School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Policy 6-64

 INSTRUCTION

Acceptable Use Policy

The School Board provides a computer system, including the Internet, to promote educational excellence, to promote resource sharing, to promote innovative instruction and communication and to prepare students to live and work in the 21^st century. The Division System includes all hardware, software, data, communication lines and devices, terminals, printers, CD-ROM devices, tape drives, servers, mainframe and personal computers, the Internet, local and wide area networks. The Division System shall not be used to send, receive, view or download illegal materials or to conduct illegal activities.

Use of the Division System during school and professional hours must be (1) in support of education and/or research or (2) for school business, and (3) it must support the mission of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools and (4) be in accordance with all School Board Policies and Division Regulations. Access to the Division System is a privilege, not a right, and the Superintendent shall establish regulations containing the appropriate uses, ethics and protocol for the Division System. These regulations shall include some measure for preventing students from accessing information that the division determines to be harmful or inappropriate to juveniles. Each employee, student and the parent(s) or guardian(s) of each student shall sign an Acceptable Use Agreement developed by the Superintendent before gaining access to the Division=s System. Any employee or student who fails to comply with the terms of this policy or the regulations developed by the Superintendent may lose system privileges. Employees may also be disciplined by the Superintendent up to and including termination depending upon the nature of the violation of this policy or the implementing regulations, and students may be disciplined in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct or other School Board Policies and Division Regulations governing student discipline. Employees and students may also be the subject of appropriate legal action for violation of this policy or implementing regulations.

Use of the Division System must be in accordance with the parameters stated in this policy and the implementing regulation and, therefore, school officials reserve the right to review Division System use at any time to determine if such use meets the criteria set forth in School Board Policies and Division Regulations, this policy and any regulation the Superintendent may promulgate under this policy. Accordingly, employees and students have no right of privacy and should have no expectation of privacy in materials sent, received or stored in School Board-owned computers or the Division System. The Superintendent shall notify employees and students of the terms of this policy and any regulations promulgated hereunder.

The School Board shall not be responsible for any information that may be lost, damaged or unavailable when using the division system or for any information retrieved from the Internet. Further, the School Board is not responsible for any unauthorized charge or fee resulting from the use of the Division System.
 
 
 
 

Legal Reference:

Code of Va. § 22.1-70.2. Power and duty of the superintendent regarding acceptable Internet use policies.
 
 

 Adopted by School Board: July 18, 1995
Amended by the School Board: November 16, 1999

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Regulation 6-64.1
 
 

INSTRUCTION

 Acceptable Use of the Division Computer System

Effective performance of computer and telecommunications networks, whether local or global, relies upon end users adhering to established standards of proper conduct. This regulation defines the responsibilities of Virginia Beach City Public School employees and students using network and Internet resources provided by public funds. In general, this requires efficient, ethical, and legal utilization of network resources. If a user violates any of these provisions, his or her access to the school division telecomputing resources will be denied and disciplinary action will be taken. This resource, as with any other public resource, demands those entrusted with the privilege of its use be accountable. Use of the division's network resources during school and professional hours must be (1) in support of education and/or research or (2) for school business, and (3) it must support the mission of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools and (4) be in accordance with all School Board Policies and Division. Use of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools network resources is a privilege, not a right.

A.  Purpose

The Virginia Beach City Public School provides employees and students with access to the division's computer system (Division system), which includes Internet access.

Use of the division system is limited to educational purposes which include, but are not limited to, promoting educational excellence, resource sharing, facilitating innovative instruction and communication and preparing students to live and work in the 21^st century by providing them with electronic access to a wide range of information and the ability to communicate with people from throughout the world. Further, the system will enable employees to upgrade skills and knowledge through the enhanced ability to exchange information with peers. The division system will also assist the division in sharing information with the local community, including parents, local, state and federal governmental departments, agencies or employees and businesses.

B.  Division Responsibilities

The Director of the Office of Technology shall serve as the coordinator overseeing the division system. The principal or department director shall serve as the site coordinator overseeing the system within a school or department/office.

The Director of the Office of Technology or designee shall be responsible for, among other things, establishing individual (employee) and class accounts, setting quotas for disk usage on the system, establishing a retention schedule establishing a division virus protection process and ensuring that each employee and student accessing the division system has on file an Acceptable Use Agreement signed by the employee or the student and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s).

