VIGO COUNTY SCHOOL CORPORATION

TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA

File:  ___IIBG___

POLICY ON CORPORATION PROVIDED

ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC INFORMATION, SERVICES, AND NETWORKS

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

           The Vigo County School Corporation incorporates its own stated educational mission, goals, and objectives in making decisions regarding student access to the corporation wide computer network and the Internet hereafter referred to as VCSC Network.  Electronic information functional skills are now fundamental to preparation of citizens and future employees.  Access to the VCSC Network enables staff and students to explore thousands of libraries, databases, bulletin boards, and other resources while exchanging messages with people around the world.  The corporation expects that faculty will blend professional use of the VCSC Network throughout the curriculum and will provide guidance and instruction to students in its appropriate use.  Access from school to VCSC Network resources must be structured in ways which point students to those which have been evaluated prior to use.  While students will be able to move beyond those resources to others in other environments that have not been previewed by staff, they shall be provided with guidelines and lists of resources particularly suited to learning objectives.

           Those utilizing the VCSC Network access must first have the permission of and must be supervised by the Vigo County School Corporation's professional staff.  Users are accountable for appropriate behavior.

           The purpose of the VCSC Network access is to facilitate communication in support of research and education.  To remain eligible as users, use must be in support of and consistent with the educational objectives of the Vigo County School Corporation.  Access is a privilege, not a right.  Access entails responsibility and accountability.

Electronic messages and files stored on school based computers are school property.  Users should not expect that files stored on school based computers are private. Supervisors may review files and messages to maintain system integrity and ensure that users are acting responsibly. The VCSC will act to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of personal information regarding minors and other users of VCSC network resources.

Users of corporation provided computers and the VCSC Network are not permitted to:

     access, upload, download, or distribute pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit material;

     transmit derogatory, obscene, abusive, or sexually explicit language, express racism or hate;

     vandalize, damage, or disable the property of another individual or organization;

     access another individual's materials, information, or files without permission;

     violate copyright or misuse the intellectual property of another individual or organization without permission;

     waste school resources such as storage space;

     participate in network games;

     use computer resources for non-academic activities when others require the system for academic purposes;

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VIGO COUNTY SCHOOL CORPORATION

TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA

File:  ___IIBG___

illegally install copyrighted software;

     misrepresent other users;

     allow non-authorized use; and

     violate any local, state, or federal statute.

           Any violation of corporation policy and rules may result in loss of access to the VCSC Network.  Additional disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion from school, may be determined in keeping with existing procedures and practices.  When and where applicable, law enforcement agencies may be involved.

           Filtering:  Student Internet activities will be monitored by the school corporation to ensure students are not accessing inappropriate sites.  Each school corporation computer with Internet access shall have a filtering device or software that blocks access to visual depictions that are obscene, pornographic, inappropriate for students, or harmful to minors.

The Corporation recognizes its responsibility to educate students regarding appropriate behavior on social networking and chat room sites about cyberbullying. Therefore, students shall be provided instruction about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response.

           The Vigo County School Corporation makes no warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, for the VCSC Network.  The corporation will not be responsible for unauthorized financial obligations resulting from the use of the VCSC Network.

Vigo County School Corporation believes that access to the Internet benefits students and exceeds any disadvantages. Ultimately, however, parents and guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using media and information sources. To help with that effort, the Vigo County School Corporation makes the district's complete Internet policy and procedures available on request for review by all parents, guardians, and other members of the community; and provides parents and guardians the option of requesting for their minor children alternative activities not requiring Internet use.

Adoption Date: February 12, 1996; Revised: September 11, 2006, April 23, 2012

Legal Ref: 47 U.S.C. Section 254(h)(5)(b)
IC20-30-5.5

Cross Ref: GBLA, GBLA-R