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Acceptable Use Policy and Plagiarism

Acceptable Use Policy - (District wide)

(
Adopted from Board of Education Policy and Administrative Regulation #5140)

The Board of Education and the administration believe in the educational value of such computer systems and recognize their potential to support our curriculum by expanding resources available for staff and student use.  Our goal in providing this service is to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation and communication.

These computer systems are expensive to purchase, install, and maintain. As the property of the district, these computer systems must be carefully handled and their integrity preserved for the benefit of all. Therefore, access to the computer systems is a privilege, and not a right. Students will be required to adhere to a set of policies and procedures, as set forth in detail below. Violations may lead to withdrawal of the access privilege and/or disciplinary measures in accordance with the Board’s student discipline policy.

 Students are responsible for good behavior on school computer systems just as they are in a classroom or a school hallway.  Communications on the computer systems are often public in nature and general school rules for behavior and communications apply.  It is expected that users will comply with district standards and will act in a responsible and legal manner, at all times in accordance with district standards, as well as with state and federal laws.

 It is important that students and parents understand that the district, as the owner of the computer systems, reserves the right to monitor and review the use of these computer systems.  The district intends to monitor and review in a limited fashion, but will do so as needed to ensure that the systems are being used for district-related educational purposes.

 As part of the monitoring and reviewing process, the district will retain the capacity to bypass any individual password of a student or other user.  The system’s security aspects, such as personal passwords and the message delete function for e-mail; can be bypassed for these purposes.  The district’s ability to monitor and review is not restricted or neutralized by these devices.  The monitoring and reviewing process also includes oversight of internet site access and of document downloading and printing.

 Therefore, all users must be aware that they should not have any expectation of personal privacy in the use of these computer systems.

Student Conduct

Students are permitted to use the district’s computer systems for legitimate educational purposes.  Personal use of district computer systems is expressly prohibited.  Conduct, which constitutes inappropriate use, includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • sending any form of harassing, threatening, or intimidating message, at any time, to any person, (such communications may also be a crime);
  • gaining or seeking to gain unauthorized access to computer systems;
  • damaging computers, computer files, computer systems or computer networks;
  • downloading or modifying computer software of the district in violation of the district’s license agreement(s) and/or without authorization from a teacher or administrator;
  • using another person’s password under any circumstances;
  • trespassing in or tampering with any other person’s folders, work or files;
  • sending any message that breaches the district’s confidentiality requirements, or the confidentiality of students;
  • sending any copyrighted material over the system;
  • using computer systems for any personal purpose, or in a manner that interferes with the district’s educational programs;
  • accessing or attempting to access any material that is obscene, contains child pornography, or is harmful to minors, as defined above;
  • transmitting or receiving e-mail communications or accessing information on the internet for non-educational purposes;
  • cyber-bullying, defined as use of computer systems including e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, blogging or the use ofsocial networking websites, or other forms of electronic communications, to commit acts of bullying.

In addition, as noted above, if a particular behavior or activity is generally prohibited by law, by Board policy or by school rules or regulations, use of these computer systems for carrying out such behavior or activity is also prohibited.

Misuse of the computer systems, violations of these policies and regulations, may result in loss of access to such computer systems as well as other disciplinary action, including suspension and/or expulsion, depending on the specific conduct.

Anyone who is aware of problems with, misuse of these computer systems, or has a question regarding the proper use of these computer systems, should report this to his or her teacher or principal immediately.  Most importantly, the Board and the administration urge any student who receives any harassing, threatening, intimidating, or other improper message through the computer system to report this immediately.  It is the Board’s policy that no student should be required to tolerate such treatment, regardless of the identity of the sender of the message.  Please report these events!



 Plagiarism (as defined by Webster’s Online Dictionary) is “the act of using another person’s words or ideas without giving credit to that person.” 

Academic dishonesty is taken very seriously here at THS.  Here are examples of academic dishonesty:

-plagiarism (the use of someone else’s words or ideas without giving him/her credit)
-cheating (sharing ideas or information with others when you haven’t been instructed to do so)
-buying, taking or receiving a paper written or translated by someone else
-turning in the same paper or assignment two or more times for credit without teacher authorization

The Consequences at THS:

-1 detention to 5 days suspension

-A zero on the assignment

-Loss of course credit after repeated offenses

How do I avoid plagiarism?
  see Citing Sources 

Looking for more information?
 
see How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Writing