or use of off-campus computer and/or electronic systems that may cause a substantial disruption of the educational environment, interfere with the rights of others or can be considered a threat of violence to students, employees or others, according to the consequences set forth in this policy for violation of network use.
Revised: June 14, 2016
Revised: January 17, 2019
Ref: 20 USC 7131 (Internet Safety)
47 USC 254 (Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA))
47 CFR 54.520 (Children's Internet Protection Act Certifications for Schools and Libraries)
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:100.7, 17:280, 17:410
Board minutes, 6-14-16, 1-17-19
Orleans Parish School Board