Administrative Policies of the Milwaukee Public Schools
Administrative Policies 8.48
Student Acceptable Use Policy
A.U.P.
This document defines for students the acceptable use of the MPS network system (i.e. WAN, LAN, Internet, and Email) computer and other technology resources. Following this policy allows students to use the Internet in a safe and responsible manner.
- PURPOSE_______________________________________________________
- The district’s network system has been established for educational and administrative purposes. The term educational purposes includes classroom activities, continuing education, professional or career development, and high-quality, educationally-enriching personal research.
- The district network system has not been established as a public access service or a public forum. The district has the right to place restrictions on the material you access or post through the system. You are also expected to follow the rules set forth in this policy, the student disciplinary code, and the law in your use of the district network system. Teachers, counselors, administrators and other school personnel may take disciplinary action against MPS students who break rules. Disciplinary actions are set according to federal and state laws and MPS administrative policies.
- You may not use the district’s network system for commercial purposes. This means you may not offer, provide, or purchase products or services through the district network system.
- ACCESS TO ONLINE MATERIALS_________________________________
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- The material you access through the district’s network system should be for class assignments or for personal research on subjects similar to what you might study in a class or in the school library. Use for entertainment purposes is not allowed.
- You will not use the district’s network system to access the following: material that is obscene; pornography; material that depicts, or describes in an offensive way, violence, nudity, sex, death, or bodily functions; material that has been designated as for adults only; material that promotes or advocates illegal activities; material that promotes the use of alcohol or tobacco, school cheating, or material that advocates participation in hate groups or other potentially dangerous groups.
- If you mistakenly access inappropriate information, you should immediately report this access in the manner specified by your school. This will protect you against a claim that you have intentionally violated this policy.
- The district has installed filtering software to protect against access to inappropriate material as required by the Children’s Internet Protection Act (“CIPA”).
- If you feel that the filtering software is blocking your access to an appropriate site, report this to your school’s library media specialist, instructional technology leader, principal, or teacher.
- You will not seek to bypass the filtering software by using a proxy site or some other technology.
- New technologies are being invented constantly, and it is impossible to predict what systems or applications will be available for use in the future. This policy applies to all technologies currently in use on the MPS network and those technologies that may be used on the MPS network in the future.
- SYSTEM SECURITY AND RESOURCE LIMITS_______________________
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- System security
- You are responsible for your individual account and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to use your account. You should change your password regularly. Under no conditions should you provide your password to another person. You should always log off the computer when you are finished.
- You will immediately notify a teacher or another school employee if you have identified a possible security problem. However, do not go looking for security problems, because this may be construed as an unlawful attempt to gain access.
- You will avoid the inadvertent spread of computer viruses by following the district virus protection procedures.
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- Resource limits
- You will use the system only for educational and career development activities and limited, high-quality personal research.
- You will only download files (i.e. music files and images) deemed necessary for educational purposes with the instructor’s permission. Remove the file from the network after you no longer need access to it.
- COMMUNICATION SAFETY_______________________________________
The district will not guarantee that the functions or services provided through the network system will be without error. The district will not be responsible for any damage you may suffer, including but not limited to loss of data, interruptions of service, or exposure to inappropriate material or people. The district will not be responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through the network system. The district will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system.
- UNLAWFUL, UNAUTHORIZED AND INAPPROPRIATE USES__________
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- Unlawful activities
- You will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the district’s network system or to any other computer system through the district’s network system or go beyond your authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another person’s account or to access another person’s files.
- You will not make deliberate attempts to disrupt the district’s network system or any other computer system or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means.
- You will not use the district’s network system to engage in any other unlawful act, including but not limited to; arranging for a drug sale or the purchase of alcohol or weapons, engaging in criminal gang activity, or threatening the safety of any person.
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- Inappropriate language
- Restrictions against inappropriate language apply to all speech communicated through the district’s network system, including public messages, private messages, and material posted on Web pages, wikis and blogs or any other social networking sites.
- You will not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, or disrespectful language.
- You will not post information that could cause damage or a danger of disruption to your school or any other organization or person.
- You will not engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.
- You will not harass or bully another person. You will not cyber bully another person. Cyber bullying includes, but is not limited to, the following misuses of technology: harassing, teasing, intimidating, threatening, or terrorizing another student or staff member by way of any technological tool, such as sending or posting inappropriate or derogatory email messages, instant messages, text messages, digital pictures, or images, or website postings.
- You will not knowingly or recklessly post false or offensive information about a person or organization.
- You will promptly disclose to your teacher or another school employee any message you receive from any other student that is in violation of the restrictions on inappropriate language.
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- Plagiarism and copyright infringement
- You will not plagiarize work that you find on the Internet. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were yours.
- You will respect the rights of copyright owners in your use of materials found on, disseminated through, or posted to the Internet. Copyright infringement occurs when you inappropriately reproduce a work that is protected by a copyright.
- PRIVACY_______________________________________________________
- You should expect only limited privacy in the contents of your personal files on the district’s network system and records of your online activity.
- The district will cooperate fully with local, state, and federal officials in any investigation related to any unlawful activities conducted through the district’s network system.
- VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY__________________
Violations of this policy may result in loss of access as well as other disciplinary or legal action in accordance with Board policy. A student’s violation of this policy shall be subject to the consequences as indicated within this policy as well as other appropriate discipline. Disciplinary actions will be tailored to meet specific concerns related to the violation and to assist the student in gaining the self-discipline necessary to behave appropriately on an electronic network. If the violation also involves a violation of other provisions of other school rules, it will be handled in a manner described in the school rules. Additional restrictions may be placed on a student’s use of his/her network account.
- LIMITATION OF LIABILITY______________________________________
The district will not guarantee that the functions or services provided through the district’s network service will be without error. The district will not be responsible for any damage you may suffer, including but not limited to loss of data, interruptions of service, or exposure to inappropriate material or people. The district will not be responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through the system. The district will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system. Your parents can be held financially responsible for any harm that may result from your intentional misuse of the system.