Acceptable Use Policy

Luis P. Untalan Middle School Student Acceptable Use Policy

Luis P. Untalan Middle School (LPUMS) offers access to technology for student use. This document contains the Acceptable Use Policy for student use of the LPUMS network and computers. Computer use is for school/educational purposes only.

A. Educational Purpose

1. Technology at LPUMS has been established for a limited educational purpose. The term "educational purpose" includes classroom activities, assignments, and career development.

2. LPUMS is not established as a public access service or a public forum. LPUMS has the right to place reasonable restrictions on the material you access and expects you to follow all rules of conduct.

3. You may not use LPUMS equipment for commercial purposes. This means you may not offer, provide, or purchase products or services through the use of school computer equipment.

4. You may not use LPUMS Middle School for political lobbying. However, you may use computer equipment and the network to communicate with elected representatives and to express your opinions on political issues.

B. Student Internet Access

1. All students will have access to Internet World Wide Web information resources through their classrooms, library, or school computer lab as applicable.

C. Unacceptable Uses

The following uses of LPUMS computer equipment and network are considered unacceptable:

1. Personal Safety

a. Posting personal contact information about yourself or other people. Personal contact information includes your address, telephone, school address, activities, etc.

b. Meeting with people you may have encountered online.

c. You will promptly disclose to your teacher or other school personnel any message you receive that is inappropriate or makes you feel uncomfortable.

2. Illegal Activities

a. Unauthorized access to the LPUMS or the DOE network or to any other computer system beyond your authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another person's account/password or access/tampering with another person's files. These actions are illegal, even if only for the purposes of "browsing".

b. Deliberate attempts to disrupt the computer system or destroy data by spreading computer viruses or by any other means.

c. Using the LPUMS network to engage in any other illegal act, such as arranging for a drug sale or the purchase of alcohol, engaging in criminal gang activity, threatening the safety of a person, harassment, etc.

3. System Security

a. You are responsible for your individual log in account and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to know or use your account. Under no conditions should you provide your password to another person.

b. You will immediately notify a teacher or the system administrator, if you have identified a possible security problem. Do not go looking for security problems. This may be construed as an illegal attempt to gain access to the school network.

c. You will avoid the inadvertent spread of computer viruses by limiting the use of floppy disks to school computers with virus protection software. A school teacher or other school personnel must authorize the use of a personal floppy or compact disks in any school system.

4. Inappropriate Language

a. Restrictions against inappropriate language apply to public messages, private messages, and material posted on Web pages.

b. Use of obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, or disrespectful language.

c. Posting information or sending email that could cause damage or a danger of disruption.

d. Engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.

e. Harass another person. Harassment is persistently acting in a manner that distresses or annoys another person. If you are told by a person to stop sending them messages, you must stop.

f. Knowingly or recklessly send/post false or defamatory information about a person or organization.

5. Respect for Privacy

a. You will not repost a message that was sent to you.

b. You will not post private information about another person.

6. Respecting Resource Limits.

a. You will use the system only for educational and career development activities and limited, high-quality, self-discovery activities. There is no limit on use for education and career development activities.

b. You will not download large files unless absolutely necessary and only if approved by a school teacher or authorized school personnel. If necessary, you will download the file at a time when the system is not being heavily used and immediately remove the file from the system computer to your personal disk.

c. You will not post chain letters or engage in "spamming". Spamming is sending an annoying or unnecessary message to a large number of people.

d. You will not save data on any school computer hard drive system unless authorized by a school teacher or authorized school personnel.

e. You will subscribe only to high quality discussion group mail lists that are relevant to your education or career development and approved by a school teacher or authorized school personnel.

7. Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement

a. Do not plagiarize work that you find on the Internet. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as your own.

b. You will respect the rights of copyright owners. Copyright infringement occurs when you inappropriately reproduce a work that is protected by a copyright. If a work contains language that specifies appropriate use of that work, you should follow the expressed requirements. If you are unsure whether or not you can use a work, you should request permission from the copyright owner. Copyright law can be very confusing. If you have questions, ask a teacher or school personnel.

