St. Mary’s County Public Schools
Acceptable Use of Computer Systems and Other Electronic Devices
Guidelines for Students
St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) recognizes that access to and use of the Internet is an appropriate tool for instruction. Precautions are taken to attempt to ensure that the Internet is a safe learning environment for students.
In accordance with the SMCPS Network Usage Standards, all use of the network and email communications must be in support of education, research and professional usage that is consistent with the purposes of St. Mary's County Public Schools.
In accordance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), SMCPS utilizes filtering software in an attempt to block access to objectionable material.
Students will be supervised while using the Internet and will be instructed in the appropriate and safe use, selections, and evaluation of information.
Responsibilities:
Students will:
• Learn the SMCPS procedures for ethical, responsible, courteous, and legal use of computer systems.
• Let a staff member know if inappropriate material is found online.
• Access only those network resources which align with an instructional activity.
• Agree never to meet with anyone with whom they have met while using the Internet without asking for permission from parents.
• Take precautions to protect school computer systems from damage and/or theft.
Students shall not:
• Reveal personally identifiable information except in specific circumstances where prior written consent has been given.
• Intentionally seek information (i.e. passwords, files, settings) about other users, or misrepresent other users on the network.
• Destroy, modify, or abuse hardware and software in any way.
• Use the network to develop programs that harass other users, or to infiltrate a computer or computer system is prohibited. Hate mail, harassment, discriminatory remarks, and other antisocial behaviors are prohibited.
• Install illegal copies of copyrighted software on school computers.
• Use the network to access obscene or pornographic material is prohibited. Users cannot create, access, download, store, or print files, messages, or images that are abusive, harassing, libelous, obscene, offensive, profane, pornographic, depict gang affiliation, threatening, sexually explicit, or illegal material or that violate the SMCPS Code of Student Conduct and/or any SMCPS policy.
• Access online games without prior permission of a staff member.
• Circumvent and/or disable content filtering or other computer system protection measures.