Internet and Social Media Policy
Internet Code of Conduct
Access to the Internet has been provided to staff members for the benefit of the organization and its clients. It allows employees to connect to information resources around the world. Every staff member has a responsibility to maintain and enhance the District’s public image, and to use the Internet in a productive manner.
Access to the Internet has been provided to staff members for the benefit of the organization and its clients. It allows employees to connect to information resources around the world. Every staff member has a responsibility to maintain and enhance the District’s public image, and to use the Internet in a productive manner.
To ensure that all employees are responsible, productive Internet users the following guidelines have been established for using the Internet:
• Employees using Internet access via District hardware and software are representing the District. As such, their conduct should be ethical and lawful at all times.
• Internet access should not be used for personal gain or advancement of personal views, for solicitation of non-District business, or result in the disruption of District network operation or interfere with personal productivity at work.
• Employees are responsible for the content of all text, audio, or images they place, view, or send over the Internet, regardless of the source or origin. Fraudulent, harassing, obscene or pornographic messages are prohibited. All messages on the Internet should be identified with the employee’s name.
• Abusive, profane, harassing, discriminatory, obscene, pornographic, and threatening or violent language transmitted through the District’s system is strictly prohibited.
• Employees may not download the software without the express acknowledgment and support of the Network Administrator to ensure that proper licenses are obtained and viruses are not transmitted.
• Employees may not send/upload District copyrighted material, trade secrets, proprietary information, or similar materials to third parties.
• All messages created, sent, or retrieved over the Internet are the property of the District and should be considered public information.
• The District reserves the right to access and monitor all messages and files on the computer system at any time for any business purpose.
• All communications can be disclosed to law enforcement officials or third parties without the prior consent of the sender or the receiver.
• Harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Messages with derogatory or inflammatory remarks regarding race, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or other protected attributes may not be transmitted.
• Violations of the Internet Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination and illegal activities may result in prosecution by legal authorities.
Social Media Policy
Southwest Preparatory School (the “District”) respects the legal rights of its employees and understands that employees’ time outside of work is their own. However, employees should be mindful that their social media activity, even if done off-premises and while off-duty, could affect the District’s legitimate business interests. For example, the information posted could be the District’s confidential business information. In addition, some readers may mistakenly view you as a spokesperson for the District. Consequently, social media activity is a legitimate and proper focus of District policy.
Southwest Preparatory School (the “District”) respects the legal rights of its employees and understands that employees’ time outside of work is their own. However, employees should be mindful that their social media activity, even if done off-premises and while off-duty, could affect the District’s legitimate business interests. For example, the information posted could be the District’s confidential business information. In addition, some readers may mistakenly view you as a spokesperson for the District. Consequently, social media activity is a legitimate and proper focus of District policy.
This Social Media Policy (the “Policy”) provides guidance on responsible social media activity by employees. This Policy does not and cannot cover every possible social media activity. If you are unsure how this Policy may apply to your social media activity, your supervisor or Associate Superintendent of Operations is here to help you. For purposes of this Policy, “social media activity” includes all types of posts and other communications on the Internet, including but not limited to, posts on social networking or affinity sites (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Tumblr); blogs and other on-line journals and diaries; bulletin boards and chat rooms; microblogging, such as Twitter; and posts of video or audio on media-sharing sites, such as YouTube or Flickr. “Social media activity” also includes permitting, or failing to remove, posts by others where the employee can control the content of posts, such as on a personal page or blog.
Application: This Social Media Policy applies to all employees. This Policy applies to social media activity that relates in any way to the District’s business, employees, customers, vendors, or competitors or that identifies an employee’s affiliation with the District (other than as an incidental mention of place of employment in personal social media activity unrelated to the District).
Scope: This Policy applies to social media activity when on or off duty, while using the District’s or personal electronic resources, and whether or not the employee posts anonymously or using a pseudonym. Employees who are expressly authorized to engage in social media activity on the District’s behalf may be required to comply with separate guidelines. Unless specifically authorized, employees are prohibited from using the District’s electronic resources to engage in social media activity. Employees may use personal devices, such as a non-District smartphone or tablet, during rest breaks and meal periods to engage in social media activity as long as the employee’s personal device is not connected to the District’s network.
Social Media Guideline
Employees have a right to participate in social networking sites, blogs, forums, etc. as individuals in the community. As a school district, we are also incorporating social media as part of our communications strategy. However, employees should not post anything that would violate student confidentiality or the professionalism and ethical conduct of SWPREP employees.
Employees have a right to participate in social networking sites, blogs, forums, etc. as individuals in the community. As a school district, we are also incorporating social media as part of our communications strategy. However, employees should not post anything that would violate student confidentiality or the professionalism and ethical conduct of SWPREP employees.
The purpose of these guidelines is to help you participate online in a respectful, relevant way that protects your reputation and the reputation of the District, and that respects the relationship among employees, students, parents, and community members.
For the purposes of this document, social media includes, but is not limited to, social networking and media sharing sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Flickr, Tumblr, and YouTube. It also includes blogs, comments on websites, discussion forums, responses to media stories, and any other activity involving connecting or communicating with others.
