Preamble
Internet access is now available to students, teachers
and administrators in the Travis Unified School District
(“District”). The District believes that
computers and the Internet offer vast, diverse, and
unique resources to both students and teachers. Our
goal in providing these services to students and teachers
is to promote educational excellence in schools by facilitating
resource sharing, innovation, and communication. This
agreement is intended to define appropriate use of technology
by students of the District. Nothing in this agreement
shall preempt the applicability of the school’s
existing code of conduct which also applies to Internet
and e-mail use, including, but not limited to, policies
prohibiting sexual harassment and hate speech.
Definitions
“Internet” - An international network
of interconnected computers. It can also mean one or
more of the following on-line or telecommunications
services: World Wide Web, e-mail, chat rooms, bulletin
boards, newsgroups.
“E-mail” - Allows an individual with
an E-mail address/account to send an electronic message
containing text or images to another individual or group
of individuals with E-mail addresses/accounts.
“Computer Network” - A system of individual
computers that are linked together in order to share
information which otherwise would be unavailable.
“Educational Purpose” - [Define per
District agreement: i.e. limited to curricular activities
or expand to include educational research, career development,
and extra-curricular activities].
“Vandalism” - Any malicious attempt to
harm or destroy data of another user, Internet, or any
component of the school computer network. This includes,
but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of
computer viruses.
“Internet Service Provider” - These are
service providers that a student can contact from the
computer connection that will connect to the Internet.
Most service providers charge fees. The Travis Unified
School District is a “Service Provider”
for its employees, students and organizations that work
closely with the schools. Commercial service providers
include: America Online, CompuServe, Prodigy, and many
more.
Instruction E 6163.4 (b)
STUDENTS’ ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT FOR INTERNET
ACCESS
“Bulletin Boards and Newsgroups” - Both
are places that people can place messages that others
can read at convenient times. People will reply to messages
over a period of time.
“Chat Rooms” - These are forums where
several people can post messages at the same time. People
make statements or ask questions to which others respond
within seconds. They can carry out conversations which
others can read. Some chat rooms are moderated by a
person that tries to keep people from engaging in inappropriate
conversations.
“Instant Messaging” (“IM”)
- Instant Messaging, also known as IM’s, is used
much like Chat Rooms. However, IM’s allow two
or more people to send instant messages to one another
via the Internet privately. Although others cannot access
an existing IM conversation, IM users are allowed to
send instant messages to unsuspecting Internet users.
For example, a student while researching on the Internet,
could find that a pop-up message box has appeared on
his or her screen from another user. The message could
be from a known sender or someone unknown. Some service
providers, such as AOL, allow IM users access to Internet
User Profile Information such as the age and gender
of another user. Additionally, an IM user can receive
an automatic prompt providing notice that a certain
Internet user has signed onto their own Internet account
allowing an IM to be sent to them. Some Service Providers
allow the user to control who can send an incoming instant
message. Travis Unified School District will not allow
the use of IM’s or instant messages.
Scope of Agreement
This agreement shall apply to all students who access
the Internet, send/receive E-mail, or otherwise use
the school computer network via equipment and access
lines, or who otherwise obtain access privileges through
association with this school. The use of the school
computer network is a privilege and not a right. Inappropriate
use will result in the cancellation of those privileges
and/or possible discipline. Moreover, the District will
conduct periodic and ongoing monitoring of all Internet
use to assure educationally appropriate use and use
that is not inconsistent with state and federal prohibitions
on discrimination, obscenity, harassment, defamation,
violence or other violations. There is, thus, no expectation
of privacy in information obtained, or communication
sent through, the District’s systems.
In the event that the District finds it necessary
to limit the amount of student use, access may be limited
to location, time, and duration.
Acceptable Uses
All use of the school computer network, specifically
access to the Internet, E-mail, or other associated
use, must be in support of education and research which
is consistent with the guidelines and policies set forth
by Travis Unified School District. On a periodic basis,
the District shall re-evaluate and determine whether
specific uses of the school computer network are consistent
with the acceptable use practice.
Instruction E 6163.4 (c)
STUDENTS’ ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT FOR INTERNET
ACCESS
Unacceptable Uses
The system administrators are authorized to make
a final determination as to whether a use is appropriate.
