UINTAH SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY ACTION REVIEW

 

 

1st Reading

10/12/10

New

 

2nd Reading

10/12/10

Revised

X

 Approved

10/12/10

Substitute

 

 

005.6000  EMPLOYEE SOCIAL NETWORKING / ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

Revises Policy 00.6000 Employee Social Networking/Electronic Communication last approved 6/22/10

 

1.      GENERAL STATEMENT

 

1.1.   Uintah School District recognizes both the educational value and dangers of social networking sites and electronic communication. 

 

1.2.   To protect district personnel, students, parents, and district resources, the district requires all employees who access social networking sites and electronic communication to abide by this policy.

 

2.      DEFINITIONS

 

2.1.   “Web Page” means a social networking site such as, but not limited to, Facebook, My Space, personal web site, blog account, or other internet location which can be edited by an individual with the correct username and password.

 

2.2.   “Social Networking Site” means any web based site that is used to bring individuals together electronically to discuss and share information, beliefs, common interests, making friends, etc.

 

2.3.   “Electronic Communication” means any communication using an electronic device, including but not limited to, telephone, cellular phone, computer, etc.

 

2.4.   “Student” means an individual whose class has not graduated or who is enrolled in a Uintah School District K-12 school, whether the school is traditional, charter, or private.

 

2.5.   “Inappropriate Material” means any content that contains profanity, obscenity, defamation, bullying, and/or any electronic communication which is not school-related.

 

2.6.   “Immediate family” means the employee’s child, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or cousin.

 

 

3.      INSTRUCTIONAL USE

 

3.1.   Web pages that are accessed at school or using school resources must be for instructional purposes directly related to the educator’s curriculum.

 

3.2.   Prior to creating or using a web page for instructional use, the educator must have written consent from his or her supervisor.

 

3.2.1  The consent must include the purpose of the access, the names of those who will

           be permitted to access the site, and the anticipated duration of the instructional

           activity.

 

             3.2.2  Consent may be withdrawn at any time.

 

       3.3 An instructional web page shall comply with all school policies.

 

3.4  Educators may not utilize instructional web pages which include profane, obscene,

       defamatory, or bullying language or comments.

 

3.5  Educators must comply with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act,

       and must not post student photos or personally identifiable information without prior

       written parental consent.

 

3.6   Educators are responsible for all content on their web page, including posts by students.

 

3.6.1        Educators are responsible to limit access to those students with parental permission to participate in the educational activity posted on the web page.

 

3.6.2        Educators must remove all posts which violate state laws, federal laws and/or school district policy, and must report violations to school administration immediately so that proper disciplinary action can be taken.

 

3.6.3        School administrators shall have access to the teacher’s web page and shall monitor the site for compliance with this policy.

 

3.6.4        Educators must include a disclaimer on their web page noting that the content, views, or opinions expressed on their web page in no way represent the school district and that the educator is solely responsible for any and all content.

 

4.      PERSONAL USE

 

4.1.   Nothing in this policy shall prohibit personal or private social networking by employees acting outside of the scope of their employment with personally owned equipment.

 

4.2.   Employees shall not allow students, except for members of their own immediate family, to access their personal web sites.

 

4.3.   Except for members of their own immediate family, employees shall not access students’ personal web pages.

 

4.4.   Employees shall not access personal web pages during school hours.

 

4.5.   Employees shall not post school or district logos, mascots, symbols, or trade marks on their personal web pages.

 

4.6.   Use of district owned equipment and internet access is monitored, and employees have no expectation of privacy in activities utilizing district owned equipment, whether the use occurs on or off contract time.

 

4.7.   Student photographs and other personally identifiable student information shall not be included on personal web pages.

 

5.      ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION 

 

5.1.   Conversation between a student and a Uintah District employee must be appropriate.

 

5.1.1   District employees are prohibited from communicating inappropriately with

           students.

 

5.1.2    A district employee who receives inappropriate material from a student must

            report the incident to his/her supervisor.

 

5.1.3    A district employee is prohibited from sending inappropriate material to any

            student or other district employee.