Internet Acceptable Use Policy
- District Policies
Internet Acceptable Use Policy
OSSD takes every reasonable precaution to ensure that the internet is safe, however, students may attempt to bypass the school filters or use home computers that expose your student to the following risks:
- Sharing offensive websites with other students
- Sending and receiving inappropriate email, blogs and other prohibited messages
- Sharing offensive material created at home
- Sending or receiving libelous electronic messages
- Engaging in the violation of criminal and civil laws
- Illegally uploading or downloading copyrighted material
- Using your child’s picture in a false light
- Violating your child’s privacy regarding health and other personal issues
The OSSD BOT provides internet access to students for educational purposes only. The use of the internet is necessary for many school research projects. Misuse of the Internet violates OSSD BOT Policy IFBGA - Internet and Email Safety and Acceptable Use Computer Policy and subjects your child to suspensions and other school disciplinary consequences. Additionally, your child may incur civil and criminal penalties under Mississippi and federal law for misuse of the internet. Some of the misuses are as follows:
- using proxy sites (sites that allow the user to bypass the district internet filter) to avoid the district filter
- sending and distributing offensive material on district computers or school grounds
- sending cyber-threats of death, bodily harm, damage to property to other students or staff
- creating offensive materials on home computers and distributing them on school grounds
- using their own portable devices to distribute offensive material on school grounds
General guidelines include, but are not limited to the following:
- The student should have no expectation of privacy at any time while using district resources, nor at home when it pertains to school business.
- The district is authorized to monitor email logs and internet histories of students and does so.
- Students should use the internet/network for appropriate educational purposes and research.
- Students should use the internet/network only with the permission of designated school staff.
- Students should be considerate of other users on the network.
- Students must use appropriate language for school situations and must not use vulgar or profane language or images, including those with implied vulgarity and/or profanity.
- Students should immediately report any security problems or breaches of these responsibilities to the supervising teacher.
- Students must adhere to copyright laws and plagiarism rules when using the internet.
- Students must not share user IDs and passwords required to access e-mail and other programs.
- Students must not give out personal information about themselves or where they live.
- Students must not fill out forms on the internet without parent/teacher permission.
- Students must not send pictures of themselves through email.
- Students may not have access to e-commerce or publicly-provided internet service providers.
- Students will receive district accounts upon teacher request and parent permission if the accounts are needed for educational projects.
- Students must not use proxy avoidance sites (sites that allow the user to bypass the district internet filter) or other sites indicated as blocked. Use of these sites violates this contract and could result in loss of Internet access and/or other disciplinary actions.
- Students must not intentionally degrade or disrupt internet network services or equipment. This includes but is not limited to tampering with computer hardware or software, vandalizing data, invoking computer viruses, attempting to gain access to restricted or unauthorized network services, unauthorized redirection of school web pages, or violating copyright laws.
- Students must not work directly on teacher, school, or district department webs without express written permission from the district web administrator and/or Chief of Instructional Technology.
- Students must not construct websites using content or links that violate state or federal laws.
- Students must not use the network in a fashion inconsistent with directions from teachers and other staff.
The parent/guardian of each elementary student will be expected to read OSSD BOT Policy IFBGA - Internet and Email Safety and Acceptable Use Computer Policy and to sign an Acceptable Use Agreement for Internet/Media Use. Parents/guardians are expected to properly supervise their child’s computer activity at home and to advise OSSD immediately if they discover any violation of the user agreement at home or at school. Additionally, parents/guardians are expected to notify OSSD immediately if they discover their child or their child’s fellow students are committing civil and criminal violations of the law. Failure to report this behavior is negligent supervision and relieves the school of any liability that flows from this behavior if the school could not have reasonably foreseen this type of behavior on the child’s home computer. Any conduct by a student that is in conflict with these responsibilities is inappropriate and such behavior may result in the termination of access and possible disciplinary action. No student will be given Internet access unless a completed and signed Acceptable Use Agreement for Internet/Media Use form is on file.
- AEC
- K-3
- OSHS
- OSMS
- OSUE