8. Inappropriate Access to Material

a. You will not use the LPUMS network to access material that is profane or obscene (pornography), that advocates illegal acts, or that advocates violence or discrimination towards other people (hate literature). A special exception may be made, if the purpose of your access is to conduct research and both your teacher and parent have approved.

b. If you mistakenly access or receive inappropriate information, you should immediately tell your teacher, counselor, or administrator. This will protect you against a claim that you have intentionally violated this Policy.

c. Any additional material your parents deem inappropriate for you to access. The school fully expects that you follow your parent's instructions.

D. Your Rights

1. Free Speech

Your right to free speech, as set forth in the Guam Department of Education Policies and Regulations applies also to your communication on the Internet. The LPUMS network is considered a limited forum under the Guam Department of Education, similar to the school newspaper, and therefore the DOE may restrict your speech for valid educational reasons. The school will not restrict your speech on the basis of a disagreement with the opinions you are expressing.

2. Search and Seizure.

a. You should expect only limited privacy in the contents of your personal computer files. The situation is similar to the rights you have in the privacy of your locker.

b. Routine maintenance and monitoring of the LPUMS network may lead to discovery that the you have violated this Policy or the law.

c. An individual search of your computer files will be conducted, if there is reasonable suspicion that you have violated this Policy or the law. The investigation will be reasonable and related to the suspected violation.

d. Your parents have the right at any time to request to see the contents of your files.

3. Due Process

a. The School will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation related to any illegal activities conducted through the LPUMS network.

b. In the event there is a claim that you have violated this Policy or the Guam Department of Education Policies and Regulations in your use of the LPUMS network, you and your parent will be provided with a written notice of the suspected violation and will be provided with notice and opportunity to be heard in the manner set forth in the school’s discipline policy.

c. If the behavior also involves a violation of other provisions of the school’s discipline policy, it will be handled in that manner. Additional restrictions may be placed on your use of your Internet account.

E. Limitation of Liability

The School makes no guarantee that the functions or the services provided by or through the LPUMS system will be error-free or without defect. The School will not be responsible for any damage you may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service. The school is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through the Internet or stored on the system. The school will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system. You, the learner, are responsible for your actions and verifying the quality of information accessed.

F. Personal Responsibility

Whenever you use a computer or network, you leave little “electronic footprints” that tell network administrators where you have been and what you have been doing. It is your personal responsibility to follow this LPUMS Student Acceptable Use Policy. The expectation is that each student has personal integrity and pride. As you develop into a young adult, appropriate and ethical use will be necessary in your future workplace and college career.

Please treat school equipment with respect. The following is a limited list of items that can cause damage to computers and Audio/ Visual equipment:

Food/ Drinks/ Candy
Magnets
Balls/ Toys/ Horseplay
Rough Handling
Tampering of Equipment

Please tell your teacher immediately, if you see anyone treating school equipment carelessly.

Consequences:

The following consequences to infractions of the LPUMS Student Acceptable Use Policy are as follows:

1^st Infraction: - Verbal warning by teacher.

- Parent/Guardian called.

- Account or access denied for 5 school days. Student is still accountable for assigned work. Note from parent/guardian required to re-activate account or access explaining how child will adhere to this AUP policy.

2^nd Infraction : - Referral to the Administration.

- Mandatory Parent Conference

- Account or access denied for 20 school days. Student is still accountable for assigned work. Note from parent/guardian required to re-activate account or access explaining how child will adhere to this policy.

3^rd Infraction: - Referral to the Administration.

- Mandatory Parent Conference

- Account or access denied for the remainder of the school year.

** Note: If infraction constitutes a violation of school or district policy, immediate action (police, authority) will be administered according to School Discipline Plan as outlined in the Student/Parent Handbook and NO ACCESS will be allowed for the remainder of the year at LPUMS. Damage to computer equipment or school network will require restitution.