DRAFT
Internet Ethics Unit of Instruction for Grossmont Union High School District Students
DRAFT
Contents
I. Introduction
II. The Internet
III. The GRONET
IV. Getting Started
V. Who Is Watching?
VI. School Conduct Codes
VII. Moral and Ethical Issues
VIII. Electronic Libraries
IX. Using the Resources
X. Electronic Field Trips
XI. Expected Behavior
XII. Legal Issues
XIII. Board Policy
XIV. Consent and Waiver Form
XV. True/False Test
Grossmont Union High School District
GRONET and the Internet
Student Network Access Ethics Unit
I. INTRODUCTION
The next five years will radically change the way your school relates to the
world. The information super highway is becoming a reality. From your
school you will be able to travel all over the world to gather information. As
more people travel this electronic highway, maps to find information and
rules to keep traveling safe become vital to successfully completing the
journey.
GRONET, the Grossmont Union High School District Network, and the
INTERNET represent powerful educational resources which will allow you to
find information in this world-wide electronic network. You will be able to
connect to businesses, major universities, national libraries, other schools
and other students around the world.
Just as you learn social codes and behaviors which are acceptable at your
school, you need to learn the correct procedures and rules for using the
network of information services. We demand that all students obey the
guidelines. If you break any of these rules, you will not be allowed to
continue to use the system.
At the beginning of each school year, you and your parents have to sign the
behavior code which means that you are aware of the school rules and the
consequences which result if these rules are broken. At the end of this unit,
you and your parents will be asked to sign a similar type of statement so the
school will know that you are aware of the proper procedures for using the
Internet and the Gronet. This signed statement becomes your permission slip
to take trips on the information highway.
II. The INTERNET
The Internet is a global network made up of many smaller contributing
networks to support the open exchange of information among many different
kinds of institutions all over the world. This system gives immediate access
to information. It's like being able to open every book in any library from
your computer. You can look at (and print out) articles, documents and
pictures that you can use in your classes. You can even get current facts about
news, weather and sports.
III. The GRONET
The Grossmont Union High School District Network is called GRONET and
is one of the networks that make up the Internet. Each Grossmont District
High School is connected to GRONET and Internet in its library and other
locations such as student computer centers. The GRONET makes sharing
information and communicating with the other schools and the district
offices possible. This network supports activities which have educational
value for administration, teachers and students
IV. GETTING STARTED
Before you begin to use these exciting research tools, it is important to your
teachers, your parents and your school administrators that you understand
the many consequences of the new computer connections that you wish to
make on the Internet or the Gronet. It is important that you understand that
your use of this powerful educational tool is a privilege. It can provide you
with countless hours of exploration and use. Like your drivers license
though, its use can be taken from you for breaking the rules.
The Internet does include some material that is not suited for students. The
intent of the Grossmont Union High School District is to use connections on
the Internet only for purposes consistent with our approved curriculum.
Also, the Gronet has limited resources, and classrooms have limited time
available for network-supported teaching and learning activities. So, anyone
who uses the network illegally or improperly will lose the privilege of using
it. Additionally, you cannot use the GRONET for commercial or for-profit
services. This packet of rules will detail for you what is the proper way to use
this communications tool.
V. WHO IS WATCHING?
The Internet and GRONET are "public places." You must always remember
that you are sharing this space with many other users. Potentially millions of
individuals at the same time may be interacting across the network. Your
actions can be monitored by others on the network. If you use a particular
service on the network, chances are good that someone knows the
connections that you are making, knows about the computer shareware that
you have borrowed, and knows what you looked at while you were in the
system. Because these connections are granted to you as part of the larger
scope of the curriculum, the Grossmont District reserves the right to monitor
all traffic on the network. We do this to make sure that the Network
continues to function properly for all of its users.
