FILE: EFA

Cf: IFBGA

EMPLOYEE COMPUTER ACCESS AND USE

The Livingston Parish School Board is committed to making advanced technology and increased access opportunities available to all employees. The goal of the district in providing access to computers, networks, and the Internet for administrators, teachers, and other employees is to promote educational excellence in schools by facilitating resource sharing, innovations, and communications. The use of computers, the Internet, and other on-line services shall be in support of education and research consistent with the educational objectives of the district.

Internet access is available to students and teachers in the Livingston Parish School System. The district is pleased to bring safe, appropriate access to Livingston Parish, and believes that the Internet offers vast, diverse, and unique resources to both teachers and students. Any employee who wishes to use school district computers, including the Internet and/or e-mail services must sign the Livingston Parish Employee Internet Use Agreement, agreeing to abide by all provisions.

Violations may result in loss of access as well as other disciplinary or legal action.

ACCEPTABLE USE GUIDELINES

1) Acceptable Use/Unacceptable Use

a. Employees who receive accounts are expected to model responsible and ethical use for students and others, and present a positive image for the school system.

b. Use must be in support of education and research consistent with district policy

c. Use must be consistent with the rules appropriate to any network being used/accessed

d. Unauthorized use of copyrighted material is prohibited

e. Threatening or obscene material is prohibited

f. Distribution of material protected by trade secret is prohibited

g. Use for commercial activities is not acceptable

h. Product advertisement or political lobbying is prohibited

i. Sending chain letters is prohibited

j. Violating regulations prescribed by the network administration is prohibited

2) Privileges

a. Access to the Internet is not a right, but a privilege

b. Unacceptable usage may result in cancellation of privilege

3) Netiquette

a. Be polite

b. Do not use vulgar or obscene language

c. Never reveal a user's personal (home) address or phone number (or those of others)

d. Electronic mail is not private

e. Do not intentionally disrupt the network or other users

f. Abide by generally accepted rules of network etiquette

4) Security

a. If a security problem is identified, a local building system administrator should be notified immediately

b. Do not show or identify a security problem to others

c. Attempts to log on as another user will result in cancellation of privileges

d. Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with other computer systems, may be denied access.

e. Access codes are confidential and not to be disclosed

5) Vandalism/Harassment

Vandalism and/or harassment will result in the cancellation of the offending user's privilege.

a. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, the Internet or other networks. This includes, but is not limited to, creating and/or uploading computer viruses.

b. Harassment is defined as the persistent annoyance of another user or the interference in another user's work. This includes, but is not limited to, the sending of unwanted mail such as chain letters.

6) Penalties

Any user violating these provisions, applicable state and federal laws, and district rules is subject to loss of network privileges and any other system disciplinary options, including criminal prosecution.

The Livingston Parish School Board makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied for the service it is providing. The Livingston Parish School Board shall not be responsible for any damages a user may suffer, including loss of data. The Livingston Parish School Board shall not be responsible for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through this Internet connection.

All regulations are applicable to all users of the network. Each computer user in the Livingston Parish School District shall be required to sign an Acceptable Use of the Internet Agreement, which shall acknowledge that the user understands and agrees to abide by all provisions governing the use of computers and access and use of the Internet in the Livingston Parish Schools. These provisions reflect an agreement of the parties and shall be governed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana and the United States of America.

The School Board may suspend or terminate any privilege to use the Internet at any time solely at the School Board's discretion. The policy of the School Board defining use of the Internet serves as guideline but does not warrant or guarantee access to or use of the Internet. Consequently, the School Board may, at any time and in its sole discretion, end the privilege of any individual to use the Internet without notice, cause, or reason.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Faculty and staff use of school computers or the Internet shall be reserved for academic purposes only. All personnel using a school computer or a computer network located on school property, or computers accessing the Internet shall be accountable for its use. Teacher or class files on the network are analogous to school lockers, that is, these accounts will be treated as district property subject to control and inspection, rather than private property which cannot be searched without just cause. Access codes or passwords shall be kept on file by the principal or his/her designee in case an inspection is warranted. Use of the Internet and/or any computers shall be considered a privilege and any inappropriate use may result in appropriate disciplinary action and loss of privileges to use district computers or the Internet.

UNAUTHORIZED AND ILLEGAL USE

Faculty and staff shall not be under direct supervision but must abide by Board policy. Tampering with selection menus, procedures, or icons for the purpose of misleading or confusing other users shall be prohibited. Any use by any person of the district's internal network that incurs expenses to the school other than the monthly user fees and rates shall be strictly prohibited. Furthermore, the computer system shall not be used for commercial, political or religious purposes.

Use of the network for any illegal activities shall also be prohibited. Illegal activities include (a) tampering with computer hardware or software, (b) unauthorized entry into computers and files, (c) knowledgeable vandalism or destruction of equipment, and (d) deletion of computer files. Such activity is considered a crime under state and federal law.

SECURITY

Teachers and personnel who have computers in their charge shall be responsible for their security. Computers must be secured such that students acting without the consent or supervision of a teacher or administrator cannot enter the system or the Internet.

The following are acceptable security measures:

* Locking the computer CPU with a key

* Locking the keyboard or computer in a cabinet or closet

* Locking the room housing the computer

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:81, 17:100.6.