C. Technical Services Provided through the Division System

1. E-mail: E-mail will allow account holders to communicate with people from throughout the world.
2. Internet: The Internet provides access to a wide range of information in the form of text, graphics, photographs, video and sound. The Internet is a valuable research tool for students and employees.
3. Filtering: The division provides filtered Internet access. Filtering levels for all students are determined by the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.

The prohibitions set forth in School board Policy 6-64 and herein will govern all use of the division system. Student use of the system will also be governed by the Code of Student Conduct and School Board Policies and Division Regulations governing student discipline.

E. Parental Notification and Responsibility

The division will notify parents and legal guardians about the division system and the School Board Policy and Division Regulation governing its use. Parents must sign an Acceptable Use Agreement to allow their student to have access to the Internet. A parent who does not want their child(ren) to have access to the Internet may memorialize that decision via the Acceptable Use Agreement. Parents and legal guardians also have the right to revoke their permission and terminate a student's Internet access at any time.

The division will provide information to parents about the filtering software used by the divisions, describe the filtering levels in place at each level (elementary, middle and high school) and remind parents that the division cannot transmit the social values of the family to each child.

The division's Acceptable Use Policy and this regulation contain restrictions on accessing inappropriate material. There is a wide range of material available on the Internet, some of which may not fit with the values of particular families. It is not possible for the division to monitor and enforce social values in student use of the Internet. Further, the division recognizes that parents bear primary responsibility for transmitting their particular set of family values to their children. Therefore, the division encourages parents to specify to their child(ren) what material is and is not acceptable for their child(ren) to access through the division's system.

F. Division Limitation of Liability

The division makes no warranties of any kind, either express or implied, that the functions of the services provided by or through the division's system will be error-free or without defect. The division will not be responsible for any damage users may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service. The division is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through or stored on the system. The division will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system.

G. Due Process

The division will cooperate fully with local, state and federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to any illegal activities conducted through the division's system.

In the event that there is an allegation that a student has violated the division's Acceptable Use Policy or the provisions of this regulation, the student will be provided with a written notice of the alleged violation and an opportunity to present an explanation before the division terminates his/her account privileges.

Disciplinary actions will be tailored to meet the specific concerns related to the violation and to assist the student in gaining the self-discipline necessary to behave appropriately on an electronic network. If the alleged infraction involves a violation of other provisions of the Code of Student Conduct or other School Board Policies and Division Regulations governing student discipline, the violation will be handled in accordance with School Board Policy 5-21 and its implementing regulations.

Employees violating the Acceptable Use Policy and the provisions of this regulation are subject to disciplinary action by the Superintendent or designee. Violations of the Acceptable Use Policy and the provisions of this regulation may subject the employee to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, depending upon the nature of the violation. Violations of the Acceptable Use Policy and this regulation will also be addressed by the Director of the Office of Technology who may terminate the system privileges of an employee by giving written notice of the alleged violation and the opportunity to respond.

H. Search and Seizure

System users have no right of privacy and should have no expectation of privacy in materials sent, received or stored in School Board-owned computers or on the division system. School officials reserve the right to review division system use at any time to determine if such use meets the criteria set forth in School Board Policies and Division Regulations. Routine maintenance and monitoring of the system may lead to the discovery that the user has or is violating the Acceptable Use Policy and this regulation, the Code of Student Conduct or other School Board Policies and Division Regulations governing student discipline or the law. Once a problem is discovered, an individual search will be conducted when there is a reasonable suspicion that the user has violated the law, the Code of Student Conduct or School Board Policies or Division Regulations governing student discipline. The nature of the search/investigation will be reasonable and in keeping with the nature of the alleged misconduct.

Employees should be aware that their personal files may be subject to public inspection and copying under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

I. Copyright, Plagiarism and Attribution

School Board Policies and Division Regulations will govern the use of material accessed through the division system. Because the extent of copyright protection of certain works found on the Internet is unclear, employees will make a standard practice of requesting permission from the holder of the work if their use of the material has the potential of being considered an infringement. Teachers will instruct students to respect copyright and to request permission when appropriate.

