Re: Internet AUP For Teachers

[Carole Carpenter <chcrpntr@UDEL.EDU>]

The State of Delaware's Office of Telecommunications Management (OTM)
oversees our T1 connections.  They require every teacher who wishes to
use Internet to sign a state-produced AUP and keep it on file in the
principal's office.  Since use is not mandatory, I doubt that anyone
complained.  Our local district produced an AUP for the students (and
parents) to sign.  I keep them on file in the librarian's office.  A few
protests were heard, but, again, use of Internet is not mandatory.  I
actually had one mother complain that she should not be held accountable
for what her child did in school.  (Yes.)
As to the question:  Are the teacher AUP's needed?  I've discussed this
with two other high school librarians.  We all had the same experience:
the first people to seek and find pornographic materials on our systems
were teachers who then gleefully called for others to "come and see." Now
these are consenting adults who can download what they want from home,
but using state-purchased equipment, state-monitored connections, and
school time??  I don't think so. We get enough bad press without inviting
that kind of front page news.

     Carole H. Carpenter         chcrpntr@udel.edu
     Milford Sr. H.S.
     Milford, DE