Furthermore, the system administrators may close a student
account, or terminate a student’s access to the
District’s computer system, at any time as required.
The administration, faculty, and staff of the School
District may request the system administrator to deny,
revoke, or suspend specific user account(s). Transmission
(sending, forwarding, posting, downloading) over the
school computer network of any material in violation
of any U.S. or California regulation is prohibited.
This includes, but is not limited to the following:
1.
Any use of the network for commercial or for-profit
purposes is prohibited.
2.
Any use of the network for product advertisement or
political lobbying is prohibited.
3.
Material that is hostile based on gender, race or ethnicity,
violent, demeaning, discriminatory, harassing, obscene,
sexually explicit, pornographic, profane or threatening,
including messages, jokes, and images, may not be transmitted
over the school computer network system or downloaded
from the Internet. All messages must comply with all
school rules. This includes, for example, downloading
of erotic, defamatory or derogatory materials.
4.
Accessing or transmitting copyrighted or trademarked
information in a way that violates the copyright or
trademark of the owner is prohibited. All students are
cautioned that copying material from an Internet source
or re-transmitting it thereafter might be considered
making a copy of it under the copyright laws, unless
permission is given by the owner to make copies; therefore,
if the material is copyrighted, such copying and transmission
may constitute infringement. All students should be
made sensitive to this issue by their teachers, and
if there is any doubt as to whether or not any material
or information can be copied or re-transmitted, the
student must consult his or her teacher in advance.
5. Any use of electronic chat rooms, bulletin boards,
or instant messaging is prohibited unless part of a
class project supervised by a credentialed employee.
6.
Student Publication of Web pages is permitted but must
conform to existing policies for school publications.
All Web sites must conform to educational appropriateness
and not violate privacy or other rights of third parties.
Where photographs of any school student or school employee
have been approved for use on any school Web page, all
names shall be omitted. Written consent or prior notification
with an offer to decline identification is required
prior to the use of a photograph or likeness of any
employee or student on a school Web site or page. The
written consent shall be signed by the employee, student
or parent/guardian of any student under the age of 18.
Where a name is to be used (i.e. Board recognition,
honors, and scholarships) prior permission will be granted
in writing.
Instruction E 6163.4 (d)
STUDENTS’ ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT FOR INTERNET
ACCESS
7. Revealing personal information of either students
or employees over the Internet including, but not limited
to, personal contact information in the form of names,
home/school/work addresses, phone numbers, social security
numbers, credit card numbers or passwords is prohibited.
8.
Any activity that is harmful to the School’s computers,
computer systems, or networks including, but not limited
to, creating or propagating computer viruses, overloading
the school’s computer network, engaging in “spamming”
(intentionally sending an unnecessary or annoying message
to a large number of people), engaging in “hacking”
(intentionally breaking into unauthorized areas of computer
networks), is prohibited.
Rules for Use of E-Mail and Internet (as per AR
6163.4)
1. The student in whose name an on-line services account
is issued is responsible for its proper use at all times.
Users shall keep personal account numbers, home addresses
and telephone numbers private. They shall use the system
only under their own account number.
2. The district's system shall be used only for purposes
related to education. Commercial, political and/or personal
use unrelated to an educational purpose is strictly
prohibited.
3. The district reserves the right to monitor any on-line
communications for improper use. Electronic communications
and downloaded material, including files deleted from
a user's account, may be monitored or read by district
officials.
4. The use of the district's system is a privilege,
not a right, and inappropriate use shall result in a
cancellation of those privileges.
5. Students are prohibited from accessing, posting,
submitting, publishing or displaying harmful matter
or material that is threatening, obscene, disruptive
or sexually explicit, or that could be construed as
harassment or disparagement of others based on their
race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age,
disability, religion or political beliefs.
Harmful
matter includes matter, taken as a whole, which to the
average person, applying contemporary statewide standards,
appeals to the prurient interest and is matter which
depicts or describes in a patently offensive way sexual
conduct and which lacks serious literary, artistic,
political or scientific value for minors. (Penal Code
313)
6. Users shall not use the system to encourage the
use of drugs, alcohol or tobacco, nor shall they promote
unethical practices or any activity prohibited by
law or district policy.
