Seagraves Independent School District

Guidelines for Student Use of Email

Acceptable Use Policy (IJNDB)

 

Statement of Intent: The purpose of this document is to educate students and their parents to the uses, regulations and limits of individual student email accounts.  All students must read and discuss this document with their parent/guardian before entering into any online activity. Students must understand and appreciate the responsibilities as well as the rules and regulations of accessing and using this resource. Email rules apply also to Internet use.

 

This document will be sent to the parent/guardian before an individual email account can be issued to a student.

 

 

All students will have access to Web-based information resources through their classroom, media center, school computer lab, or home computer for educational purposes only.

 

You and your parent or guardian must sign a Student Email Account Agreement in order for you to be granted an Individual email account.  Your parent/guardian may withdraw approval at any time through a written request directed to your teacher or principal.

 

Student email has not been established as a public access service or a public forum. Richland One has the right to place restrictions on the material you access or post through the system. You are also expected to follow the rules set forth in the Richland School District One Discipline Code.

 

Email messages and other electronic files created using Richland County School District One resources or stored on District resources are property of the District.

 

 

 

Permitted Uses

 

• If unsure whether a potential use of email is permissible, please ask your teacher for permission prior to using your email account for that purpose.  Maintain written or emailed permission from that teacher.

 

·        Student email is limited to educational purposes. The term "educational purpose" includes classroom activities, career development, completing applications to colleges and universities, and other high-quality discovery activities as determined by the school district. Non-classroom activities, such as using email to communicate with prospective colleges or universities, shall at no time take precedence over class work.

 

·        For school-related business, you may download text and other non-executable files attached to email messages. You are encouraged, where possible, to download large files during off-peak hours.

 

·        You will check your email frequently, delete unwanted messages promptly, and stay within your email quota. Be aware that email may be deleted by system administrators at any time.

 

·        You can subscribe only to high quality discussion group mail lists at the direction of your teacher that are relevant to your education or career development.

 

·        Your right to free speech, as set forth in the “Discipline Code” applies also to using email and any other form of online communication. This student email system is considered a limited forum, similar to the school newspaper, and therefore the District may restrict your speech.

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Prohibited Uses

 

General Prohibitions

 

• You may not use your email account for commercial purposes. This means you may not offer, provide, or purchase products or services through your student email account. Richland One will not be responsible for any obligations resulting from any unauthorized use of the system.

 

• You may not use the email system for political lobbying. You may use the system to communicate with elected representatives and to express your opinion on political issues.

 

• You will not post chain letters or engage in "spamming." Spamming is sending an annoying or unnecessary message to a large number of people.

 

• You may not use your email account for personal use, with the exception of contacting a parent/guardian for school-related purposes.

 

Personal Safety

 

• You will not post personal contact information about yourself or other people unless it is in conjunction with a specific teacher approved assignment or approved college/career communication. Personal contact information includes your address, telephone, school address, work address. (Previously item C.1.a)

 

• You will not agree to meet with someone you have met online without your parent's approval.

 

• You will promptly disclose to your teacher or other school employee any message you receive that is inappropriate or makes you feel uncomfortable.

 

 

Illegal Activities

 

• You will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the student email system, the district web site or to any other computer system through Richland One email and Internet access.  You will not attempt to perform functions that exceed your authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another person's account or access another person's files. These actions are illegal, even if only for the purposes of "browsing."

 

• You will not make deliberate attempts to disrupt the computer system or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means. These actions are illegal.

 

• You will not use your student email account to engage in any other illegal act, such as arranging for a drug sale or the purchase of alcohol, engaging in criminal gang activity, threatening the safety of a person, etc. Reference to such actions will not even be made in a joking manner or as a prank.

 

• The District will involve law enforcement should illegal activities take place (see the “Penalties” section below).

 

System Security

 

• Do not share account information (User ID and/or password) with other users.  Do not attempt to log into another user’s account.  Any sharing of User ID or password will result in immediate restriction or removal of email account privileges.  The only potential exception is the sharing of information with IT staff if requested for troubleshooting purposes.

 

• You are responsible for your individual email account and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to use your account. Under no conditions should you provide your password to another person.

 

• You will immediately notify a teacher or the system administrator if you have identified a possible security problem. Do not actively seek security problems, but immediately report any potential issues that are found.

 

• You will not download or run any executable files attached to an email message.  If you download material or software that appears to create a problem with the system, you must notify your teacher immediately, and he/she will notify the system administrator.

 

• You will not knowingly use portable data storage devices which contain viruses, or in any other way knowingly spread computer viruses. If you download material or software that appears to create a problem with the system, you must notify your teacher immediately, and he/she will notify the system administrator.

 

Use of Inappropriate Language

 

• Restrictions against inappropriate language apply to public messages, private messages, and material posted on Web pages.

 

• You will not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, disrespectful or gang-related language.

 

• You will not post information that could cause damage or a danger of disruption.

 

• You will not engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.

 

• You will not harass another person. Harassment is persistently acting in a manner that distresses or annoys another person. If you are told by a person to stop sending messages, you must stop. You will not use any language in an email that threatens another person, whether it be the recipient of the message or a third party.

 

• You will not knowingly or recklessly post false or defamatory information about a person or organization.

 

Access to Inappropriate Material

 

• You will not use your student email account to access material that is profane or obscene (e.g. pornography), that advocates illegal acts, or that advocates violence or discrimination towards other people (e.g. hate literature).

 

• If you mistakenly access inappropriate information, you should immediately tell your teacher or another district employee. This will protect you against a claim that you have intentionally violated this policy.  If you receive seemingly inappropriate email messages, notify your teacher immediately.

 

• Your parent should instruct you if there is additional material that they think it would be inappropriate for you to access. The District fully expects that you will follow your parent's instructions in this matter.

 

Respect for Privacy

 

• You will not repost a message that was sent to you privately without permission of the person who sent you the message.

 

• You will not post private information about another person.

 

 

Penalties for Misuse of Student Email

 

You should expect only limited privacy in the contents of your personal files on the district system. The contents of your email account are property of the District. Your parent also has the right at any time to request in writing to see the contents of your email files.

 

 

Routine maintenance and monitoring of student email may lead to discovery that you have violated this policy, the “Discipline Code” or state and federal law. An individual search will be conducted if there is reasonable suspicion that you have violated this policy, the “Discipline Code” or state or federal law. The investigation will be reasonable and related to the suspected violation as outlined in district policy.

 

• The District will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation related to any illegal activities conducted through the student email system.

 

• In the event there is a claim that you have violated this policy or the “Discipline Code” in your use of your student email account you will be provided with notice and opportunity to be heard in the manner set forth in the “Discipline Code”.

 

• Misuse of your email account will result in restrictions being placed on your use of student email, with the possibility that your email privileges may be temporarily or permanently revoked.  District IT personnel, teachers or other school personnel, your parent or guardian, or other district administrator may request restriction or removal of your email account.  The District reserves the right to act upon such requests as it sees fit.

 

• If the misuse of your email account also involves a violation of other provisions of the “Discipline Code,” it will be handled in the manner described in the “Discipline Code.”

 

 

Limitation of Liability

 

The District makes no guarantee that the functions or the services provided by or through the district system will be error-free or without defect. The District will not be responsible for any damage you may suffer including, but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service. The District is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through or stored on the system.

 

 

Rev. 1/8/07