3270: District-Provided Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks
Internet access and interconnected computer systems are available to the District’s students and faculty. Electronic networks, including the internet, are a part of the District’s instructional program in order to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication.
In order for the District to be able to continue to make its computer network and internet access available, all users, including students, must take responsibility for appropriate and lawful use of this access. Students utilizing school-provided internet access are responsible for good behavior online. The same general rules for behavior apply to students’ use of District-provided computer systems. Students must understand that one student’s misuse of the network and internet access may jeopardize the ability of all students to enjoy such access. While the District’s teachers and other staff will make reasonable efforts to supervise use of network and internet access, they must have student cooperation in exercising and promoting responsible use of this access and students must be held responsible and accountable for their own conduct.
Curriculum
In accordance with this policy and the Board’s philosophy to ensure the safety of all students, the District shall provide an appropriate planned instructional component for internet safety which shall be integrated into the District’s regular instructional program. In compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act this instruction will include information on the safe use of social networking sites and instant messaging, the characteristics of cyber-bullying, and recommended responses.
The use of the District’s electronic networks shall be consistent with the curriculum adopted by the District, as well as the varied instructional needs, abilities, and developmental levels of the students, and shall comply with the selection criteria for instructional materials and library-media center materials. Staff may, consistent with the District’s educational goals, use the internet throughout the curriculum.
The District’s electronic network is part of the curriculum and is not a public forum for general use.
Internet Safety
Each District computer with internet access shall have a filtering device as described in Procedure 3270P.
The District shall require that any vendor, person, or entity providing digital or online library resources to the District for use by students verify they have policies and technology protection measures:
- Prohibiting and preventing users from sending, receiving, viewing, or downloading materials that are deemed to be harmful to minors, as defined by section 18-1514, Idaho Code; and
- Filtering or blocking access to obscene materials, materials harmful to minors, and materials that depict the sexual exploitation of a minor, as defined in chapter 15, title 18, Idaho Code.
The District will also monitor the online activities of students, through direct observation and/or technological means, to ensure that students are not accessing material that is inappropriate or harmful to minors, as defined in section 18-1514 Idaho Code or as defined in 47 USC Section 254.
Filtering should also be used in conjunction with:
- Educating students on appropriate online behavior;
- Requiring students review and sign Form 3270F Internet Access Conduct Agreement;
- Using behavior management practices for which internet access privileges can be earned or lost; and
- Appropriate supervision, either in person and/or electronically.
The system administrator and/or Internet Safety Coordinator and/or building principal shall monitor student internet access.
Internet filtering software or other technology-based protection systems may be disabled by a IT staff upon recommendation by building administration, as necessary, for purposes of bona fide research or other educational projects being conducted by students age 18 and older.
IT Director shall set a process for reviewing student claims that access has been denied to internet material that is not within the prohibitions of this policy and for unblocking such materials when appropriate.
Review of filtering technology and software shall be done on a periodic basis and is the responsibility of the IT Director. It shall be the responsibility of the Internet Safety Coordinator to bring to the Superintendent or designee any suggested modification of the filtering system and to address and assure that the filtering system meets the standards of Idaho Code 18-1514 and any other applicable provisions of Chapter 15, Title 18, Idaho Code.
Internet Access Conduct Agreements
Each student and their parent(s)/legal guardian(s) will be required to sign and return to the school at the beginning of each school year the Internet Access Conduct Agreement prior to having access to the District’s computer system and/or internet service.
Warranties/Indemnification
The District makes no warranties of any kind, express or implied, in connection with its provision of access to and use of its computer networks and the internet provided under this policy. The District is not responsible for any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable when using the network, or for any information that is retrieved or transmitted via the internet. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, missed deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its negligence or the user’s errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the internet is at the user’s own risk. The District specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services. The District will not be responsible for any unauthorized charges or fees resulting from access to the internet, and any user is fully responsible to the District and shall indemnify and hold the District, its trustees, administrators, teachers, and staff harmless from any and all loss, costs, claims, or damages resulting from such user’s access to its computer network and the internet, including but not limited to any fees or charges incurred through purchases of goods or services by the user and attorney fees. The user or, if the user is a minor, the user’s parent(s)/legal guardian(s) agrees to cooperate with the District in the event the school initiates an investigation of a user’s use of their access to its computer network and the internet.
Violations
If any user violates this policy, the student’s access to the District’s internet system and computers will be denied, if not already provided, or withdrawn and they may be subject to additional disciplinary action. The system administrator will discuss issues with the building principal, who will make all decisions regarding whether or not a user has violated this policy and any related rules or regulations and may deny, revoke, or suspend access at any time, with their decision being final. Actions which violate local, State, or federal law may be referred to the local law enforcement agency.
If the actions of the individual are also in violation of other District discipline policies, said student shall be subject to additional possible disciplinary action based upon these policies.
Internet Safety Coordinator
The Superintendent shall serve, or appoint someone to serve, as “Internet Safety Coordinator” with responsibility and authority for ensuring compliance with the requirements of federal law, State law, and this policy. The Internet Safety Coordinator shall develop and maintain administrative procedures to enforce the provisions of this policy and coordinate with the appropriate District personnel regarding the internet safety component of the District’s curriculum. The Internet Safety Coordinator shall handle any complaints about the enforcement of this policy or refer them to other appropriate personnel depending on the nature of the complaint.
The Internet Safety Coordinator shall maintain documentation evidencing that instruction by school personnel on internet safety is occurring District wide.
Public Notification
The Internet Safety Coordinator shall inform the public via the main District webpage of the District’s procedures regarding enforcement of this policy and make them available for review at the District office.
Submission to State Department of Education
This policy shall be filed with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction every five years after initial submission and subsequent to any edit to this policy thereafter.
Cross Reference: 2335 Digital Citizenship and Safety Education
3330 Student Discipline
Legal Reference: 20 USC § 9134(f) State Plans – Internet Safety
20 USC § 7131 Internet Safety
IC § 18-6726 TikTok Use by State Employees on a State-Issued Device Prohibited
IC § 18-1514(6) Obscene Materials — Definitions
IC § 33-132 Local School Boards — Internet Use Policy Required
IC § 33-137 Digital and Online Library Resources for K-12 Students
Idaho Executive Order 2022-06
Policy History:
Adopted on: 7/17/12
Revised on: 8/14/17; 5/9/23
Reviewed on: