HIT: Acceptable Use Policy

["Ann Magyar Catholic Mem. HS-library" <amagyar@k12.oit.umass.edu>]

I asked for feedback from people who have had Acceptable Use Policies in
effect for some time and who could offer some insights or advice.  Several
people wrote asking me to post a hit with the results, so here it is.
Thanks
again to those who responded.
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My library serves grades 9-12 and we have had an internet usage policy for
two years.  Both the student and their parents are required to sign it
before the student may use the Internet.  I keep those records in the
library.  I feel this policy serves us well, because it assures parental
awareness, and places responsibility on the student.  Hope this helps.
Merlyn
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I also work at a Catholic high school.  The AUP flows from the stated
philosophy of the school and echoes language used in that document.
It has been written in our handbook all school year. We are insisting that
every student get a signed consent form from parents and we are keeping
those forms on file.  The second requirement is that each student must
attend a 20-min class that explains the NATURE of the Internet and why the
high school is making it available:  Research.  The fallacies of doing
research on the Internet: each user must make his own inquiries as to the
authority of the information found on the Internet.  (There is no publisher
checking out the author, no librarians evaluating the quality of the
information before making it available to patrons.)  Finally we explained
the details of using our hardware (Don't print directly from the Internet,
instead copy and paste into word processing, and then print.)  Once the
consent is on file and the student has been in a class, she is issued an
Internet Access ID card that must be displayed on top of any computer
that she is using for the Internet.

Carol Ann K. Winkler
St. Louis, Mo.
winklers@inlink.com
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Ann, we have had our AUP approved by the school  board only last
week, but the students have had email privileges for about a year (at
least some of them have through their computer classes). We just had
an "understanding" with the students about what they could do over
the net.We kept close watch over the internet access during research
periods when they used it often.
However, in November an email chain letter was accidentally sent to
me by some students who thought they were sending it to all the
students  on  a list. This letter contained many vulgar and sexual
references which were very inappropriate for teens (or for anyone,
although some really were humorous).
We told the students that since the privilege  had been abused, they
were being removed from the net for awhile. We are now ready to
reinstate them, and I think their removal has had an effect. Of
course, the fact that we were going to do this any way has made all
the decisions easier.
Shortly after we removed their names and addresses from the
computers, a letter to the editor was written by a college student to
show his disgust for our "outdated" ideas, etc. The real problem was
that he couldn't  contact his girlfriend.
We expect everything to do fine now. Good luck!  Judy

Judy Stewman,Librarian
De Queen High School
De Queen, Arkansas 71832

stewmanj@dqhs.dmsc.k12.ar.us
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I am also in a Catholic High School and I discussed having an AUP with
our principal.  She did not feel that it was necessary, BUT she added a
statement to the student handbook regarding internet access.  In effect
it stated "all use of electronic sources must be for educational
purposes only and in keeping with the mission and philosophy of the
school."  So far, no problems with this.
Dee Canada
Dominican High School
New Orleans, LA

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