Acceptable Use Policy

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The task of reading through an Acceptable Use Policy is the farthest thing from entertaining, and I'll admit that I was dozing off trying to read through my district's policy. Even though the word technology is attached to my job description, I have not had many issues presented to me that required consulting the AUP. Although I am aware of the basics of what our students and staff should and should not do with technology, upon reading this document more closely I now feel like I should be making more of an effort to make sure students and teachers are doing everything by the books. Given the amount of effort it took to get through this 8-page document, I think it'd be a good idea to make an infographic that's a little lighter reading. I would say that our policy is more on the "what you can't do" end, with lots of careful wording to guarantee we have covered our bases. Below are some of the definitions that stood out to me.

"Electronic resources": The District's "electronic resources" include, but are not limited to, the District's electronic networks and information systems, such as the Internet, Wi-Fi, electronic data networks, and infrastructure for oral, visual, and written electronic communication, including electronic mail, text messaging, instant messaging, and chat programs. "Electronic resources" also include technology owned or licensed by the District and provided by the District for use by its employees or students, including, if offered, technology issued to students and/or employees (i.e., a "one-to-one" program), and District and District-authorized webpages and social media or websites. If a user accesses the District's electronic resources, including Internet service or Wi-Fi, with a personal technology device, that use is also considered use of "electronic resources" that is covered by this AUP.
   
     This is an important definition for students and staff to understand, because many do not realize that simply being on the school's WiFi means that they are under the rules of the AUP. If a teacher hooks their smartphone up to the school's WiFi and accesses their social media or personal email, I believe the district then has the right to access some of the information they shared.


Students may only use or access District-issued technology outside of school with parental or guardian supervision. The District is not responsible for unacceptable use of District-issued technology by students at any time, including outside of school, although students may face consequences for such misuse under this and other District policies.

     I thought this was interesting because I highly doubt very many of our students are using their Chromebooks at home under supervision. This would be very hard to achieve, but I see why they'd put it in the AUP.

Unacceptable Use

Here are some of the "unacceptable use" items that stood out:

• Any use at a time or in manner that is not authorized or approved, or in a manner that causes or reasonably could be foreseen to cause a substantial and material disruption to the educational environment or invasion of the rights of others;
• This would mean that teachers should not be checking their social media accounts or smart phones during the day unless it is first approved. 



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• Publishing or transmitting private information, including photographic, video, and audio depictions of others, without authorization;
• Although some teachers are okay with students using their phones to listen to music, I never gave students permission to use their phone for this exact reason. I would hate to have a students taking pictures of each other and spreading them around the internet, only to have it come back on me that I gave them permission to use their phones in class.

Here is another piece of the policy that should be made very clear to any member of the school district: 

"No Expectation of Privacy Users of the District's electronic resources have no expectation of privacy with respect to use of the District's electronic resources, including access of the District's Internet or Wi-Fi using personal technology, or with respect to any material created, transmitted, accessed, or stored via District electronic resources. This includes material created, transmitted, accessed, or stored for personal use, including incidental personal use, on or through the District's electronic resources. The District reserves the right to monitor users' activities on District electronic resources at any time for any reason without prior notification; to access, review, copy, store, and/or delete any electronic information accessed or stored therein; and to disclose such information to others as it deems necessary and/or as required by law. Users should be aware that information may remain on the District's electronic resources even after it has been deleted by the user. This section of this policy may only be altered through amendment of this policy, and may not be altered or diminished by the verbal or written assurances of any employee or representative of the District."

This means that nothing done using district technology is private. Students especially assume that they have a right to privacy, even though they sign papers agreeing to the AUP before getting their Chromebooks.

Social Media Use

"For the most part, employees of the District have no need to use social media to conduct District business. In certain cases, the District may decide that such use is in the District's interest and may authorize particular employees to use specific social media tools within guidelines established by the District." - I'd imagine this was written before our district really started pushing staff members to use Twitter to promote all of the good learning going on.

Below is more on specifically social media use: 

Confidentiality, Privacy, and Non Discrimination All District official websites and websites operated by students and/or employees for educational, extra-curricular, or other purposes related to District business shall comply with relevant confidentiality and privacy policies and laws, including laws governing educational or student records, and non-discrimination policies and laws. No personally identifying student information shall be posted on such websites unless written authorization has been obtained from the student's parent/guardian, except that photographs of and other content created by students while participating in public extracurricular activities, including sports and theater and musical productions, may be used without parental/guardian permission. 

Social media is unavoidable, and the student handbook outlines in more detail what is and is not acceptable behavior, and this extends to their behavior on social media. If a student is making threats, posting obscene content, or promoting illegal activity, the school has the right to discipline those students. Students receive Digital Citizenship training throughout their time at our school, which includes appropriate use of social media accounts.