INTERNET SAFETY POLICY

 

Introduction

It is the policy of Savoy ISD to: (a) prevent user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, or other forms of direct electronic communications; (b) prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; (c) prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors, and (d) comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. No. 106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)].

 

Definitions

Key terms are as defined in the Children's Internet Protection Act.

 

Access to Inappropriate Material

To the extent practical, Technology Protection Measures (or "Internet filters") shall be used to block or filter Internet, or other forms of electronic communications, access to inappropriate information.

 

Specifically, as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act, blocking shall be applied to visual depictions of material deemed obscene or child pornography, or to any material deemed harmful to minors.

 

Subject to staff supervision, technology protection measures may be disabled or, in the case of minors, minimized only for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.

 

Inappropriate Network Usage

To the extent practical, steps shall be taken to promote the safety and security of users of the Savoy ISD online computer network when using electronic mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, and other forms of direct electronic communications.

 

Specifically, as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act, prevention of inappropriate network usage includes: (a) unauthorized access, including so-called

"hacking," and other unlawful activities; and (b) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors.

 

Inappropriate network usage may also include any of the following:

 

Technology Protection Measures

Savoy ISD currently provides the following Technology Protection Measures:

 

o       Web page content filtering, provided by district owned and managed content filter.  Each web page requested on any computer in the District's network is compared to a managed list of known offensive or unacceptable sites.  Objectionable sites are blocked, and access is refused.  This type of system is known as a transparent filter, and cannot be bypassed, only allowed via policies.

o         Access protection via Network Address Translation.  All student and faculty workstations do not have "real" internet addresses, instead have "private" network address that must be translated to access the internet.

o         Electronic Mail is protected via an elaborate system that provides a border mail server which checks, filters and approves incoming messages before delivering to the District internal E-mail Server.  This system provides the following checks against each individual message.

o        Senders that are listed on RBL databases (Real time Black List) of spammers.

o        Message bodies that may have attachments contained on a list of known virus payloads.

o        Checked for valid sender addresses before acceptance of message.

o         Local workstation virus protection

 

Supervision and Monitoring

It shall be the responsibility of all members of the Savoy ISD Technology staff to supervise and monitor usage of the online computer network and access to the Internet in accordance with this policy and the Children's Internet protection Act.

 

Procedures for the disabling or otherwise modifying any technology protection measures shall be the responsibility of Director of Technology or designated representatives.

 

Such procedures for disabling any technology protection measure shall be authorized, in such cases as bona-fide research, by the Savoy ISD Superintendent.

 

 Adoption

The Board of Trustees for Savoy ISD adopted this Internet Safety Policy at a public meeting, following a public hearing, during the regular Board of Trustees meeting, on January 20, 2005.

 

CIPA definitions of terms:

 

TECHNOLOGY PROTECTION MEASURE.

The term "technology protection measure" means a specific technology that blocks or filters Internet access to visual depictions that are:

        o   OBSCENE, as that term is defined in section 1460 of title 18, United States Code;

        o   CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, as that term is defined in section 2256 of title 18, United States Code; or Harmful to minors.

HARMFUL TO MINORS.

The term "harmful to minors" means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:

o         Taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

o         Depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and

o         Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

 

SEXUAL ACT; SEXUAL CONTACT.

The terms "sexual act" and "sexual contact" have the meanings given such terms in section 2246 of title 18, United States Code.