POLICY REGARDING STUDENT USE OF THE DISTRICT'S COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND INTERNET SAFETY

                                                                                    Policy 5500

                                                                                    Students

POLICY REGARDING STUDENT USE OF THE DISTRICT'S COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND INTERNET SAFETY

            Computers, computer networks, electronic devices, Internet access, and e-mail are effective and important technological resources.  The Meriden Board Education (the “Board”) has installed computers and a computer network, including Internet access and an e-mail system, on Board premises and may provide other electronic devices that can access the network such as wireless and/or portable electronic hand-held equipment that can be used for word processing, wireless Internet access, image capture and recording, sound recording, information transmitting and/or receiving, storing etc. (including, but not limited to, laptops, Kindles, radios, I-Pads, Chromebooks or other tablet computers).  The Board’s computers, computer network, electronic devices, Internet access, and e-mail are referred to collectively as "the computer systems" and are provided in order to enhance both the educational opportunities for our students and the business operations of the district. 

            These computer systems are business and educational tools.  As such, they are made available to students in the district for education-related uses.  The Administration shall develop regulations setting forth procedures to be used by the Administration in an effort to ensure that such computer systems are used by students solely for education-related purposes.  The Board will educate minor students about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response.  Additionally, the Board will implement a technology protection measure to block or filter Internet access to visual depictions that contain material that is obscene or obscene as to minors or contains child pornography, and ensure that such filtering technology is operative during computer use by minor students to the extent practicable when such students are using Board-owned computers or devices and Board-provided Internet access. 

            As the owner of the computer systems, the Board reserves the right to monitor the use of the district’s computers and computer systems.

Legal References:      

Conn.  Gen. Stat. § 10-221

Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-182b; 53a-183; 53a-250

Electronic Communication Privacy Act of 1986, Public Law 99-508, codified at 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510 through 2520

Children’s Internet Protection Act, Pub. L. 106-554, codified at 47 U.S.C. § 254(h)

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-110, codified at 20 U.S.C. § 6777

Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, Pub. Law 110-385, codified at 47 U.S.C. § 254(h)(5)(B)(iii)

ADOPTED:    November 17, 2015

Amended:       December 6, 2016

Amended:       April 20, 2021