Student Acceptable Use Policy
The Lowell Public Schools consider the following uses of the
Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) unacceptable, and just cause for taking
disciplinary action, revoking privilege’s, and or initiating legal action:
1. Personal Safety
a. students shall not post personal contact information about themselves or other people. Personal contact information includes address, telephone, school address, work address, etc.
b. Students shall not agree to meet with someone they have met online without their parents’ approval and participation
c. Students shall promptly disclose to their teacher and or other school employee any message they receive that is inappropriate or makes them feel uncomfortable.
2. Illegal Activities
a. Students shall not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Wide Area Network (WAN) or to any other Local Area Network (LAN) or computer system through the WAN, or go beyond their 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 purpose of browsing.
b. Students shall not make deliberate attempts to disrupt the computer system performance or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by another other means. These actions are illegal.
c. Students will not use the system to engage in any other illegal act, such as arranging for a drug sale or purchase of alcohol, engaging in criminal gang activity, threatening the safety of another person, etc.
d. Students shall not use the Lowell Public School’s computer resources for commercial or financial gain or fraud.
e. Students shall not use the system for political lobbying. Students may use the system to communicate with their elected representatives and to express their opinions on political issues.
f. Students shall not post chain letters.
g. Students shall not post anonymous messages.
3. System Security
a. Students shall be responsible for the use of their individual account, if assigned, and should take all reasonable precaution to prevent others from being able to use their account. Under no conditions should a student provide their account information and/or password to another person.
b. Students shall immediately notify the teacher if they suspect or have identified a possible security problem. Users will not go looking for security problems, because this may be construed as an illegal attempt to gain access.
c. Students shall avoid the inadvertent spread of computer viruses by following the Lowell Public Schools’ virus protection procedures if they download software.
4. Inappropriate Language
Restrictions against Inappropriate Language apply to public messages, private messages and material posted on Web pages For the purpose of this policy, Inappropriate Language can be considered to include, not necessarily limited to the following clarifications:
a. Students shall not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, racist, sexist, threatening or disrespectful language.
b. Students shall not post information that, if acted upon, could cause damage or danger of disruption.
c. Students shall not engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.
d. Students shall not harass another person. Harassment is persistently acting in manner that distresses or annoys another person. If a student is told by a person to stop sending them messages, the student must stop sending messages to that person.
e. Students shall not knowingly or recklessly post false or defamatory information about person or organization.
5. Respect for
Privacy
a. Students shall not report a message that was
sent to them privately without permission of the person who sent them the
message.
b. Students shall not post private information
about another person.
6. Respecting
Resource Limits
Every effort shall be taken not to waste finite resources
Students shall not download
extensive files unless absolutely necessary.
If necessary, students will download the file at a time when the system
is not being heavily used and immediately removed the files from the system
computer to their personal computer.
7. Plagiarism and
Copyright Infringement
a. Students shall not plagiarize works that they
find on the Internet. Plagiarism is
taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were
original to the user.
b. Students shall respect the rights of copyright
owners. Copyright infringement occurs
when a individual inappropriately reproduces a work that is protected by a
copyright. If a work contains language
that specifies acceptable use of that work, the student should follow the
expressed requirements. If the student
is unsure whether they can use a work, they should request permission from the
author or copyright owner.
8. Access to Inappropriate Material
For the purpose of this policy, Inappropriate Materials are those materials including, but not limited to, any materials not in support of the system’s curriculum.
- Students shall not use the WAN to access
material that is profane or obscene, that advocates illegal acts, or that advocates
violence or discrimination towards other people.
- If a student inadvertently accesses such
information, they should immediately disclose the inadvertent access to the
computer teacher at their school. This
will protect students against an allegation they have intentionally violated
the Acceptable Use Policy.
Consequences of
Violations
In the event there is an allegation that a student has
violated the District Acceptable Use Policy, the student will be provided with
notice and a hearing in the manner set forth in the disciplinary code(s) of the
Lowell Public Schools.
Disciplinary action shall be tailored to meet specific
concerns related to the violation and to assist the students in gaining the
self-discipline necessary to behave appropriately in an electronic
environment. If the alleged violation
also involves a violation of other provision of the disciplinary code(s) of the
Lowell Public Schools, the violation will be handled in accord with the due
process provisions of the school and the school district currently in place.
It is every student’s responsibility to cooperate in any
investigation of a complaint or alleged violation of the policies by providing
any information he/she possesses concerning
the matters being investigated. Further,
it is against city policy to attempt to alter, delete or destroy documents,
files, etc. that are the subject of investigation. Students should realize that
the Network Administrator can still recover files, which have been deleted.
Consequences to violations include but are not limited to:
Suspension of Internet access;
- Revocation of Internet access;
- Suspension of Network privileges
- Revocation of Network privileges
- Suspension of computer access;
- Revocation of computer access;
- School Suspension
- School expulsion
- Legal action and prosecution by the authorities
The Lowell Public Schools have the right to restrict or terminate anyone’s Network, Internet, and WWW access at any time for any reason. Further, the Lowell Public Schools have the right to monitor Network activity in any form that is deemed necessary to maintain the integrity of the Network.
The student Acceptable Use Policy form will be forthcoming!
