Acceptable Use of Technology—Students                                                                      5160

 

Section 1. Purpose of Technology Use

 

The Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 provides technology resources to its students solely for educational purposes.  Through technology, the District provides access for students and staff to resources from around the world.  Expanding technologies take students and staff beyond the confines of the classroom, and provide tremendous opportunities for enhancing, extending, and rethinking the learning process.  The goal in providing these resources is to promote educational excellence in the District by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication with the support and supervision of parents, teachers, and support staff.

 

Section 2.  The Opportunities and Risks of Technology Use

 

With access to computers and people all over the world comes the potential availability of material that may not be considered to be of educational value in the context of the school setting, or that may be harmful or disruptive.  Because information on networks is transitory and diverse, the District cannot completely predict or control what users may or may not locate.  The Board of Education believes that the educational value of limited access to the information, interaction, and research capabilities that technology offers outweighs the possibility that users may obtain or encounter material that is not consistent with the educational goals of the District. 

 

In accordance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, the District installs and operates filtering software to limit users’ Internet access to materials that are obscene, pornographic, harmful to children, or otherwise inappropriate, or disruptive to the educational process, notwithstanding that such software may in certain cases block access to other materials as well.  At the same time, the District cannot guarantee that filtering software will in all instances successfully block access to materials deemed harmful, indecent, offensive, pornographic, or otherwise inappropriate.  The use of filtering software, as explained in the Internet Safety Policy 1250, does not negate or otherwise affect the obligations of users to abide by the terms of this policy and to refrain from accessing such inappropriate materials.

 

No technology is guaranteed to be error-free or totally dependable, nor is it safe when used irresponsibly.  Among other matters, the District is not liable or responsible for:

 

1)                 Any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable due to technical, or other, difficulties;

2)                 The accuracy or suitability of any information that is retrieved through technology;

3)                 Breaches of confidentiality;

4)                 Defamatory material; or

5)                 The consequences that may come from failure to follow District 200 policy and procedures governing the use of technology.

 

Section 3. Privileges and Responsibilities

 

The District’s electronic network is part of the curriculum and is not a public forum for general use.  Student users may access technology for only educational purposes.  The actions of student users accessing networks through the District reflect on the School District; therefore, student users must conduct themselves accordingly by exercising good judgment and complying with this policy and any accompanying administrative regulations and guidelines.  Students are responsible for their behavior and communications using the Districts computers and networks. 

 

Student users of technology shall

 

• Use or access District technology only for educational purposes
• Comply with copyright laws and software licensing agreements
• Understand that email and network files are not private.  Network administrators may review files and communications to maintain system integrity and monitor responsible student use.
• Respect the privacy rights of others.
• Be responsible at all times for the proper use of technology, including proper use of access privileges, complying with all required system security identification codes, and not sharing any codes or passwords.
• Maintain the integrity of technological resources from potentially damaging messages, physical abuse, or viruses.
• Abide by the policies and procedures of networks and systems linked by technology.

 

Student users of technology shall not:

 

• Access, download, create, send or display offensive messages or pictures.
• Use harassing, offensive, obscene or defamatory language.
• Harass or attack others;
• Vandalize or damage computer equipment, systems, networks, hardware, software, data or programs;
• Knowingly spread computer viruses;
• Violate copyright laws or software licensing agreements;
• Use others’ passwords or accounts;
• Misrepresent themselves or others;
• Trespass in others’ folders, work, or files, or gain unauthorized access to resource or entities;
• Reveal their personal address or phone number, or those of other users;
• Use District technology for non-school purposes or personal financial gain or to access or attempt to access restricted websites or other information unrelated to the curriculum and educational purposes of the school; and
• Use technology for any illegal purpose or activity.

 

Students may access the networks and technology resources only after submitting a signed Acceptable Use of Technology Consent Form.  Parent or guardian permission is also required for minors.

 

Section 4.  Disciplinary Actions

 

Violations of this policy, or any administrative regulations and guidelines governing the use of technology, may result in disciplinary action which could include loss of network access, loss of technology use, suspension or expulsion, or other appropriate disciplinary action.  Violations of local, state or federal law may subject students to prosecution by appropriate law enforcement authorities. 

 

Section 5.  No Expectation of Privacy

 

The District’s electronic network is part of the curriculum and is not a public forum for general use.  Users should not expect that email or files stored on District servers will be private.  The District reserves the right to log technology use, to monitor fileserver space utilization by users, and to examine users’ files and materials as needed, and at its discretion. Users must recognize that there is no assurance of confidentiality with respect to access to transmissions and files by persons outside, or from persons inside the District.

 

Section 6. Additional Rules/Actions

 

The Superintendent/Principal or his/her designee may establish regulations and guidelines, and shall take appropriate action to implement this Policy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oak Park and River Forest High School District No. 200

STUDENT ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY CONSENT FORM

 

We are pleased to offer our students access to the District computers, network, and technology for educational purposes. Parents and students are advised that some material accessible via the Internet may contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or potentially offensive to some people.  The District cannot guarantee that filtering software will in all instances successfully block access to inappropriate materials.  District 200 is not liable or responsible for: any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable due to technical or other difficulties; the accuracy or suitability of any information that is retrieved through technology; breaches of confidentiality; or defamatory material. 

 

The District’s electronic network is part of the curriculum and is not a public forum for general use.  Please carefully read the attached Acceptable Use of Technology Policy.  Violations may result in disciplinary action.  To gain access to email and the Internet, all students must sign and return this form to the homeroom teacher.  Students under the age of 18 must also obtain parental consent.

 

Student Consent

 

I understand that my computer use is not private and that the school district will monitor my activity on the computer system.  I have read the District Acceptable Student Use of Technology policy and regulations and agree to abide by these rules.  I understand that violation of the policy or regulations may result in disciplinary action, including loss of technology use, suspension, or expulsion.

 

Print Student Name_________________________________________________           

Print Grade_______________________________________________________

 

Student Signature_______________________________            Date_____________

 

Parental Consent

 

I have read and understand the District’s Acceptable Student Use of Technology policy and regulations.  In consideration for my child being able to use the District’s electronic communications system and have 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 child’s use of, or inability to use, the system, including, without limitation, the types of damage identified in the school district’s policy and administrative regulations.

 

______ I give, or _____ I do not give, permission for my child to participate in the school district’s electronic communications system and certify that the information contained on this form is correct.

 

________________________________                    __________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature                                           Date