Diocesan Technology Policies

Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Erie
Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy

Overview

Technology resources are available via the Internet and the local/wide area network at Cathedral Preparatory School. We are pleased to provide this access to our school community and believe these resources offer vast, diverse, and unique opportunities to both students and staff. Our goal in providing this service to students and staff is to provide educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. Students and staff are responsible for appropriate behavior on computer networks. With access to these technology resources comes the availability of material that may not be considered of educational value in the context of the school setting. Despite the availability of filters and blocking software, students and staff may nevertheless gain access to electronic information that may not be reliable or appropriate. In such cases, general school rules for behavior and communications apply.

Students and staff are expected to use the Internet and this schools hardware as educational resources. Cathedral Preparatory School is not responsible for any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable when using the network or for any information that is retrieved via the Internet. Cathedral Preparatory School will not be responsible for any unauthorized charges or fees resulting from access to the Internet. The following procedures and guidelines are used to help ensure appropriate use of technology resources, including the Internet, at Cathedral Preparatory School. All school resources must be used appropriately. This Internet Acceptable Use Policy (ISP) addresses the following requirements set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC):

Access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web
The safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communication
Unauthorized access, including so-called "hacking" and other unlawful activities by minors online
Unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors
Measures designed to restrict minors' access to materials harmful to minors
Monitoring the on-line activities of minors

The policy of Internet safety must include a technology protection measure that protects against Internet access by both adults and minors to visual depictions that are (1) obscene, or (2) child pornography, or, with respect to use of the computers by minors, (3) harmful to minors.

Staff Expectations in Use of Technology Resources

Staff members shall not access inappropriate material on the Internet and World Wide Web, including but not limited to pornography, obscenity, or child pornography.
Staff members shall use technology resources primarily for educational purposes
Staff members shall not engage in unauthorized access of computers, including 'hacking.'
Staff members shall not engage in unlawful activities.
Staff members shall not disclose, use, or disseminate any personal identification information of students.
Staff members will monitor student use of technology resources.
Staff members shall not disclose their network passwords to students.
Any use of the network for commercial or for-profit purposes, product advertisement, political lobbying or illegal activity is prohibited.

Student Expectation in Use of Technology Resources

Be courteous and respectful in your messages to others.
Use appropriate language. No swearing, vulgarities, suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or threatening language. Illegal activities are strictly forbidden.
Do not reveal your home address, phone number(s), password(s) or those of other students. Use school addresses and phone numbers only, even if you think you "know" your correspondent.
Note that electronic mail (e-mail) is not guaranteed to be private. People who operate the system do have access to all mail. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities. All student e-mail addresses must use non-descriptive identifiers (such as numbers instead of names).
Do not post personal messages on bulletin boards or "listservs." Send personal messages directly to the person to whom you want to write.
Users shall not intentionally seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to other users, or misrepresent/impersonate other users on the network.
Any use of the network for commercial or for-profit purposes, product advertisement, political lobbying or illegal activity is prohibited.
Do not use the network in such a way that you disrupt the work of others.
The illegal installation and/or utilization of copyrighted/unauthorized games, programs, files, or other electronic media on Cathedral Preparatory School computers is prohibited.
Cathedral Preparatory School retains ownership and rights of access to all files stored on the equipment under the control of the school.
Cathedral Preparatory School technology users shall use technology resources primarily for educational purposes.

Prohibitions of Technology and Internet Use Include but are not limited to the following

Technology users shall not access inappropriate material on the Internet or World Wide Web, including but not limited to: hate mail, discriminatory remarks, and/or offensive or inflammatory communication, pornography, obscenity, child pornography, or other materials that may be "harmful to minors."
Technology users shall not use chat rooms or other forms of direct electronic communication such as newsgroups, for non-educational purposes.
Technology users shall not engage in unauthorized access of computers, including 'hacking.'
Technology users shall not engage in unlawful activities.
Technology users shall not disclose, use, or disseminate any personal identification information of themselves or others.
Technology users will not quote personal communications in a public forum without the original author's prior consent.
Unauthorized or illegal installation, distribution, reproduction, modification, or use of copyrighted materials is prohibited.

Enforcement of Policy

Cathedral Preparatory School uses, or shall install no later that October, 2002, a technology protection measure that blocks or filters access to some World Wide Web sites that are not in accordance with the policy of Cathedral Preparatory School. This measure protects against access by adults and minors to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography or, with respect to use of computers with Internet access by minors, harmful to minors. Filtering may be disabled for adults engaged in bona fide research or other lawful purposes. To ensure enforcement of the policy, Cathedral Preparatory School will monitor use of technology resources through direct supervision, monitoring Internet use history, or various software and hardware tools.

Violation of this Policy

Violation of the Catholic Schools Office Internet Acceptable Use Policy in any way may result in suspension or the loss of the privilege to access the Internet and World Wide Web or other technology resources provided by the school. Other disciplinary action may be taken in accordance with existing school and/or diocesan policy. When necessary, Cathedral Preparatory School may call in law enforcement agencies.

Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Erie Internet Acceptable Use Policy,
Approved by Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Erie, August 9, 2001