I.S. 318 Internet User Agreement

And Parental Consent

 

            I.S. 318Õs Acceptable Use Policy limits student use of the Internet for

 educational purposes in a legal manner.

 

*Internet users are prohibited from:

*Accessing pornographic or obscene materials

*Accessing another personÕs e-mail

*Sending or receiving messages that are racist, sexist, sexual in nature,

                     hateful, obscene or hurtful in any way

*Requesting or providing home phone numbers, addresses,

        other personal information, or school location without permission

*Accessing chat rooms

 

*** Any Violation of these rules will result in

termination of Internet access and disciplinary action***

 

            Please complete this form to indicate that you agree with the terms and conditions as stated. The signatures of both the student and parent/guardian are mandatory in order for access to be granted to Board of Education Internet services.

STUDENT

            As a user of I.S. 318Õs computer network and Internet access services, I have read and agree to comply with the Acceptable Use Policy.

 

PARENT/LEGAL GUARDIAN

            As a parent/legal guardian of the student signing above, I grant permission for my child to access networked computer services through the Internet, World Wide Web and E-mail. I have read and agree to the terms above and I understand that I may be held responsible for violations by my child. I understand that some materials on the Internet may be objectionable; therefore I agree to accept responsibility for guiding my child and conveying to her/him appropriate standards for selecting and viewing information and media. I realize that I.S. 318 would not be able to provide access to these resources if it had to accept liability for a minorÕs activities. In exchange for the opportunity for my minor child to participate, I agree to hold I.S. 318 harmless, and indemnify it against any harms that I or my minor child may suffer as a result of this unrestricted access.

 

Guideline for Educators

 

On-line resources offer teachers and their supervisors the opportunity to engage students in exciting learning experiences. As with all tools, teachers must supervise their use and establish procedures to ensure student safety and responsibility. By keeping the Internet Usage Police in mind while planning and implementing lessons that involve the Internet, it will be easier to assure that students are provided with safe, educationally sound activities. The following are offered to assist educators with this responsibility.

 

Read and familiarize yourself with the Board of EducationÕs ÒStudents Rules & Responsibilities for On-line SafetyÓ and ÒInternet Usage Policy.Ó

 

Post both the Board of EducationÕs ÒStudents Rules & Responsibilities for On-line SafetyÓ and ÒInternet Usage PolicyÓ prominently in areas where students will access the Internet.

 

 

 

 

Distribute a copy of The Board of EducationÕs ÒStudent Rules & Responsibilities for On-line SafetyÓ to every student who will have access to the Internet and a copy of ÒGuidelines for ParentsÓ to the parents of such youngsters. Both students and parents should be provided with a copy of The Board of EducationÕs  Internet Usage Policy.Ó

 

Review these documents with students who will use the Internet and communicate with their parents to assure understanding.

 

Actively supervise students as they access the Internet.

 

Continue to preview sites and materials that students will access on the Internet.

 

Establish rules and procedures for student on-line activities that will assure that your students comply with the ÒStudents Rules & Responsibilities for On-line SafetyÓ (giving out of personal and school information, meeting with individuals met on-line, sending pictures or other items, and accessing of unfamiliar Internet areas). Encourage students to report racist, sexist, inflammatory, hateful, obscene and disturbing material encountered on-line.

 

The Internet Usage Policy

 

The Internet Usage Policy of the Board of Education of the City of New York has been created to ensure that Internet resources are used appropriately and that our educational community may benefit from the exciting resources available On-line in a manner that will not jeopardize their safety and well being.

 

The purpose of access to or use of the Internet through Board connections or equipment is solely educational; therefore, anyone who utilizes the BoardÕs connection must foster that purpose by using Internet resources only for educational purposes and in an appropriate and legal manner. All persons accessing or using the Internet through Board connections or equipment, whether from a Board location or from a remote location using Board hardware, software and/or accounts, are prohibited to use such connections or equipment for other than educational purposes and are specifically prohibited from:

 

            Sending or receiving personal messages

 

            Using for commercial purposes, advertising or similar objectives

 

            Utilizing copyrighted materials without permission

 

            Lobbying for political purposes or soliciting votes

 

            Accessing pornographic or obscene materials

 

Sending or receiving messages that are racist, sexist, inflammatory, hateful or obscene

 

Vandalizing data, software or equipment

 

Sending or receiving another personÕs messages without authorization

 

Requesting or providing home phone numbers, addresses or other personal information without authorization

 

 

 

 

Guidelines for Parents

 

The electronic resources available to children today offer exciting opportunities for educational

growth. When used properly, learning tools such as the Internet can help children become more

informed students and prepare them for successful lives. However, as with all tools, parents must

regulate their use and establish safety rules about on-line systems. The following suggestions are

offered to assist parents with this responsibility.