School Board Policies and Division Regulations on plagiarism will govern the use of material accessed through the division system. Teachers will instruct student in appropriate research and proper methods of attribution.

J. Academic Freedom, Selection of Material, Student Rights to Free Speech

School Board Policies and Division Regulations on academic freedom and free speech will govern the use of the Internet.

When using the Internet for class activities, teachers will select material that is appropriate in light of the age of the students and that is relevant to the course objectives. Teachers will preview the materials and sites they require or recommend that students access to determine the appropriateness of the material contained on or accessed through the site. Teachers will provide guidelines and lists of resources to assist their students in channeling their research activities effectively and properly. Teachers will assist their students in developing the skills to ascertain the truthfulness of information, distinguish fact from opinion, and engage in discussions about controversial issues which demonstrates tolerance and respect for those who hold divergent views.

K. Political Use of the Division System

Employees may not use the division system to engage in "partisan political activities" as defined in Division Regulation 4-29.1.

L. Division Web Site

The division has established a Web site and Web pages that present information about the division. The Assistant Superintendent for Media and Communications Development or designee is designated the Webmaster with responsibility for maintaining the division Web site. The building principal or designee is responsible for overseeing the development and the content of authorized school web sites.

M. Division Requirements of Acceptable Use

The following acceptable use requirements will be stated in the division's Acceptable Use Agreement and will be reinforced to students by instructors.

N. Personal Safety (Restrictions are for students only):

1. Students will not post personal contact information about themselves or other people. Personal contact information includes home, school or work addresses, telephone numbers, etc.
2. Students will not agree to meet with someone they have met online without the approval of their parents or legal guardians.
3. Students will promptly disclose to a teacher or other administrator or school employee any message they receive that is inappropriate, offensive or makes them feel uncomfortable.

1. Users will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the division's system or to any other computer system through the division's system, or go beyond their authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another account or accessing or attempting to access another person's files without authorization. There actions are illegal, even if only for the purpose of browsing.
2. Users will not deliberately attempt to disrupt the division's system performance or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means.
3. Users will not use the division's system to send, receive, view or download any illegal materials or engage in any other illegal act (e.g. arranging for the sale/purchase of drugs, engaging in criminal gang activity or threatening the safety of another individual).

1. Users are responsible for the use of their individual account and should take all precautions to prevent others from being able to use their account.
2. Users will immediately notify the Director of the Office of Technology if they have identified a possible security problem.

1. Restrictions against inappropriate language apply to public messages, private messages and material posted on Web pages. Students and employees will conduct themselves in a manner that is appropriate and proper as representatives of the school division.
2. Users will not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening or disrespectful language.
3. Users will not post information that, if acted upon, could cause damage or a danger of disruption.
4. Users will not engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.
5. Users will not harass other individuals. Harassment in this context is persistently acting in a manner that distresses or annoys another person. If a user is told by a person to stop sending them messages, they must stop.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Users will not knowingly or recklessly post false or defamatory information about a person or organization.

1. Users will not post private information about another person.

1. Users will use the division's system only for education and professional activities during school and professional hours.
2. Users will not download large files unless absolutely necessary. If necessary, users will download the file at a time when the system is not being heavily used and immediately remove the file from the system to their personal computer.
3. Users will not engage in "Spamming." Spamming is sending an annoying or unnecessary message to a large number of people.
4. Users will check their e-mail frequently and delete unwanted messages promptly.
5. Employees will subscribe only to discussion group mail lists that are relevant.

1. Users will not plagiarize works that they find on the Internet. Plagiarism is taking the ideas of writings of others and presenting them as if they were original to the user. Users will use proper methods of attribution.
2. Users will respect the rights of copyright owners. Copyright infringement occurs when an individual inappropriately reproduces a work that is protected by a copyright. If a work contains language that specifies acceptable use of that work, the user should follow the expressed requirement. If the user is unsure whether or not they can use a work, they should request permission from the copyright owner.

1. Users will not use the division's system to access material that is profane or obscene (pornography), that advocates illegal acts, or that advocates violence or discrimination towards other people (hate literature). For students, a special exception may be made for hate literature only if the purpose of such access is to conduct research and access is approved both by the teacher and the parents or legal guardians.
2. All resources accessed by students via school computers or other technology equipment must support the curriculum.