VI. SCHOOL CONDUCT CODES
Your school has a behavior code for all students that details appropriate
school behavior, outlines rights, and sets expectations for students. Because
the Grossmont Union High School District's GRONET is used as part of a
school activity, the school's code of conduct applies to network activities as
well. Therefore, the network use policy is an extension of the school's
behavior code. These rules apply to vandalism of computer equipment,
unauthorized access to information, computer piracy, hacking, and any
tampering with hardware or software.
These rules also apply to the electronic use of harassing and abusive or
obscene language. You may not use the network to annoy, harass, or offend
other people.
Other types of damage and information loss to a computer system are viruses
and worms. If you are responsible for a computer becoming infected with
viruses or worms, you will be held liable.
VII. MORAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES
The moral and ethical issues involving the use of world-wide information
systems deal with the appropriate access to information, the type of
information, and the behavior of the user. The Grossmont District wants to
provide you with a stimulating educational environment, but at the same
time, we want to protect you from information that is not appropriate for
students to use.
The Governing Board wants you to use this valuable educational tool, but at
the same time we cannot condone the use of inappropriate information on
the Internet. We simply acknowledge the fact that these materials exist and
then do everything we can to actively avoid them. We cannot weed out all of
the materials that are unacceptable for the high school student, but it should
be clearly understood by all students that access to such material in any form
is strictly forbidden. The network is designed to achieve and support
instructional goals, and any information that does not support classroom
learning is to be avoided.
Although the actual percentage of unacceptable materials is small, it can cause
concern for students and parents if a student stumbles onto the information
while doing legitimate research. If you have a question or concern regarding
any information you find, contact your teacher or computer lab operator.
VIII. ELECTRONIC LIBRARIES
Guidelines for access to information have already been established in the
Library Bill of Rights of 1980. These principles can be applied to the Internet.
This document states that "attempts to restrict access to library materials
violate the basic tenets of the Library Bill of Rights;" however, school
librarians are required to devise collections that are "consistent with the
philosophy, goals, and objectives of the school district." This means that
students have the right to information, but the school has the right to restrict
any information that does not apply to the approved curriculum.
It is not farfetched to consider the Internet as a vast digital library. After all,
the electronic database and information search tools it uses are rapidly
becoming part of school media centers and libraries, and many public libraries
are beginning to offer some type of network access as part of their services.
The GRONET is beginning to provide just such a connection to establish
direct access to appropriate materials that support curricular concerns.
IX. USING THE RESOURCES
It may seem that there is no limit to the resources on the Internet, but the
GRONET has a limited capacity to handle traffic. This means the more users
there are on the network, the more congested the Network becomes. If there
are too many users at any given time, the traffic on the network grinds to a
crawl, just like a traffic jam on a freeway. Some users may be cut off
altogether. Although the network may slow down, it will continue to
function. The following list will help avoid "gridlock."
*Do not tie up the Network with idle activities.
*Do not play games with others on the Network or on the Internet.
Networks are not designed for computer games. It is NOT Nintendo. Play
games on your own time and on your own equipment.
*Do not download huge files from places half a globe away. Only take
the information you want and need. The best thing to do is get into the
Internet, get what you need, and get out. Remember, there are many students
who need to use this system.
X. ELECTRONIC FIELD TRIPS
The Internet and the GRONET offer many opportunities for "electronic field
trips" to distant locations. The Grossmont Union High School District
considers all connections to remote locations as field trips. Therefore, the
rules that apply to student conduct on field trips apply to these electronic field
trips as well. It is important that you realize you are acting as an ambassador
for your school. Just as parental permission slips are required before students
may take field trips, your parents have to give you permission for electronic
field trips by signing the attached waiver form.
XI. EXPECTED BEHAVIOR
You are expected to use the Network to pursue intellectual activities, seek
resources, access libraries and find international friends. We want you to
explore this new "space", and discover what is available there. This resource
is new to all of us. So, we want you to learn new things and share that new
found knowledge with your friends, your parents and your teachers.
When you are using the computer network and communicating with others
in remote or even close locations, keep the following in mind: (1)You cannot
see them; (2) You cannot tell how old they are or even what sex they are;
(3)They can tell you anything, and you cannot always be sure what they are
telling you is true; and (4)Absolute privacy cannot be guaranteed in a network
environment. So, you need to think carefully about what you say and how
you say it.
