All use of the Portsmouth Public School Division’s computer system shall be consistent with the School Board’s goal of promoting educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation and communication. The term computer system is defined as the Division’s network, servers, computer workstations, telephones, printers, modems, video, fax transmissions, peripherals, applications, databases, library catalog, online resources, internet access, email, muti-media, instructional materials, and any other technology designated for use by the Division for students and staff. Personal equipment sanctioned for use on Portsmouth Public Schools property (i.e. cell phones, laptops, iPods, iPads, IvIP3 players, DVD players, cameras, etc.) is also subject to this regulation.
1. Acceptable Use: Access to the Division’s computer system shall be (1) for the purposes of education or research and be consistent with the educational objectives of the
Division or (2) for legitimate school business.
2. Privilege: The use of the Division’s computer system is a privilege, not a right. With this
educational opportunity comes responsibility. In order for the Division to make its computer network and internet access available all students and staff must take responsibility for appropriate and lawful use of internet resources.
3. Unacceptable Use: Each user is responsible for his or her actions on the computer system.
Prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to:
Uses that violate the law or encourage others to violate the law (gambling, hacking, violation of copyright etc.)
Disabling, bypassing, or attempting to disable or bypass any system monitoring, filtering, or other security measures
Sending, receiving, viewing, or downloading illegal material via the computer system
Downloading copyrighted material for unauthorized use
Using technology to download any program, partial program or game without the express permission of the supervising teacher and Portsmouth Public Schools technology director
Using the computer system for private, financial or commercial gain
Any use of the technology that cases harm to others or their property
Gaining unauthorized access to resources or entities
Posting material authorized or created by another without his or her consent.
Using the computer system for commercial or private advertising
Submitting, posting, publishing or displaying any obscene, profane, threatening, illegal and other inappropriate material
Using the computer system while access privileges are suspended or revoked
Vandalizing the computer system, including destroying data by creating or spreading viruses
or by other means
Sharing your username and/or password with others, borrowing someone else’s username (i.e. teacher or student), password or account access
Electronically posting personal information about yourself or others (i.e., addresses, phone numbers, pictures, etc.)
Electronically posting messages or accessing materials that are abusive, obscene, sexually oriented, threatening, harassing, damaging to another’s reputation
Any activities designed to expose school district or other computers to “viruses”
Inappropriate cyber communication (cyber threats, cyber bullying, harassment, and/or other inappropriate communications) through open social networking websites offering an
interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music and videos ( MySpace, Face Book, You Tube, etc.) where students can send messages and pictures
4. Network Etiquette: Each user is expected to abide by generally accepted rules of etiquette including the following:
Be polite
Users shall not forge, intercept or interfere with electronic mail messages
Use appropriate language: the use of obscene, lewd, profane, threatening or disrespectful language is prohibited. Do not use distribute, or redistribute jokes, stories, or other material that are based upon slurs or stereotypes relating to race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation
Do not assume that a sender of e-mail is giving his or her permission for you to forward or redistribute the message to third parties or to give his/her e-mail address to third parties.
This should only be done with permission or when you know that the individual would have no objection
Be considerate when sending attachments with e-mail (where this is permitted). Be sure that the file is not too large (5MB or smaller) to be accommodated by the recipient’s system and is in a format that the recipient can open.
Users shall not use the computer system to disrupt others.
Users shall not read, modify or delete data owned by others.
5. Liability: The School Board makes no warranties for the computer system it provides. The School Board shall not be responsible for any damages to the user from use of the computer system, including loss of data, non-delivery or missed delivery of information, or service interruptions. The School Division denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through the computer system. The user agrees to indemnify the School Board for any losses, costs or damages incurred by the School Board relating to or arising out of any violation of these procedures.
6. Security: Computer system security is a high priority for the school division. If any user
identifies a security problem, the user shall notify the building principal or system administrator immediately. All users shall keep their passwords confidential and shall follow computer virus protection procedures.
7. Vandalism: Intentional destruction of any part of the computer system through creating or downloading computer viruses or by any other means is prohibited.
8. Charges: The School Division assumes no responsibility for any unauthorized charges or fees as a result of using the computer system, including telephone or long-distance charges.
9. Electronic Mail: The School Division’s electronic mail system is owned and controlled by the School Division. The School Division may provide electronic mail to aid students and staff in fulfilling their duties and as an education tool. Electronic mail is not private. Students’ electronic mail will be monitored. The electronic mail of staff may be monitored and accessed by the School Division. Unauthorized access to an electronic mail account by any student or employee is prohibited. Users shall be held personally liable for the content of any electronic message they create. Downloading any file attached to an electronic message is prohibited unless the user is certain of that message’s authenticity and the nature of the file.
10. Enforcement: Software will be installed on the division’s computers having Internet access to filter or block Internet access through such computers to child pornography and obscenity. The online activities of minors may also be monitored manually. Any violation of these regulations shall result in loss of computer system privileges and may also result in appropriate disciplinary action, as determined by School Board policy, or legal action.
Adopted: December 19, 1996 Revised: September 20, 2001 Revised: November 15, 2001
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Legal Refs:
Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, § 18.2-372, 18.2-374.1:1, 18.2-390, 22.1-70.2 and 22.1-78.
18 U.S.C. §§ 1460, 2256.
47 U.S.C. § 254.
Cross Refs:
JFC Student Conduct
JFC-R Standards of Student Conduct
File: JFG
SEARCH AND SEIZURE
To maintain order and discipline in the schools and to protect the health, safety and welfare of students and school personnel, school authorities may search a student, student lockers or student automobiles under the circumstances outlined below and may seize any illegal, unauthorized, or contraband materials discovered in the search.
As used in this policy, the term "unauthorized" means any item dangerous to the health or safety of students or school personnel, or disruptive of any lawful function, mission or process of the school, or any item described as unauthorized in school rules available beforehand to the student.
Student desks and lockers are the property of the school, and may be used for the storage of permitted student belongings only. School officials retain locker combinations and reserve the right to search desks and lockers as well as to open lockers at any time for repairs. A general search of lockers or desks may be conducted to repossess school property or to locate illegal materials. A random, systemic, non-selective search of student classrooms, desks, lockers or automobiles may be conducted by school officials in accordance with a pre-determined search formula. Students are responsible for the content of their assigned locker at all times. The student's individual right to privacy and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure is balanced by the school's responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all persons within the school community. Should illegal materials be found during a search, law enforcement officials should be notified.
The locations at which searches of students and student property may be conducted are not limited to the school building or school property, but may be conducted wherever the student is involved in a school-sponsored function.