Student
Acceptable Use Policy
I. Acceptable Use Policy
The Garrison School has
established a computer network offering Internet access school wide. The
network and Internet access are provided as a privilege. This Acceptable Use
Policy explains what the school expects of students using these services. All
parents must read this policy with their children and discuss what is expected
of Garrison School students while using the computer network and the Internet.
II. Educational Purpose
The Garrison School computer
network and Internet access have been established to enhance learning and
instruction. This includes research, communication, and presentation of
information in multimedia and other formats, as well as related activities.
Students can use the network and Internet access to collaborate with peers and
experts around the world. Faculty, staff and administration can use the network
and Internet access to pursue resea4rch opportunities, educational standards
and practices, collaborative opportunities, and successful teaching methods.
III. Access
All students will have access to Internet
World Wide Web informational resources through their classrooms, library, or
school computer lab upon receipt of
signed letter of permission.
IV. Acceptable and Unacceptable Uses
- Respecting Resource Limits
- You will use the system only for educational and
limited, high-quality, self-discovery activities.
- You must have permission of your teacher or
administrator before using the Internet.
- You will not download files from the Internet to
the Garrison School computer network without permission from the system
administrator.
- Personal Safety
- You will not post personal contact information
about yourself or other people. Personal contact information includes
your last name, address, telephone, school address, etc.
- You will promptly tell your teacher about any
information accessed through the school network or online that is
inappropriate or makes you feel uncomfortable.
- Illegal Activities
- You will not attempt to log into the network using
another person’s account or access another person’s files.
- You will not make deliberate attempts to disrupt
the computer system or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by
any other means.
- You will not use the Garrison School computer
network to engage in any other illegal act, such as arranging for a drug
sale or the purchase of alcohol, engaging in criminal gang activity,
threatening the safety of a person, etc.
- System Security
- You will immediately notify a teacher or school
administrator if you have identified a possible security problem. Do not
go looking for security problems because this may construed as an illegal
attempt to gain access.
- You are responsible for your individual account and
should take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able
to use your account. Under no conditions should you provide your password
to another person.
- Under no circumstances will you download software
from the Internet without consulting the system administrator.
- Inappropriate Language
- Restrictions against inappropriate language apply
to public messages, private messages and material posted on Web pages.
- You will not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar,
rude, inflammatory, threatening or disrespectful language.
- You will not post information that could cause
damage or a danger of disruption.
- You will not engage in personal attacks, including
prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.
- You will not harass another person. Harassment is
persistently acting in a manner that distresses or annoys another person.
If you are told by a person to stop sending messages to them, you must
stop.
- You will not knowingly or recklessly post false or
defamatory information about a person or organization.
- Respect for Privacy
- You will not re-post a message that was sent to you
privately without permission of the person who sent you the message.
- Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement
- You will not plagiarize works that you find on the
Internet. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and
presenting them as if they were yours.
- You will respect the rights of copyright owners.
Copyright infringement occurs when you inappropriately reproduce a work
that is protected by a copyright.
If a work contains language that specifies appropriate use of that work,
you should follow the expressed requirements. If you are unsure whether
or not you can use a work, you should request permission from the
copyright owner. Copyright law can be very confusing. If you have a
question, ask a teacher.
- Inappropriate Access to Material
- You will not use the Garrison School computer
network to access material that is profane or obscene (pornography), that
advocates illegal acts, or that advocates violence or discrimination
toward other people (hate literature).
- If you mistakenly access inappropriate information,
you should immediately tell your teacher or a school administrator. This
will protect you against a claim that you have intentionally violated
this policy.
V. Your Rights
- Free Speech
- Your right to free speech applies to your
communication on the school computer network and on the Internet. The
computer, the network system and the Internet are considered a limited
forum, similar to your school newspaper, and therefore the Garrison
School may restrict your speech for valid educational reasons. The
Garrison Union Free School District will not restrict your speech on the
basis of disagreement with the opinion you are expressing.
- Search and Seizure
- You should expect only limited privacy in the
contents of your personal files on the school system. The situation is
similar to the rights you have in the privacy of your locker.
- Routine maintenance and monitoring of the Garrison
School network may lead to discovery that you have violated this policy,
the Garrison School disciplinary code or the law.
- An individual search will be conducted if there is
reasonable suspicion that you have violated this policy, the Garrison
School disciplinary code or the law. The investigation will be reasonable
and related to the suspected violation.
- Due Process
- In the event there is a claim that you have
violated this policy, you will be provided with a written notice of the
suspected violation and an opportunity to present an explanation before a
school administrator.
- The Garrison School will cooperate fully with
local, state, or Federal officials in any investigation related to any
illegal activities conducted through the Garrison School computer system.
- Limitation of Liability
- The Garrison School makes no guarantee that the
functions or the services provided by or through the system will be
error-free or without defect. The school will not be responsible for any
damage you may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or
interruptions of service. The Garrison School is not responsible for the
accuracy or quality of the information obtained through or stored on the
system.
- The Garrison School will not be responsible for
financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system.
- Personal Responsibility
- When you are using the Garrison School network, it
may feel like you can easily break a rule and not get caught. This is not
really true because whenever you do something on a network, you leave
“electronic footprints.”
- The fact
that you can do something or think you can do something without being
caught does not make it right to do so. Even if you don’t get caught,
there is always one person who will know whether you have done wrong –
and that person is you. Your use of the computer network and the Internet
can be a mirror that will show you what kind of person you are.
Parent/Guardian
and Student Consent Form
We have read the Garrison School
policy and regulations concerning use of the school computer system and
Internet.
We also acknowledge receiving
notice that, in addition to traditional instructional or library media
materials, the school will potentially allow student access to external
computer networks not controlled by the school We understand that some of the
materials available through these external computer networks may be
inappropriate and objectionable; however, we acknowledge that it is impossible
for the school to screen or review all of the available materials.
We agree to release the School
District, the Board of Education, and its agents and employees from any and all
claims of any nature arising from use of the computer systems and Internet in
any manner whatsoever.
We agree that access to the
computer system and Internet may also include remote access from home.
I have read the Acceptable Use
Policy with my child. I agree that he/she may have access to the school’s
computer system and Internet.
___________________________________________ ________________
(Parent/Guardian Signature) (Date)
___________________________________________
(Parent/Guardian Name – please print)
I will obey the school’s Acceptable
Use Policy.
___________________________________________ ________________
(Student Signature) (Date)
___________________________________________
(Student Name – please print)