BookPolicy Manual Section5000 Students TitleELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT Codepo5136.01 StatusActive AdoptedOctober 18, 2010


5136.01 - ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

 

While in some instances that possession and use of electronic equipment or devices by a student at school may be appropriate, often the possession and use of such equipment or devices by students at school can have the effect of distracting, disrupting and/or intimidating others in the school environment and leading to opportunities for academic dishonesty and other disruptions of the educational process. Consequently, the Board of Education will supply any electronic equipment or devices necessary for participation in the educational program. Students shall not use or possess any electronic equipment or devices on school property or at any school-sponsored activity without the permission of the classroom teacher or activity sponsor.

 

Examples of prohibited devices include, but are not limited to

  1. cameras (photographic and/or video),

     

  2. laptops,

     

  3. personal digital assistants (PDAs),

     

  4. lasers,

     

  5. laser pens or pointers,

     

  6. radios,

     

  7. "boom–boxes",

     

  8. headphones,

     

  9. portable CD/MP3 players,
     

  10. portable TV's,

     

  11. electronic games/toys,

     

  12. pagers/beepers, other paging devices.

Students may use the following electronic equipment/devices on school property for an educational or instructional purpose (e.g. taking notes, recording a class lecture, writing papers) with the teacher's permission and supervision:

  1. cameras (photographic and/or video)

     

  2. laptops

     

  3. personal digital assistants (PDAs)

     

  4. portable CD/MP3 players with headphones

Students may use the following electronic equipment/devices while riding to and from school on a school bus or other vehicle provided by the Board or on a school bus or Board-provided vehicle during school-sponsored activities, at the discretion of the bus driver or sponsor/advisor/coach:

  1. cameras (photographic and/or video)

     

  2. laptops

     

  3. personal digital assistants (PDAs)

     

  4. portable CD/MP3 players with headphones

     

  5. electronic games/toys

Distracting behavior that creates an unsafe environment will not be tolerated.

 

However, the use of any communication functionally that is a part of or attached to the above-approved electronic equipment/devices is expressly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, wireless Internet access, peer-to-peer (ad-hoc) networking, or any other method of communication with other devices or networks. In no circumstances shall the device be allowed to connect to the County's network.
 

The preceding prohibitions do not apply to Board-owned and issued laptops, PDAs, or authorized assistive technology devices.

 

Students are prohibited from using electronic equipment or devices in a manner that may be physically harmful to another person (e.g. shining a laser in the eyes of another student). Further, at no time may any camera or other electronic equipment/device be utilized by a student in a way that might reasonably create in the mind of another person an impression of being threatened, humiliated, harassed, embarrassed, or intimidated. See Policy 5517.01 – Bullying and Other Forms of Aggressive Behavior. In particular, students are prohibited from using a camera or other electronic equipment/device to: (1) transmit material that is threatening, obscene, disruptive, or sexually explicit or that can be construed as harassment or disparagement of others based upon their race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or political beliefs; and (2) send, share, view or possess pictures, text messages, e-mails or other materials of a sexual nature (i.e., sexting) in electronic or any other form. Violation of these prohibitions shall result in disciplinary action. Furthermore, such actions will be reported to local law enforcement and child services as required by law.
 

Students are prohibited from using cameras and other electronic equipment/devices to capture or record test information or any other information in a manner constituting fraud, theft, or academic dishonesty. Similarly, students are prohibited from using cameras and other electronic equipment and devices to capture or record the words (i.e. audio) and/or images (i.e. pictures/video) of any student, staff member or other person in the school or while attending a school-related activity, without express prior notice and explicit consent for the capture and/or recording of such words or images. Using a camera or other electronic equipment/devices to capture or record audio and/or pictures/video of an individual without his/her consent is considered an invasion of privacy and is not permitted, unless authorized by the building principal. Cameras and electronic equipment/devices are expressly banned from and may not be possessed, activated, or utilized at any time in any school situation where a reasonable expectation of personal privacy exists. These locations and circumstances include but are not limited to locker rooms, shower facilities, restrooms, classrooms, and any other areas where students or others may change clothes or be in any stage or degree of disrobing or changing clothes. The building principal has authority to make determinations as to other specific locations and situations where possession of a camera or other electronic equipment/device is prohibited.

 

Public Events Exception: Photography and video recordings shall be permitted at scheduled public events where the same have been traditionally allowed. This public events exception shall apply, for example, to sporting events. A notice shall be posted at all events which qualify for this exception.

 

Official School Photography and Videography: Photography and video recordings shall be permitted where student are acting in an official school-related capacity. This exception would include, for example, school yearbook photographs, school newspapers, sports team game filming, etc. The faculty sponsor for each official school-related activity that qualifies for this exception will be notified in writing by the building principal.

 

Unauthorized electronic equipment and devices will be confiscated from the student by school personnel and disciplinary action taken.

 

If a camera or other electronic equipment/device is confiscated, it will be released/returned to the student's parent/guardian only.

 

Any electronic equipment/device confiscated by County staff will be marked in a removable manner with the student's name and held in a secure location in the building's central office until it is retrieved by the parent/guardian. Electronic equipment/devices in County custody will not be searched or otherwise tampered with unless school officials reasonably suspect that the search is required to discover evidence of a violation of the law or other school rules (e.g. a student is observed using a camera in a prohibited area). Any search will be conducted in accordance with Policy 5771 – Search and Seizure.

 

Students are personally and solely responsible for the care and security of any electronic equipment or devices they bring to school. The Board assumes no responsibility for theft, loss, damage, or vandalism to electronic equipment and devices brought onto its property, or the unauthorized use of such devices.



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