Internet Safety Policy

TITLE – Internet Safety Procedure

Change History:

= Change 1 dated 6 March 2= 004. Section 4.0 Weblog

1.0 Purpose

In October 2000, Congress passed the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), which requires schools and libraries that r= eceive federal funds for discounted telecommunications, Internet access, or intern= al connections services to adopt an Internet safety policy and employ technological protections that block or filter certain visual depictions de= emed obscene, pornographic, or harmful to minors The purpose of this policy identifies the DCPS technology protection measures and processes put in place to block or filter browser access.

2.0 Scope

The scope of this procedure defines specific technology measures and establishes a formal process for review of World Wide Web Sites accessed by adults and students of DCPS.

3.0 Policy

All student's access to and use of the Internet will be under the teacher's direction and monitored as a regular instructional activity. The district has taken reasonable precautions to filter inappropr= iate Internet material via filtering mechanisms. These mechanisms are not entire= ly effective in blocking access and, therefore, the district cannot guarantee = that students will not gain access to inappropriate material. The first line of defense to prevent students’ accessing inappropriate material is the individual teacher.

4.0 Technology Equipment

D= uval <= st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">County Public Schoo= l ut= ilizes an R2000 Internet Filtering Server manufactured by 8e6 Technologies = to “watch” all World Wide Web network traffic on the DCPS network.= The WWW site database is updated on a nightly basis by 8e6 Technologies. This equipment enforces the filtration policy set by DCPS Senior Leadership.

The Internet Filtering Server contains an extensive li= brary of categorized web sites. These categories may be viewed at the following w= eb site:

http://= 209.11.160.49/products/datab/pd_86db_categories.htm

The following categories have been selected to filter.=

Pornography - CIPA required - Prevent access to pornography by minors
Obscene & Tasteless - CI= PA required - Prevent access to inappropriate material by minors.
Web-based E-mail - CIPA requ= ired – Ensure the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications. Prevent unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors. Prevent Virus propagation= via external e-mail systems with inadequate or nonexistent anti-virus protection.
Chat - CIPA required - Ensur= e the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, = and other forms of direct electronic communications. Prevent unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification informat= ion regarding minors.
Criminal Skills - CIPA requi= red – Restrict minors’ access to materials harmful to minors a= nd prevent unauthorized access, including so-called `hacking', and other unlawful activities by minors online.
Spyware /Adware - District required - Prevent access to sites that contain software th= at may be used to monitor online activities, monitor e-mail, record chat = and instant messaging, keystroke logging, disclose district internal information, etc.
Public Proxies - District Re= quired - Prevent users from bypassing Internet Filtering Server.
Web Logs – District re= quired - Prevent unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors. Blocking of sites in this category will be decided on a per site basis.

5.0 Process

To request that a website be blocked due to the obscen= e or pornographic content, the principal or designee will need to send an e-mail= to abuse@duvalschools.org w= ith the subject line “BLOCK WEB SITE” and a copy to their Regional superintendent. The e-mail ne= eds to state that:

1= ) they have reviewed the site personally (give the site address)

2= ) it is truly obscene or pornographic, and

3= ) it has no instructional value at the Elementary through High School level.

Once the e-mail is received, appropriate staff will immediately filter the web site and inform the vendor to include the site in their global database. The site will be blocked for all Internet Users on t= he DCPS network.

To request a site be blocked that is not obscen= e or pornographic, but is exceptionally inappropriate or harmful to minors, the principal or designee will need to send an e-mail to their Regional Superintendent stating that:

1= ) he has personally reviewed the site (give the complete site address),

2= ) classroom management techniques are inadequate to prevent student access to the site,= and

3= ) the site has no instructional value at the Elementary through High School level= .

Also, provide an explanati= on why the site should be blocked. T= he Regional Superintendent will review the site and bring the request to all of the Regional Superintendents for approval.= After all Regional Superintendents have approved that the site be blocked, the Chief of Staff will then e-mail the approved request to abuse@duvalschools.org.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Once the e-mail is received, appro= priate staff will pass on the request to the vendor providing the web site filter. The site will be bloc= ked for all Internet users using this filter.

Since this is a form of censorship, the district expec= ts the requesting person to ensure a site is truly pornographic, obscene, or exceptionally offensive and is not appropriate for any grade or subject area prior to requesting a site blocked. A decision to filter a web site will af= fect everyone on the DCPS network.

Similar procedures can be followed to have an Internet= site unblocked by sending an e-mail to your Regional Superintendent, requesting the site be unblocked and describing the instructional value of the site and why it sho= uld be unblocked.

6.0 Definitions<= /p>

· = Obscenity - <= /b>The United States Supreme Court test= for obscenity is (a) whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurie= nt interest; (b) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law; and (= c) whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

·      = Child pornography – Visual depictions of        <= /span>sexually explicit conduct of minors.

·      = Harmful to Minors – Any picture, image, graphic image, or other visual depiction that:

1.      taken as a whole, and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex or excretion<= /o:p>

2.      depicts, describes, or represents in= a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, and act= ual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals

3.    taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as = to minors.