Technology use is an important part of educating children to live in the 21st century. This technology includes computer hardware, software, networks, and access to the Internet. Due to the nature of technology and the magnitude of potential information available to students who use technology resources, the Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education has guidelines regarding appropriate use of technology in order to serve the educational needs of students.

Students accessing any network services from any school computer shall comply with the Griffin-Spalding County Schools’ policies and procedures for appropriate behavior. Administrative staff and teachers reserve the right to monitor any and all use of technology resources by students, including electronic mail and Internet use.

While the Internet is an extremely valuable tool for educational purposes, there may be content that is not appropriate to community, school, and family standards. It is the belief that technology, including access to the Internet, far outweighs the disadvantages. The Griffin-Spalding County Schools, through its wide area network or through filtered hotspots, provides an Internet screening system which blocks access to a large percentage of inappropriate sites. It should not be assumed, however, that users are completely shielded from accessing inappropriate material. There is no screening system that guarantees 100 percent filtering.

Users violating the Griffin-Spalding County Schools appropriate use policy shall be subject to disciplinary action according to the system discipline matrix.

Procedures are in place for the protection of the student and the protection of Griffin-Spalding County Schools’ technology resources. The student will be held accountable for any violation of the following policies. Students and their parents and/or guardians will be responsible for damages and liable for costs incurred for service or repair due to malicious acts or technology use violations.

Examples of PROHIBITED conduct include but are NOT limited to the following: Accessing, sending, creating or posting information or communications that are damaging abusive, obscene, sexually oriented, threatening or demeaning, harassing, or illegal.

A. Posting or plagiarizing work by another person.

B. Posting anonymous or forging communications.

C. Attempting to read, alter, delete, or copy the communications of others.

D. Giving out personal information including, but not limited to, mailing addresses, social security numbers, credit card or checking account information.

E. Using technology resources for activities not compliant with copyright laws.

F. Loading or using games, public domain, shareware, VPN’s, or any other unauthorized program on any school equipment.

G. Purposefully infecting any technology equipment with computer virus or program designed to damage, alter, destroy, or provide access to unauthorized data or information.

H. Gaining access or attempting to gain access to unauthorized or restricted network resources.

I. Altering or attempting to alter the configuration of a computer, the operating system, or software.

J. Attempting to vandalize, disconnect, or disassemble technology resources.

Disclaimer

The Griffin-Spalding County Schools makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the services it is providing. The school system will not be responsible for any damages suffered by any user. This includes, but is not limited to loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, or service interruptions of technology resources caused by its own negligence, user errors or omissions, or external forces. Griffin-Spalding County Schools specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its Internet services.