Board Policy

BP 1113

Community Relations

District And School Web Sites

To enhance communication with students, parents/guardians, staff, community members and the public at large, the Board of Education encourages the development and ongoing maintenance of district and school web sites on the Internet. Web sites shall support the educational vision of the district and shall be consistent with the district's plans for communications and media relations.

(cf. 0000 - Vision)

(cf. 0200 - Goals for the School District)

(cf. 0440 - District Technology Plan)

(cf. 1100 - Communication with the Public)

(cf. 1112 - Media Relations)

(cf. 3312 - Contracts)

(cf. 4040 - Employee Use of Technology)

(cf. 5124 - Communication with Parents/Guardians)

(cf. 5145.2 - Freedom of Speech/Expression: Publications Code)

(cf. 6010 - Goals and Objectives)

(cf. 6145.3 - Publications)

(cf. 6145.5 - Student Organization and Equal Access)

(cf. 6162.7 - Use of Technology in Instruction)

(cf. 6163.4 - Student Use of Technology)

The Superintendent or designee shall develop guidelines regarding the content of district and school web sites which shall include standards for the ethical and responsible use of information and technology. These guidelines shall be consistent with law, Board policy and administrative regulation.

District and school web sites shall not include content which is obscene, libelous or slanderous, or which creates a clear and present danger of inciting students to commit unlawful acts on school premises, violate school rules or substantially disrupt the school's orderly operation.

Any links to external sites shall follow the same guidelines applicable to district and school web sites.

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that copyright laws are not violated in the use of material on district or school web sites.

(cf. 4132/4232/4332 - Publication or Creation of Materials)

(cf. 6162.6 - Use of Copyrighted Materials)

Content

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that web site content protects the privacy rights of students, parents/guardians, staff, Board members and other individuals.

No personal information about students or their parents/guardians, including phone numbers, home addresses or e-mail addresses, shall be published on a district or school web page. Student directory information shall not be published if parents/guardians have requested that it be withheld.

(cf. 1340 - Access to District Records)

(cf. 4119.23/4219.23/4319.23 - Unauthorized Release of Confidential/Privileged Information)

(cf. 5125 - Student Records)

(cf. 5125.1 - Release of Directory Information)

(cf. 5145.1 - Privacy)

Photographs of students shall be used only with written permission from the students' parents/guardians.

Home addresses or telephone numbers of staff members shall not be posted.

District and school web sites shall not post the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official without the prior written permission of that individual. (Government Code 6254.21)

(cf. 1100 - Communication with the Public)

No public safety officer shall be required as a condition of employment to consent to the use on the Internet of his/her photograph or identity as a public safety officer for any purpose if that officer reasonably believes that the disclosure may result in a threat, harassment, intimidation or harm to the officer or his/her family. (Government Code 3307.5)

(cf. 3515.3 - District Police Department)

The Superintendent or designee may establish standards for the design of district and school web sites in order to maintain a consistent identity, professional appearance and ease of use.

Staff and students may submit materials for web site publication to the district or school webmaster who shall ensure that the content adheres to district guidelines and policies.

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

35182.5 Contracts for advertising

35258 Internet access to school accountability report cards

48907 Exercise of free expression; rules and regulations

48950 Speech and other communication

49073 Release of directory information

60048 Commercial brand names, contracts or logos

GOVERNMENT CODE

3307.5 Publishing identity of public safety officers

6254.21 Publishing addresses and phone numbers of board members

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 17

101-1101 Federal copyright law

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20

1232g Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 16

312.1-312.11 Children's Online Privacy

COURT DECISIONS

Aaris v. Las Virgenes Unified School District, (1998) 64 Cal.App.4th 1112

Perry Education Association v. Perry Local Educators' Association, (1983) 460 U.S. 37

Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District, et.al. v. Pico, (1982) 457 U.S. 853

Policy PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

adopted: December 11, 2000 Palos Verdes Estates, California