These guidelines complement, but do not replace, any existing policies regarding the use of technology, computers, e-mail, and the Internet that are in place at District.
Your Personal Responsibility:
We encourage responsible participation in social networking sites, subject to existing policies, including, but not limited to, those concerning non-discrimination, anti-harassment, anti-bullying, and copyright/fair use. All employees are expected to serve as positive ambassadors for our schools and to remember they are role models to students in this community. We ask that you carefully consider the public forum you are participating in and act in a way that properly represents both your professional reputation and the District.
We encourage responsible participation in social networking sites, subject to existing policies, including, but not limited to, those concerning non-discrimination, anti-harassment, anti-bullying, and copyright/fair use. All employees are expected to serve as positive ambassadors for our schools and to remember they are role models to students in this community. We ask that you carefully consider the public forum you are participating in and act in a way that properly represents both your professional reputation and the District.
Express your ideas and opinions in a respectful manner. Seek to build trust and responsibility in your relationships. Avoid insulting others, including students, staff, parents, our extended school community, or other school districts. Do not use racial slurs, innuendos, obscenity, or other inappropriate content. Avoid posting, sharing, commenting, or otherwise engaging in rumors or unsupported information.
Represent the District and the students and parents you serve in the best light. Your posts and comments should help build and support the school community. You are responsible for what you post and communications that would be deemed inappropriate or actionable if they occurred inside or outside the classroom do not become acceptable merely because they are made online. Always bear in mind that once posted, you cannot take it back.
Guidelines to Consider:
Use common sense when posting online. While these guidelines are in no way intended to limit or infringe upon your rights to free speech, it remains good practice to never post anything that would embarrass you or District or would call your professional reputation into question.
Use common sense when posting online. While these guidelines are in no way intended to limit or infringe upon your rights to free speech, it remains good practice to never post anything that would embarrass you or District or would call your professional reputation into question.
You are personally responsible for the content you publish online. “Content” includes personal comments, links, photographs, audio or video, and content created by other users that you choose to share or re-post.
Any content you publish will be public for a long time. Not only can your content show up in Google and other search engines, but the FTC allows private corporations to store publicly accessible Facebook posts for a period of some seven years to be used in employee background checks made by current or potential employers. Moreover, even posts that are “private” may be subject to discovery in legal actions.
Once something is posted, you cannot take it back. In most instances, deleting content will not make it disappear. Deleted content can still show up in online searches. Or, with the click of a button, other users can take a screenshot, re-post, or share your content with others. Even if you share your content with a very limited number of people, nothing prohibits your contacts from sharing the information you post.
Ask yourself if you would want your post in the media. Would you feel comfortable if your content was read by colleagues, your students, parents, or the School Board? If the answer is “no,” then the content is best not shared.
Special care should be taken when posting personal photographs. Remember, your social networking site is an extension of your personality and professional reputation. All photographs should be posted with the assumption that they could end up in the public realm.
Content should not include provocative photographs, sexually explicit messages, content showing or promoting the excessive or irresponsible consumption of alcohol or use of drugs, or any activity students are legally prohibited from doing. Remember, even with privacy settings in place, your content could be seen by students or parents or find its way into the public realm.
The lines between personal and professional are blurred in the online world. When you are online, you may be connected to colleagues, students, parents, and the school community. Sometimes those connections may be direct and obvious. Other times the connections may be indirect or via mutual connections. You should ensure that content associated with you is consistent with your work at District.
Your online behavior should reflect the same standards of honesty, respect, and consideration you apply offline.
Protect your privacy. You are responsible for understanding and controlling privacy settings on each social network you use. Always assume default settings will make your profile and any content you share publicly accessible. You should also understand that even with maximum privacy settings in place, content can still find its way into the public domain.
Use your personal email addresses on personal social sites and while engaging in off-duty social media activities or sites that are not connected with or approved by the district. Never use your district email address on personal sites.
At no time should you claim to be speaking or issuing opinions on behalf of the District, except with prior consent from the appropriate supervisor. In instances where there could be confusion, you must add a disclaimer stating that views and content are exclusively your own and not representative of the District.
Employees should not make any derogatory statements about colleagues or students or other comments that would reflect badly on their professional reputation or the reputation of the District. You are ultimately responsible for your comments and District recommends that you thoughtfully consider your rights and responsibilities prior to posting.
Do not post photos or videos that contain identifying information concerning any students on personal sites. Do not post identifying information of co-workers without their permission.
For district-sanctioned sites, such as school Facebook pages, do not post items of students who have opted out, as per district media policy, but you may post items of public events of students and staff who have not opted out, as long as it’s not derogatory in nature.
Respect the privacy and rights of both colleagues and students. Confidential student or personnel information should not be posted online. Be sure not to violate any provision of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
Show proper respect for the laws governing copyright and fair use of copyrighted material owned by others, including but not limited to images found on Google and the like. You should never quote more than short excerpts of someone else's work and always attribute such work to the original author/source. It is good practice to link to others' work rather than reproduce it, thus reducing the risk of being accused of plagiarism.
