Conroe, Texas 77304 3205 W. Davis
Electronic Communications System
The
Internet is an electronic highway connecting millions of computers all over the
world and millions of individual subscribers coordinated through a complex
association of government agencies, and regional and state networks. Through the use of the Internet, teachers,
students, and staff have access to worldwide information resources. The
district’s goal in providing these services is to promote educational
excellence in the schools by facilitating research, resource sharing,
innovation, and communication.
The
smooth operation of the electronic communications system relies upon the proper
conduct of the end users who must adhere to strict guidelines. These guidelines
are specified in the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) so that each user is aware of
the responsibilities that he or she is about to undertake. Guidelines are
considered the same as rules in this handbook.
The
use of the electronic communications system is a privilege, not a right. Should
a district user violate any of these provisions, his or her account may be
terminated, future access may be denied, and disciplinary actions may be taken
under the Student Code of Conduct. In addition, all users are held responsible
for understanding that the inappropriate use of the communication system may be
a violation of state, federal, and local laws, including but not limited to:
Section 1030 of Title 18 of the United States Code Fraud and Related Activity
in Connection With Computers, as well as the Texas Computer Crimes Statute,
Section 1, Chapter 33.02 of Title VII of the Texas Penal Code, Breach of
Computer Security, and Section 16.04 of Title IV of the Texas Penal Code
Unlawful Access to Stored Communications. Violations can lead to investigation
and prosecution by law enforcement agencies. Under State Statute S41.001,
Parental Liability, parents can also be held responsible for damage caused by a
minor child.
Liability
With
access to computers and people all over the world also comes the availability
of materials that may not be considered to be of educational value in the
context of the school setting. The district will strictly enforce rules that
restrict access to objectionable material. The District will make every effort
to filter and block inappropriate material; however, on a global network, it is
impossible to control all materials. The district believes that the valuable
information available on the worldwide network far outweighs the possibility
that users may see or access materials that are not consistent with the
educational goals of the district.
Opinions, advice, services and all other information available on the
Internet are for informational purposes and are not guaranteed to be correct.
Users are urged to seek professional advice for specific individual situations.
Conroe
ISD does not warrant the functions or services of the electronic communications
system. Resources are provided on an "as is, as available"
basis. Staff, students, and community
members agree to indemnify and hold harmless Conroe Independent School District
for any liability arising out of any violation of this AUP.
Acceptable Use Policy
Introduction
The
Conroe Independent School District has authorized implementation of an
electronic communications system (FirstClass) that will allow unprecedented
opportunities for students and staff to communicate, learn, access, and publish
information. The resources available through this network and the skills that
students will develop in using it are of significant value in the learning process
and for student success in the future.
Use
of the electronic communications system is intended to provide a means for
educational activities and does not intend to create a first amendment forum
for free expression purposes. The District grants access privilege only for the
educational activities authorized under this policy and procedures and under
the specific limitations contained herein.
This
Acceptable Use Policy is provided so that staff and students using the
Electronic Communications System are aware of their responsibilities. Access
and use is a privilege, not a right.
The following rules are representative (but not all inclusive) of how
the electronic communications system is to be used as determined by the
district:
• The use of your account must be in support of education and/or
research and be consistent with the educational objectives of the district.
• Use of any other organization’s network or computing resources
must comply with the rules appropriate for that network.
• Use for commercial activities is not acceptable, including
entering contests.
• Use of the district network to purchase products is not
permitted.
• Use for product advertisement or political lobbying is
prohibited.
• Unauthorized use of chat rooms is prohibited.
• Users are responsible for the appropriateness and content of
public and private material transmitted or published on the system.
·
Users shall not store or distribute files that are not appropriate for
education, including but not limited to, pornography and inappropriately
suggestive material, drug-related material, instructions for making or
acquiring weapons/drugs/explosives;
• Users shall not store files that create a security risk to the
District’s computer network resources;
• Users shall not store or distribute files that violate
copyright laws, such as music and video files;
• Users shall not harass or partake in conduct that adversely
affects a user’s educational program, creates an intimidating, hostile, or
offensive environment, or which violates or infringes on the rights of any
other person.
• Users shall use polite and appropriate language at all times.
• Sending of Chain Letters or broadcast messages (spamming) to
lists or individuals, and any other types of use which may cause congestion of
the networks or otherwise interfere with the work of others is prohibited.