For your own safety and for the safety of others, remember to exercise caution
when you are communicating with people in the outside world. Do not give
out your home phone number or your address to anyone. They do not need
to have that information. If you feel there is a problem or if you feel
uncomfortable with the information someone is giving you, tell your teacher
or computer lab operator immediately.
By the same token, you may not harass other users. You don't want to run
the risk of breaking the law by bothering other people. If a user on the
Network asks that you no longer send them mail or in any other way contact
them, you are obliged to stop all contact immediately. You may feel you have
the right of freedom of expression, but others have the right to be free from
harassment.
XII. LEGAL ISSUES
A. The Law
The state of California passed a computer crime bill in December of 1979.
The bill added section 502 to the Penal code making it a felony to
intentionally access any computer system or network for the purpose of:
(1) devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud or extort or
(2) obtaining money, property, or services with false or fraudulent
intent, representations, or promises.
It is also a felony to maliciously access, alter, delete, damage or destroy any
computer system, computer network, computer program, or data.
Penalties include fines up to $5000 and/or imprisonment in the state prison
for up to three years or the county jail for up to one year. Anyone committing
acts of this kind will face police charges, and disciplinary action by the school.
The person will be punished to the full extent of the law.
Some examples of offenses are removing another user's accounts, changing
other user's passwords, using an unauthorized account, damaging any files,
altering the system, or using the system to make money illegally. You cannot
cause damage to any school or District property. This includes the network
system.
B. Plagiarism
The dictionary defines plagiarism as "taking ideas or writings from another
person and offering them as your own." The student who leads readers to
believe that what they are reading is the student's original work when it is
not is guilty of plagiarism. Credit should always be given to the person who
created the article or the idea.
Be careful when you are using the Internet. Cutting and pasting ideas into
your own document is very easy to do. So, be sure that you give credit to the
author. That way your teacher will know which ideas are yours, and you
won't be guilty of plagiarism.
C. Copyright
Copyright is another issue altogether. According to the Copyright Act of 1976,
"Fair Use" means that you may freely use any information that you legally
find on the Internet as long as you do so only for scholarly purposes. You
may not plagiarize or sell what you find.
Suppose, for example, that you find a copy of Microsoft Works© on the
Internet. Could you legally copy it? The answer is NO. This is copyrighted
software. You have to purchase software packages before you use them
legally. Suppose you find an article about the use of Microsoft Works© on
the Internet. Can you legally copy it? The answer is yes, as long as you give
credit to the author and do not sell the article for profit.
XIII. GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD POLICY
The Grossmont Union High School District declares unethical and
unacceptable behavior just cause for taking disciplinary action, revoking
networking privileges, and/or initiating legal action for any activity through
which an individual:
* Uses the Network for illegal, inappropriate, or obscene purposes, or in
support of such activities. Illegal activities shall be defined as a
violation of local, state, and/or federal laws. Inappropriate use shall be
defined as a violation of the intended use of the network, and/or
purpose and goal. Obscene activities shall be defined as a violation of
generally accepted social standards for use of a publicly-owned and
operated communication vehicle;
* Uses the Network for any illegal activity, including violation of
copyrights or other contracts violating such matters as institutional or
third party copyright, license agreements and other contracts;
* Intentionally disrupts network traffic or crashes the network and
connected systems;
* Degrades or disrupts equipment or system performance;
* Uses the Grossmont Union High School District computing resources
for commercial or financial gain or fraud;
* Steals data, equipment, or intellectual property;
* Gains unauthorized access of others' files, or vandalizes the data of
another user;
* Gains or seeks to gain unauthorized access to resources or entities;
* Forges electronic mail messages, or uses an account owned by another
user;
* Wastefully uses finite resources;
* Invades the privacy of individuals;
* Posts anonymous messages;
* Saves ANY information to public hard drives;
* Possesses any data which might be considered a violation of these rules
in paper, magnetic (disk), or any other form.
