The Shaker Heights City School District shall make available to students and employees such information technology facilities as it decides are appropriate to further its educational mission.   School Information Technology Facilities may consist of numerous components including computer hardware, multimedia hardware, video equipment, computer software, documentation, communications support, on-line account administration, support services, Internet access, and instructional materials. This policy applies whenever one or more individuals utilize School Information Technology Facilities alone or in combination with other information technology facilities.

Users may only utilize School Information Technology Facilities for the following acceptable uses:

• Learning activities facilitating School instructional objectives.
• Research supporting educational or research programs sponsored by the School.
• Communications between faculty, staff, students and others outside the School District containing messages or information the content of which is not in conflict with this Policy.

Users may not utilize School Information Technology Facilities for unacceptable uses specifically including, but not limited to, the following:

• Infringing on the rights or liberties of others.
• Illegal or criminal use of any kind.
• Utilization involving communications, materials, information, data or images reasonably regarded as obscene, pornographic, threatening, abusive, harassing, discriminatory, or in violation or inconsistent with any other School policy.
• Accessing, viewing, printing, storing, transmitting, disseminating or selling any information in violation of law, privilege or an expectation of privacy.
• Causing or permitting materials protected by copyright, trademark, service mark, trade name, trade secret, confidentiality or proprietary data, or communications of another, to be uploaded to a computer or information system, published, broadcast, or in any way disseminated without authorization from the owner.
• Damaging or altering the operation, function, content or design of the School Information Technology Facilities.
• Granting access to the School Information Technology Facilities to individuals not authorized by the School either by intentional conduct such as disclosing passwords, or by unintentional conduct such as failing to log off.
• Commercial, profit-motivated, or partisan political use not related to School programs.

On-line services provide access to countless computer networks, some of which contain material which may be deemed offensive or inappropriate.   The School District is not responsible for the content of any materials students may access through on-line services.   The School District does not condone accessing offensive or inappropriate materials.

The School District retains the right to monitor and control any and all usage of its Information Technology Facilities.   This right explicitly includes the right to read electronic communications, if any.   No user should have any expectation of privacy regarding the use of the School Information Technology Facilities.

The Superintendent is authorized to adopt such rules as are appropriate to implement this policy, including requiring students and their parents to sign an acknowledgment that they have read and understand this Policy and agree to its terms.   All users of School Information Technology Facilities shall be given notice of this policy.

Adopted:   December 10, 1996