Internet access on the District's computer system is provided for staff and students as a means to enhance the educational mission and instructional programs of the School System, to further District goals and objectives, and to conduct research and communicate with others. In accordance with such educational mission and the instructional goals and objectives of the District, technology protection measures (i.e., filtering or blocking of access to certain material on the Internet) will be utilized on all District computers with Internet access to ensure the integrity of educational services and to address safety concerns regarding the online activities of minors. In accordance with The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), the term "minor" shall mean any individual who has not attained the age of seventeen (17) years.

Consequently, the District, unless an authorized "override" (i.e., disabling of the blocking or filtering measure) is permitted as enumerated below, will block or filter Internet access for both minors and adults to visual depictions that are:

1)     Obscene (as defined pursuant to CIPA and other applicable laws/regulations as may be

appropriate);

2)     Child pornography (as defined pursuant to CIPA and other applicable laws/regulations as may be appropriate);

3)     For computers used by minors with Internet access, are harmful to minors. The term "harmful to minors" is defined, pursuant to CIPA, as any picture, image,graphicimage file, or other visual depiction that:

a.      Taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

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

c.              T en as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to mmors.

In addition, the District will monitor, as deemed appropriate by the applicable building/program administrator and/or classroom teacher, access by minors to "inappropriate matter" on the Internet and World Wide Web. Per CIPA, the District is authorized to filter or block Internet access to other material determined to be inappropriate for minors. The determination of what is "inappropriate" for minors shall be made in accordance with District guidelines and, as appropriate, on a case-by-case determination depending upon the factors such as the age of the student, the material involved, and the educational purpose/research for which such material is utilized.

Further, in order to help ensure the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, and other forms of direct electronic communications, appropriate supervision will be provided by a classroom teacher and/or other appropriate District personnel; and notification will be given to minors regarding the prohibition as to unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal identification information regarding such students. Students will also be informed regarding unauthorized access to District computers and the Internet, including so-called "hacking," and other unlawful activities by minors online.

Parental and/or student consent, as may be applicable, shall be required prior to authorization for student use of District computers as a means to help ensure awareness/compliance with District rules and standards of acceptable behavior.

In accordance with New York State Education Law, the School District may provide, to students in grades kindergarten through twelve (12), instruction designed to promote the proper and safe use of the internet. The Commissioner  shall  provide technical  assistance  to assist  in the development  of curricula for such course of study which shall be age appropriate and developed according to the needs and abilities of students at successive grade levels in order to provide awareness, skills, information and support to aid in the safe usage of the internet.

In furtherance of the District's educational mission to enact safety measures to protect students when online, the District has adopted and will enforce its Internet Safety  Policy that includes the operation of technology protection measure(s) with respect to any of its computers with Internet access as  mandated  by  CIPA  and  also  in  accordance  with  the  District's  Acceptable  Use  Policies  and Regulations. The District shall enforce the operation of such technology protection measure(s) during any use of District computers in accordance  with CIPA and applicable Board policies and building procedures.

Furthermore, in accordance with law, the District Technology Coordinator may access all staff and student files, email, and electronic storage areas to ensure system integrity and that users are complying  with  the  requirements  of  CIPA  and  District  policy  and  procedures.  Additionally, dissemination  and/or  publication  of  the  District's  Acceptable  Use  Policy  and  Regulation  will  be utilized  as  one  means  to  further  ensure  the  implementation  of  safety  measures  and  appropriate notification to staff and students as to acceptable, as well as prohibited, conduct when using District computers  or  accessing the Internet  on such  computers. The standards  of acceptable  use as  well as prohibited conduct by staff and students when accessing District computers and the Internet, as outlined in the District's technology policies, are not intended to be all-inclusive. Staff and students who commit an act of misconduct which is not specifically addressed in District policy and/or regulation may also be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with law, the District Code of Conduct, and/or the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Legal action may also be initiated as deemed necessary by the Superintendent/designee.

However, no filtering or blocking technology has a one hundred percent (100%) guarantee that all sites accessed by staff and students are immediately filtered in compliance with law and District procedures. Consequently, if District personnel and/or students find an accessed site that is questionable, the procedure is  to contact the appropriate supervisor/teacher who will notify the Superintendent/designee. The  Superintendent/designee will  contact,  as  appropriate, the  service/ software provider and/or the District Technology Coordinator.

()   However, under certain specified circumstances, the blocking or filtering technology measure(s)

may be disabled for adults engaged in bona fide research or other lawful purposes. The power to

disable can only be exercised by an administrator, supervisor or other person authorized by the School

District.