A. Consequences of Violations
Consequences of violations include but are not limited to:
* Suspension of Internet access;
* Revocation of Internet access;
* Suspension of Network privileges;
* Revocation of Network privileges;
* Suspension of computer access;
* Revocation of computer access;
* School suspension;
* School expulsion;
* Legal action and prosecution by the authorities.
B. Remedies and Recourses
If you are accused of any of the violations, you have all of the rights and
privileges that you would have if you were accused of school vandalism,
fighting and so forth.
The District has the right to restrict or terminate Network and Internet access
at any time for any reason. The District further has the right to monitor
Network activity in any form that it sees fit to maintain the integrity of the
Network.
The Grossmont Union High School District
GRONET and Internet Access
CONSENT AND WAIVER
The following form must be read and signed by you and your parent or legal
guardian.
By signing the Consent and Waiver form attached, I _________________
(print name here) and my parent(s) or guardian(s) agree to abide by the
following restrictions. I have discussed these rights and responsibilities with
my parent(s) or guardian(s).
Further, my parent(s) or guardian(s) and I have been advised that the District
does not have control of the information on the Internet, although it
attempts to provide prudent and available barriers. Other sites accessible via
the Internet may contain material that is illegal, defamatory, inaccurate or
potentially offensive to some people. While The Grossmont Union High
School District's intent is to make Internet access available to further its
educational goals and objectives, account holders will have the ability to
access other materials as well.
The District believes that the benefits to educators and students from access to
the Internet, in the form of information resources and opportunities for
collaboration, far exceed any disadvantages of access. But ultimately, the
parent(s) and guardian(s) of minors are responsible for setting and conveying
the standards that their student should follow. To that end, the District
supports and respects each family's right to decide whether or not to apply for
Grossmont Union High School District Network access.
Any questions should be directed to Warren Williams at the District office
(465-3131x332).
The student and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) must understand that
student access to the Grossmont Union High School District Network is
being developed to support the District's educational responsibilities and
mission. The specific conditions and services being offered will change from
time to time. In addition, the Grossmont Union High School District makes
no warranties with respect to the Grossmont Union High School District
Network service, and it specifically assumes no responsibilities for:
A. The content of any advice or information received by a student from a
source outside the District, or any costs or charges incurred as a result of
seeing or accepting such advice;
B. Any costs, liability or damages caused by the way the student chooses to
use his/her District Network access;
C. Any consequences of service interruptions or changes, even if these
disruptions arise from circumstances under the control of The District;
D. While The Grossmont Union High School District supports the privacy of
electronic mail, students must assume that this cannot be guaranteed.
By signing this form I agree to the following terms:
1. My use of the Grossmont Union High School DistrictÕs Network must be
consistent with the Grossmont Union High School District's primary goals.
2. I will not use the Grossmont Union High School District Network for
illegal purposes of any kind.
3. I will not use the Grossmont Union High School District Network to
transmit threatening, obscene, or harassing materials. The District will not
be held responsible if you participate in such activities. In fact, by
completing this unit of instruction, you agree that the Grossmont District is
not responsible for such behavior on your part.
4. I will not use the Grossmont Union High School District Network to
interfere with or disrupt network users, services or equipment.
Disruptions include, but are not limited to, distribution of unsolicited
advertising, propagation of computer worms and viruses, and using the
network to make unauthorized entry to any other machine accessible via
the network. I will print only to my local printer.
5. It is assumed that information and resources accessible via the Grossmont
Union High School District Network are private to the individuals and
organizations which own or hold rights to those resources and information
unless specifically stated otherwise by the owners or holders of rights.
Therefore, I will not use the Grossmont Union High School District
Network to access information or resources unless permission to do so has
been granted by the owners or holders of rights to those resources or
information.
Student Name Grade
(Please Print)
Student Signature Date
School
Parent/Guardian Name Date
(Please Print)
Signature