SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF ERIE
POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR
ADULT USE OF TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

The School District of the City of Erie (“District”) provides technology resources to members of its administration, faculty, staff, volunteers and other adults (“adult users”) in order to facilitate communications in support of research and education. The District anticipates that the use of computers, electronic mail, the Internet and other telecommunications devices (“technology resources”) will expedite the sharing of effective practices, lessons and other education-related information across the District and will help adult users to stay on the leading edge of education by forming partnerships with others across the nation and around the world. In furtherance of these goals and objectives, it is the policy of the District to maintain an environment that promotes ethical and responsible conduct in the use of technology resources by adult users. Through this and other policies, it is the intent of the District to comply with the provisions of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (“CIPA”) and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
1. General Expectations for Adult Use of Technology Resources
The District expects adult users to utilize technology resources in a professional and responsible manner. However, with access to computers and people all over the world, it is inevitable that adult users will encounter material that may not be appropriate for the educational environment. The District will attempt to limit the access to such material by maintaining and enforcing a technology protection measure with respect to all of its computers having access to technology resources.
The technology protection measure will, to the greatest extent possible, block or filter access through technology resources to visual depictions that are obscene, contain pornography or are otherwise inappropriate. Adult users should not send or open communications through computers and/or the network that may be harmful to minors. However, because no technology protection measure is effective completely, adult users should be aware that inappropriate materials could be encountered during legitimate research or communications. If inappropriate material is inadvertently encountered, it must be disengaged from immediately and removed from computers and/or the network. If necessary, technical assistance should be obtained to do so.
Adult users may not utilize technology resources for the unauthorized disclosure, use dissemination of confidential personally identifiable information regarding students or other employees.
2. Supervision of Students’ Use of Technology Resources
Adult users will oversee the use of technology resources by students under their supervision to ensure that students adhere to the District’s Computer/Internet Acceptable Use Policy for Students. Consequently, adult users should familiarize themselves with the requirements set forth in that policy.
Notwithstanding the existence of technology protection measures, the breadth of technology resources make it possible that students could access obscene, pornographic or otherwise inappropriate materials. Adult users will monitor student use of technology resources and shall disengage obscene, pornographic or otherwise inappropriate materials immediately and remove them from computer and/or the network. If necessary, technical assistance should be obtained to do so.
3. District Supervision of the Use of Technology Resources
The District has a legal obligation to assure that its technology resources are utilized in a manner consistent with its goal of providing a safe and healthy educational environment for its students. This interest applies equally to student use and adult use of technology resources. Therefore, adult users must understand that the District provides no technology resources for the sending and receiving of personal, private or confidential electronic communications. The Instructional Technology Coordinator has access to all mail and may examine messages to ensure compliance with law and this policy. Electronic mail messages may be subject to subpoena. Messages and/or activities relating to and in support of illegal activities are prohibited and will be reported to the appropriate authorities. The District reserves the right to monitor the use of technology resources. In addition, the District may, in its sole discretion, seize and/or examine any of its technology resources at any time in order to ensure compliance with law and this policy.
4. Security
Security on any computer or network is a high priority, especially when the network involves many users. If an adult user identifies a security problem on a computer and/or the network, he/she should notify the Instructional Technology Coordinator immediately. Adult users should not demonstrate the problem to other users.
Adult users must not use another individual’s computer and/or network account without their written authorization. Adult users must not reveal their password to anyone. Adult users must not attempt to log on to a computer and/or the network as the Instructional Technology Coordinator. Any adult user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with other computer systems may be denied access to the technology resources.
Adult users may not download or install any commercial software, shareware, or freeware to the District's computers and/or network, unless specifically authorized to do so by the Instructional Technology Coordinator. District computers may be audited and unauthorized or unlicensed software will be removed.
Adult users must not open electronic mail or other communication from suspicious or unidentified sources. In the event that an adult user receives a communication containing a virus or other self-perpetuating program that is potentially harmful or disruptive to computers and/or the network, the adult user should report the incident immediately to the Instructional Technology Coordinator.
5. Prohibited Activities
The use of the District’s technology resources is a privilege, not a right. Inappropriate use of technology resources, including any violation of this policy, may result in cancellation of the privilege and, in the case of District employees, disciplinary action.
The following activities are strictly prohibited on the District’s computers and/or network:
1. the use of technology resources for commercial or for-profit purposes;
2. the use of technology resources for political lobbying;
3. the unauthorized use of a computer and/or network account by anyone but the owner of the account;
4. the unauthorized acquisition of information on other users, obtaining of copies of data belonging to other users, modification of files of other users, or acquisition and/or use of passwords belonging to other users;
5. the intentional disruption of technology resources, including the creation, facilitation and/or perpetuation of “chain letters” or similar forms of broadcast mail;
6. the destruction, modification or abuse of computer hardware or software;
7. the use of technology resources to develop programs that harass, insult or attack other users, infiltrate a computer or network and/or damage the software components of a computer or network (i.e. deliberately introducing a virus into the network; “hacking”);
8. the use of profanity or inappropriate language in electronic mail or other network communication;
9. the downloading or uploading of pirated or illegal software in violation of copyright law and/or the reproduction of copyrighted material without the express permission of the author/copyright owner;
10. the use of technology resources to access or process obscene material, material relating to any type of pornography, inappropriate text files, or files dangerous to the integrity of a computer and/or the network;
11. the unauthorized disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal or confidential information on students and/or other employees;
12. the use of technology resources by an adult user to give the false impression that he/she represents the District in a given capacity;
13. the transmission of any material in violation of federal or state law.