 

Make it a family rule to:

 

 

-       Encourage and enforce parental internet controls and/or set timers or hours allowed to promote a safe and monitored internet experience

 

-       Never give out identifying information – home address, school name, or telephone

number – in a public message such as chat or bulletin boards – and be sure you are

dealing with someone that both you and your child now and trust be fore giving it out via

E-mail.

 

-       Get to know the services your child uses. Find out what types of information they offer.

 

-       Never allow a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they meet on-line

      without permission.

 

-       Never respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening, or make you feel uncomfortable. Encourage your children to tell you if they encounter such messages. If you or your child receive a message that is harassing, of a sexual nature or threatening, forward a copy of the message to your service provider and ask for assistance.

 

-       Should you become aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography on-line, immediately report this to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling

                  1-800-843-5678. You should also notify your on-line service.

                 

-       Remember that people on-line may not be who they seem.

 

-       Remember that everything you read on-line may not be true.

 

-    Set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer use by your children. (See ÒStudents

Rules & Responsibilities for On-line Safety.Ó) Discuss these rules and post them

near your computer as a reminder. Remember to monitor your childÕs compliance with these

rules, especially when it comes to the amount of time spent on the computer. A childÕs

excessive use of on-line services or bulletin boards, especially late at night, may be a clue

that there is a potential problem. Remember that personal computers and on-line services

should not be used as electronic baby-sitters.

 

-     Be sure to make on-line services a family activity. Consider keeping the computer in a

family room rather than your childÕs bedroom. Get to know Òon-line friendsÓ just as you

get to know all your childÕs other friends.

 

Adapted with permission from: A Safety Net for the Internet, The New York Public Library, 1996.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Board and/or Chancellor reserve the right to revoke Internet access or use of any person who

uses the Board connections or equipment in an inappropriate, abusive or illegal manner, or in

violation of the BoardÕs policy on access to and use of the Internet or of local, state or federal

law. Violators to this policy may be subject to disciplinary and/or legal action.

 

Student Rules and Responsibilities

 

On-line activities offer you an exciting way to learn. These tools however, must be used in a safe

and responsible manner. The following rules have been created to make sure that using the

Internet is a safe, effective and enjoyable part of your education.

 

I will always ask my teacher for permission before I give out (personal information such

as address/telephone number, parentsÕ work address/telephone number, or the name and

location of the school.)

 

I will only send messages over the Internet that are free of racist, sexist, inflammatory,

hateful, obscene, advertising or commercial content. I will refrain from sending messages

for partisan political lobbying purposes.

 

I will tell my teacher right away if I come across any information that is racist, sexist,

inflammatory, hateful, obscene or anything else that makes me uncomfortable.

 

I will always check first with my teacher and/or parents before I agree to get together

with anyone I ÒmeetÓ on-line.

 

I will always check with my teacher and/or parents before sending a person my picture

or anything else.

 

I will always ask permission before I receive or send another personÕs messages.

 

I will always seek permission to use copyrighted material.

 

I will talk with my teacher so that we can set up rules for going on-line. We will decide

upon the time of day that I can be on-line, the length of time I can be on-line, and

appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas without permission.

 

I will be polite and use proper language while on-line.

 

I will always use the Internet responsibly, so that others may benefit from it without

disruption.

 

I will always respect and take care of software, equipment and data.

 

Adapted from ÒGuidelines for ParentsÓ and ÒMy Rules for On-line SafetyÓ from Child Safety on the

Information Highway, by Lawrence J. Magid. They are reprinted with permission of the National

Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Copyright 1994 NCMEC. All rights reserved.