ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

In making decisions regarding student access to Electronic Information Services, Networks, and Internet, the Weston Public Schools considers its own stated educational mission, goals, and objectives. Electronic information research skills are now fundamental to preparation of citizens and future employees. The District expects that faculty will blend thoughtful use of the Technology Resources throughout the curriculum and will provide guidance and instruction to students in its use. Access to the Internet enables students to explore thousands of libraries, databases, bulletin boards, and other resources while exchanging messages with people around the world. As much as possible, access from school to Internet resources should be structured in ways, which point students to those sites which teachers already have evaluated prior to use. While students may be able to move beyond those resources to others that have not been previewed by staff, they shall be provided with guidelines and lists of resources particularly suited to learning objectives.

Users accessing school‑provided Internet services are responsible for good behavior on‑line just as they are in a classroom or other areas of the school. The same general rules and standards that apply to behavior apply to communications made through school provided Internet services.

The purpose of District‑provided Internet access is to facilitate communications in support of research and education. To remain eligible as users, students must use it in support of and consistent with the educational objectives of the Weston Public Schools. Access is a privilege subject to regulation, not an absolute right. Access entails responsibility.

The following standards of school‑provided Electronic Information Services, Networks, and Internet access are expected to be observed. All users are:

a) To respect the privacy of others, Users shall not intentionally obtain copies of or modify files, passwords, or data that belong to anyone else. No one should represent him/herself as someone else by using another user’s account. No one should forward material considered confidential or personal material of another without prior consent.

b) To respect the integrity of computing systems, Users shall not develop programs that harass other users, or attempt to infiltrate a computer or computing system.

c) All users are to report problems regarding security on an individual machine, the network, or the Internet. If any user feels there maybe a security breach, he/she must report this problem to a member of the schools’ technology staff.

d) All users are to protect their passwords students, faculty and staff should contact the school technology specialist if they forget their password. Any abuse of an account by someone else is the account holder’s responsibility. If a user believes someone else may have the user’s password, he/she should immediately change it and report the problem.

e) All users are to use library computers for research only. Playing games is not permitted.

The following behaviors on school‑provided Electronic Information Services, Networks, and Internet access are not permitted:

a) To access, upload, download, or distribute obscene material, which may include materials, which depict or describe sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value,

b) To transmit obscene or threatening language, or abusive language causing disruption or disorder,

c) To access or create material that abuses any student or staff member,

d) To violate any local, state, or federal statues or school policies, including those on harassment,

e) To vandalize, damage or disable the property of another individual or organization; to access another individual’s materials, information, or files without permission; and,

f) To violate copyright or otherwise use the Intellectual property of another individual or organization beyond the scope of fair use for criticism, comment, news, reporting, teaching or scholarship, as allowed by law.

Any violation of District policy and rules may result in loss of District‑provided access to Electronic Information Services, Networks and the Internet. Additional disciplinary action may be determined at the building level in keeping with existing procedures and practices regarding inappropriate language or behavior. When and where applicable, law enforcement agencies may be involved.

Users should not expect that files stored on school‑based computers will always be private. Administrators and faculty may review files and messages to maintain system integrity and insure that users are acting responsibly.