[Fwd: Re: AI - AUP ???]

[Dick Ramey <rramey@surf-ici.com>]

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Please forgive the forwarding of this message, but it fits into the
discussion of July 5 on AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) Statements that schools
are developing concerning school/Library use of the Internet.
     In Indiana, the state DOE has mandated that all schools should have an
AUP Statement. However, it has given schools the complete freedom to do
it in whatever way they want! The problem has come in where some
schools have used it as a hidden way to put the liability on the teachers and
librarians and remove (or distance) the schools from any challenge
concerning material being viewed on the Internet.
      The solution that I proposed was for Librarians to protect themselves
and take the initiative by rewriting the Challenge Statements, generally
used for print material, to include visual and print material for the
Internet. The AUP Statements, abused by the schools administrators and
lawyers, offer the Librarian No Protection Whatsoever !!!!!
Dick Ramey

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>From rramey@surf-ici.com Mon Jul 08 10:07:29 1996
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Date: Mon, 08 Jul 1996 10:09:42 -0600
From: Dick Ramey <rramey@surf-ici.com>
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Organization: Mooresville HS Media Director & A.I.M.E. District 8 Director
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To: ai-in-indiana@lotus.doe.state.in.us
Subject: Re: AI - AUP ???
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Janet Weeks:

     Great Job ! That is how it should be done ! However, some schools have
developed their AUP Policy statement in the back of smoke filled rooms
and sometimes they have not even been sent to the school board for their
review or approval. Some of the schools in question have developed AUP
Statement simply by having the superintendent and the Tech Coord. (some
schools do not have a tech. coord. and it is just the superintendent) write up
a statement for the purposes of getting a particular grant.
     What's even more alarming is that some schools will have their policy
statement hidden and only bring it out to hold teachers responsible if there
is a challenge to a particular policy or activity. Further, they will hide their
Policy statement for the expressed purpose of removing liability (legal
action/challenge) to the school corporation and putting the blame on the
teacher (who doesn't even have a clue as to if there was a policy to begin
with) !!!!!

PEOPLE:
     Indiana is a conservative state with conservative religious groups.
Librarians have been trained to have a "Challenge" Policy and Due Process
System in place. Admittedly, we may have a book challenged only once in
10 years, but we are schooled from the beginning to cover ourselves liability
wise.
     With everything on the Internet,,,,,someone is going to challenge the
material and use of the system !!!!! (WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!)
     If schools are allowed to hide the AUP Policy Statement and use it for
their own manipulation, then maybe it is up to the Librarians-Media
Specialists (if we have the Internet in the Library (and I intend to !!!)), to put
clauses into our Challenge Statements to help protect ourselves and
teachers just in case there is legal action or a challenge to what the students
are using.

Schools should be made to make their AUP Statements public !!!!

(please forgive the opinions)
Dick Ramey

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