BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT 501
2313
BOARD POLICY
STUDENT ACCESS TO NETWORKED INFORMATION RESOURCES
The Board recognizes that as telecommunications and other new technologies shift the ways that information may be accessed, communicated and transferred by members of society, those changes may also alter instruction and student learning. The Board generally supports access by students to such information resources along with the development by staff of appropriate skills to analyze and evaluate such resources. In a free and democratic society, access to information is a fundamental right of citizenship.
Telecommunications, electronic information sources and networked services significantly alter the information landscape for schools by opening classrooms to a broader array of resources. In the past, instructional and library media materials could usually be screened—prior to use—by committees of educators and community members intent on subjecting all such materials to reasonable selection criteria. Board Policy 2311 requires that all such materials be consistent with district-adopted guides, supporting and enriching the curriculum while taking into account the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities and developmental levels of the students. Telecommunications, because they may lead to any publicly available fileserver in the world, will open classrooms to electronic information resources which have not been screened by educators for use by students of various ages.
Electronic information research skills are now fundamental to preparation of citizens and future employees during an Age of Information. The Board expects that staff will blend thoughtful use of such information throughout the curriculum and that the staff will provide guidance and instruction to students in the appropriate use of such resources. Staff will consult the guidelines for instructional materials contained in Board Policy 2311 and will honor the goals for selection of instructional materials contained therein.
Filtering software is now in use on all computers with access to the Internet. This blocks or filters access to visual depictions that are obscene, contain child pornography, or are harmful to minors. Educational staff will, to the best of their ability, monitor minors' use of the Internet in school, and will take reasonable measures to prevent access by minors to inappropriate material on the Internet and World Wide Web, and restrict their access to materials harmful to minors.
Students are responsible for good behavior on school computer networks just as they are in a classroom or a school hallway. Communications on the network are often public in nature. General school rules for behavior and communications apply (see Board Policy 3200). The network is provided for students to conduct research, complete assignments, and communicate with others. Access to network services will be provided to students who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner.
Personal information such as complete names, addresses, telephone numbers and identifiable photos should remain confidential when communicating on the system. No user may disclose, use, or disseminate personal identification information regarding minors without authorization. Students encountering information or messages they deem dangerous or inappropriate on the web or when using electronic mail or direct communications should notify their teacher or other adult staff. Chat rooms and direct electronic communications (Instant Message services) are not permitted on school networks unless expressly authorized.
Independent student use of telecommunications and electronic information resources will be permitted upon submission of permission forms and agreement forms by parents of minor students (under 18 years of age) and by students themselves. Regional networks such as WEDNET require agreement by users to acceptable use policies outlining standards for behavior and communication.
Use of the network resources must be in support of educational goals. The district reserves the right to prioritize use and access to the system. No use of the system shall serve to disrupt the use of the system by others; system components including hardware or software shall not be destroyed, modified, or abused in any way. Malicious use of the system to develop programs or institute practices that harass other users or gain unauthorized access to any entity on the system and/or damage the components of an entity on the network is prohibited. Users are responsible for the appropriateness of the material they transmit over the system. Hate mail, harassment, discriminatory remarks, or other antisocial behaviors are expressly prohibited. Such acts constitute a violation of Policy 3200 and will lead to discipline as provided therein.
Access to telecommunications will enable students to explore thousands of libraries, databases, and electronic resources while exchanging messages with people throughout the world. The Board believes that the benefits to students from access in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration, exceed the disadvantages. Ultimately, parents and guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using media and information sources. To that end, the Bellingham Public Schools support and respect each family's right to decide whether or not to apply for independent access.
The Board authorizes the Superintendent to prepare appropriate procedures for implementing this policy and for reviewing and evaluating its effect on instruction and student achievement.
Adopted: August 14, 2002