7. Copyrighted material may not be placed on the system
without the author's permission. Users may download
copyrighted material for their own use only.
Instruction E 6163.4 (e)
STUDENTS’ ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT FOR INTERNET
ACCESS
8. Vandalism will result in the cancellation of user
privileges. Vandalism includes the intentional uploading,
downloading or creating computer viruses and/or any
malicious attempt to harm or destroy district equipment
or materials or the data of any other user.
9. Users shall not read other users' mail or files;
they shall not attempt to interfere with other users'
ability to send or receive electronic mail, nor shall
they attempt to delete, copy, modify or forge other
users' mail.
10. Users shall report any security problem or misuse
of the services to the teacher or principal.
Waiver Of Warranties
Travis Unified School District makes no warranties
of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the
service it is providing. The District will not be
responsible for any damages which might arise from
an individual’s use of the school computer system.
This includes loss of data resulting from delays,
nondeliveries, mis-deliveries, or service interruptions,
regardless of the cause thereof. Use of any information
obtained via the Internet is at the user’s own
risk. The District specifically disclaims any responsibility
for the accuracy or quality of information obtained
through its services.
Violations / Sanctions
These guidelines are provided so that students
are aware of their responsibilities regarding the
school computer network/Internet. Security on the
school computer network is a high priority, especially
because the system involves many users. If a student
identifies a security problem on the school computer
network, he or she must immediately notify the teacher,
principal of the school, or Director of Technology.
Violations of this agreement should be reported
to the Director of Technology. If a student violates
any of these provisions, his or her account will be
terminated and future access could be denied. Any
student who attempts to log on to the Internet as
a system administrator will result in cancellation
of user privileges. Any student who vandalizes the
school computer system will have his or her user privilege
canceled. Any student who is identified as a security
risk or as having a history of problems with other
computer systems may be denied user privileges. Nothing
in this agreement shall limit the applicability of
the school’s general student disciplinary code
for violations. Any student found to have violated
any section of this agreement will, in addition to
losing their account privilege, face disciplinary
action, up to and including suspension and expulsion
as permitted by section 48900 et. seq. of the Education
Code.
Instruction E 6163.4 (f)
STUDENTS’ ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT FOR
INTERNET ACCESS
Notice On Filters To All Users And Disclaimer
Internet filters are used at Travis Unified School
District pursuant to this agreement. However, the
District shall be held harmless, and will not assume
any liability, for the content of any public/private
online Web site, information, link and or resource,
and assumes no responsibility
for any violation of the District’s usage
agreement by any of its users.
Modification
The law relating to the Internet and its use by
schools and students is evolving rapidly. Consequently,
the District reserves the right to update or modify
this agreement at any time.
STUDENT / PARENT SIGNATURE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I have read, understand and agree to abide by the
above Students’ Acceptable Use Agreement for
Internet Access. I further understand that any violation
of the regulations pursuant to this agreement pursuant
to California Education Code Section 51870.5 is a
basis for disciplinary action and may constitute a
criminal offense. Should I commit any violation, I
understand that my access privileges may be revoked,
that school disciplinary action may be taken, and
that appropriate legal action may be instigated.
Student Signature Date
(If a student is under the age of 18, a parent
or guardian must also read and sign this agreement.)
As a parent or guardian of this student, I have
read and understand this Students’ Acceptable
Use Agreement for Internet Access. I understand that
access is designated for educational purposes exclusively.
Although Travis Unified School District has taken
the required legal precautions to eliminate controversial
material, I recognize that it is impossible for the
District to restrict access to all controversial materials,
and I will not hold the District or its employees,
or agents, responsible for the materials acquired
on the network. Further, I accept full responsibility
if and when my child’s use of the Internet does
not conform to educational purposes. I understand
that my child’s access privileges may be revoked,
school disciplinary action may be taken, and that
appropriate legal action may be initiated if any provision
of the above agreement pursuant to California Education
Code Section 51870.5 is violated.
Parent Signature
Date
8/8/00 TRAVIS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Fairfield, California