• Software shall not be downloaded to individual user accounts
or computers without the express permission. Software that has not been
approved will be removed from accounts by the system administrator. Shareware may not be stored on district
electronic resources without permission and the District will not be
responsible for shareware fees
• If a student accesses information or a site with information
that does not have an educational or research purpose, he or she is to exit
from the site immediately and inform a teacher.
·
Students may be asked by a teacher or librarian to print out a copy of
the history of sites that have been accessed during any specific Internet
session.
• Access to the electronic communications system, including
account and password, must not be shared, assigned or transferred to another
individual. Accounts owners are responsible for all activity under their
account.
• Users should immediately notify the system administrators if
they believe that someone has obtained unauthorized access to their private
account.
·
Students do not have permission to create home pages or directories
without teacher review and approval. Student home pages may not be posted on
school home pages on the district servers without teacher review for content
and linkages and approval by the principal and his/her designee. Student home
pages or class home pages may not post pictures which allow students to be
identified individually by name. Student work will be published only under the
direction of the supervising teacher.
·
Users may be granted disk storage space to store e-mail messages or
other files. However, disk space is finite and the site administrators reserve
the right to set quotas for disk usage on the system. A user who exceeds his or
her quota will be advised to delete files to return to compliance. Users may
request additional file space from system administrators. After notice, a user
who remains in non-compliance of disk space quotas may have his or her files
removed by a site administrator. Additionally, site administrators may find it
necessary to recover disk space and remove files. The administrator will
attempt to notify the user so that the files can be moved to a medium outside
the system.
• Note that electronic mail (e-mail) is not guaranteed to be
private. District officials who operate the system do have access to all mail.
Computer network problems can send mail to accounts other than those to which
it is originally addressed. Messages relating to or in support of illegal
activities will be reported to the authorities (school, local, state, or
federal).
Unacceptable
use (including, but not limited to):
Activities
conducted through electronic communications will be considered to have occurred
in the physical world and will have the same consequences. For example, including but not limited to:
• If a student sends a threatening e-mail at school, it will be
treated as though he/she threatened the student in person at school.
• If a student visits a pornography web site, it is treated
like the student brought the material to school.
• If a student sends an inappropriate e-mail to a student that
is intercepted by a teacher, it will be handled as if the student passed an
inappropriate note across the class.
• If a student tries to gain unauthorized access to someone
else’s account, it will be treated as though
he/she attempted to steal personal property.
The following is considered
inappropriate use of the network.
• Using another individual’s account and password is forbidden.
Any student letting someone else use their account and password will lose
his/her network privileges.
• You are responsible for the protection of your password to
your account. Do not give your account name and password to other individuals.
If you suspect that your account is being used by others, notify your system
administrator or teacher immediately.
• Attempts to logon to the Internet as a system administrator or
to perform system administration tasks may result in cancellation of user
privileges.
• Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of
security problems with other computer systems may be denied access to district
network resources.
• Anyone illegally obtaining and using access to other computer
systems may be the focus of state or federal investigation and prosecution.
Applicable state statutes include Section 16.04, Unlawful Access To Stored
Communications, and Section 33.03, Breach of Computer Security.
• Students are not to reveal their personal home address, home
phone number, or the phone numbers of any other individuals. Your personal
signature on any e-mail must use the school address only. You must notify your
parent(s)/guardian(s) and system administrator immediately if any individual is
trying to contact you for illicit or suspicious activities.
• If unacceptable or illegal activities take place using your
account, you will be held responsible, regardless of whether you personally
took the actions, which may result in loss of access to the Internet or other
disciplinary actions.
• Anyone knowingly having, transporting or distributing any
computer virus will immediately lose access to the Internet and all district
computer resources.
·
Any malicious attempt to harm or destroy district equipment or
materials, data of another user of the district’s system, or any of the
agencies or other networks that are connected to the Internet is prohibited.
Deliberate attempts to degrade or disrupt system performance may be viewed as
violations of district policy and administrative regulations and possibly as
criminal activity under applicable state and federal laws - this includes, but
is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses.
Rules
for Home On-line Safety
• I will not give out personal information such as my address,
telephone number, parent’s work address/telephone number, or the name and
location of my school without my parent’s permission.
• I will tell my parents right away if I come across any
information that makes me feel uncomfortable.
• I will never agree to get together with
someone I meet on-line without first checking with my parents. If my parents
agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my
mother or father along.
• I will never send a person my picture or anything else without
first checking with my parents.
• I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way
make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If
I do, I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the system
administrator.
• I will follow these rules and I will talk with my parents so
that they can set up rules for going on-line at home.