Introduction

Internet access is available to students and employees in the Bogalusa City School System. The system is pleased to bring this access, and believes that the Internet offers vast, diverse, and unique educational resources to students, teachers, and administrators.

The Internet is an electronic highway connecting millions of computers and individual subscribers all over the world. Our goal in providing this service to students and teachers is to enhance innovative education for students through access to vast resources. These resources will improve learning and teaching through research, professional development, communication, collaboration, and dissemination of successful educational practices, methods, and materials.

Terms and Conditions are provided so that Internet users are aware of the responsibilities they are about to assume. The user's signature on the attached contract is legally binding and indicates that he/she has read the Terms and Conditions carefully and agrees to abide by them.

Terms and Conditions
1. Personal Safety and Privacy
a. Users will not post personal contact information about themselves or any other people. Personal contact information includes home address, phone number, home email address, school address, work address, etc.
b. Personal photos and work can be published only if a signed district release form is on file.
c. Users will not physically meet or agree to meet, with someone they have met online without appropriate approval. Inappropriate contacts should be reported to school authorities immediately.
2. Illegal Activities
a. Users will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any computer system or another person's account or files.
b. Users will not intentionally attempt to disrupt the computer system performance or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means.
c. Users will not engage in any other illegal act, such as drug sales, engaging in criminal gang activity, threatening the safety of a person or person's, etc.
3. Security
a. Users are responsible for their individual account and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to use their account. Under no
condition should users give their password to another person.
b. Users will immediately notify school authorities if they have identified a possible security problem. Looking for security problems may be construed as an illegal attempt to gain access.
c. Users will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the network or attempt to access another person’s files.
d. Users will avoid the spread of computer viruses by obtaining written permission from
central office for file transfers and downloading of software or files.
e. Users will only be permitted to use school assigned email addresses and messaging systems.
f. External email addresses and other instant messaging systems will not be permitted.
g. Users will only use disks that have been scanned and fou
nd to be free of viruses.
4. Inappropriate Language
a. Users will not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, or disrespectful language. This includes personal attacks or harassment of another person.
b. Users will not post information that could cause damage, pose a danger or disruption, or incite confusion or panic.
c. Users will not post false or defamatory information about a person or organization.

5. Respecting Resource Limits
a. Users will use the system only for educational and professional or career development activities.
b. Users will not download large files unless approved by central office.
c. Users will not post chain letters or send annoying or unnecessary messages to others.
d. Users will download and remove their e-mail from the server frequently.
e. Users will subscribe only to high-quality discussion group mail lists that are relevant to educational, professional or career development activities.
6. Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement
a. Users will not take the ideas or writings of others and present them as if they were their own.
b. Users will respect copyrighted materials.
c. Users will not download or install copyrighted software from any source on a school computer.
d. Users will immediately report to school authorities any site they access with inappropriate information.
7. Teacher Selection of Materials
a. Teachers shall select material that is appropriate to the age of the students and that is relevant to the course objectives.
b. Teachers will preview the materials and sites they require students to access and determine the appropriateness of the material contained.
8. Responsibilities of Schools and Teachers
a. Access to the Internet by students shall be monitored by their teacher or other staff member. The Internet shall NOT be accessed by students when an adult monitor is not present in the classroom.
b. The teachers shall circulate among computers being used to access the Internet, or all monitors shall be in full view of the teacher.
9. Consequences of Misuse and Due Process
a. The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of privileges by administration, faculty, and staff.
b. Users should expect no privacy of the contents of personal files and email on the district system. Messages relating to or in the support of illegal activities must be reported to the authorities.
c. The Bogalusa City School Board allows for the suspension of inappropriate or illegal use of the Internet by students and employees. Other disciplinary action may also be warranted.
d. Misuse of the system can result in possible prosecution, and will require restitution for costs associated with system restoration, hardware, or software costs.
e. Users bringing illegal and/or inappropriate materials into the system's electronic environment will be subject to disciplinary action.
f. The Bogalusa City School Board shall cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to any illegal activities conducted through the Bogalusa City School Board network.
g. If a student is believed to have violated the Acceptable Use Policy, the student shall be provided with a notice and opportunity to be heard in the manner set forth in the student discipline policy handbook. Disciplinary action shall be tailored to specifically address the violation and to encourage appropriate student use of the network. If the alleged violation is an infraction of the student disciplinary code, the violation shall be handled according to applicable provisions of the code.
h. An administrator may terminate a student’s access privileges by providing notice to the student and their parent or guardian.
10. Parental Notification and Responsibility
a. A parent or guardian must sign the Parent Internet Contract to allow their child(ren)’s access privileges.
b. A parent or guardian may request alternate activities that do not require Internet access be provided for the child(ren).
c. A parent or guardian may request the termination of their child(ren)’s access privileges.