Do not use any school logo or image without permission on personal sites. You may use them on district-sanctioned sites.
Do not create any social media account, blog, or website intended to represent the District without express prior consent from the superintendent or designee. It is important for the district to protect its brand, ensure certain brand standards and content guidelines are maintained, and ensure any new accounts fit overall communications and educational standards established by the district.
Any content posted by an employee will be subject to all District policies, rules, regulations, and guidelines. The District is free to view and monitor an employee’s website or weblog at any time without consent or previous approval. Where applicable, employees may be asked to disclose to the District the existence of and to provide the District with access to an employee’s website, weblog, or other personal social media network as part of an employment selection, review, promotion, or disciplinary process.
If an employee’s use of social media violates state or federal law or SWPREP policy, or interferes with the employee’s ability to effectively perform his or her job duties or adversely impacts SWPREP and its service to students and parents (as solely determined by SWPREP), the employee is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Employee-Student Relations and Communications
“Electronic Communication” includes any communication facilitated by the use of any electronic device, including a cellular telephone, computer, computer network, personal data assistant, or pager, and includes e-mail, text message, instant message, and any communication made through an internet website, including a social media website or social networking website.
Employees shall not engage in inappropriate electronic communications with students. Employees should not “friend” students on their personal social media pages unless they have an appropriate out-of-school relationship with the student such as relatives, church, scouts, or other activity that would be appropriate for such informal communication. Employees may elect to not disclose to a student the employee’s personal telephone number or e-mail address.
The district recognizes the role that communication and collaboration between employees and students play in the educational process and experience. The district further recognizes that the advancement of electronic communication and social media technologies creates greater opportunities for interactions between employees and students, and provides these additional guidelines for your own and students’ protection.
Employees must exercise great care in connecting with students on any social media channels. Do not send permission-based friend or follower requests to students, such as a Facebook friend request. Use discretion and carefully consider the guidelines provided by the district before accepting any permission-based friend or follower requests received from students. It is District’s recommendation that if an employee decides to accept a friend or follower request received from students that they should accept all such requests, and not selectively limit their interactions to what could be perceived as a few preferred individuals.
Any employee-student communications or relationship via social media should be of an appropriate professional nature, have content that is appropriate for both the communications medium and the audience addressed, and must not violate any provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
Employees who are connected to or communicate with students via social media must understand they may be granting those students access to all content in their personal social media profiles and should consider the guidelines the district has provided to ensure students are protected from exposure to inappropriate content or content that might compromise the employee’s professional reputation.
Employees shall immediately notify the Principal or designee concerning an incident in which a student engages in improper communications with an employee. A report should include a summary of the student’s communication, as well as the time, date, and method of communication. This is as much for the employee’s protection as the student’s. Any content or communication generated either by you or by a student, which would be inappropriate in the classroom should also be considered inappropriate when shared via social media.
Expressing Your Ideas and Thoughts
Always express ideas and opinions in a respectful manner. Make sure your communications are in good taste. Do not denigrate or insult others. This includes not only the obvious (no ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, etc.) but also proper consideration of privacy and of topics that may be considered objectionable or inflammatory. Remember that our communities reflect a diverse set of customs, values, and points of view.
Always express ideas and opinions in a respectful manner. Make sure your communications are in good taste. Do not denigrate or insult others. This includes not only the obvious (no ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, etc.) but also proper consideration of privacy and of topics that may be considered objectionable or inflammatory. Remember that our communities reflect a diverse set of customs, values, and points of view.
Be sensitive about linking to content. Redirecting to another site may imply an endorsement of its content. Just by identifying yourself as a district employee, you are creating perceptions about your expertise and about the district by community members, parents, students, and the general public; and you are creating perceptions about yourself with your colleagues and managers.
Are you adding value? Communication associated with our District should help fellow educators, parents, students, and co-workers. It should be thought-provoking and build a sense of community and engagement. If it helps people improve knowledge or skills, do their jobs, solve problems, or understand education better—then it's adding value. Keep the conversation informative and educational for all. Be sure that all content is consistent with your work and with the district’s beliefs and professional standards.
Keep your cool. One of the aims of social media is to create dialogue, and people will not always agree on an issue. When confronted with a difference of opinion, stay cool. Express your points in a clear, logical way. Be accurate. Don’t pick fights or look for an argument. Sometimes, it’s best to ignore a comment and not give it credibility by acknowledging it with a response.
If you make an error, correct it quickly. If you choose to modify an earlier post, make it clear that you have done so. If someone accuses you of posting something improper, deal with it quickly, and/or ask for additional assistance.
Be honest and transparent. Do not blog anonymously, using pseudonyms or false screen names. We believe in transparency and honesty. Nothing gains you notice in social media more than honesty - or dishonesty. Do not say anything that is dishonest, untrue, or misleading. If you have a vested interest in something you are discussing, point it out.
Help Students Leverage Social Media
Students should learn how to use social media to empower, not just connect. With more and more employers and educational institutions looking at prospective candidates online, it is important that we help educate and instruct on best practices for our students using the various social media channels. Connecting with a purpose requires thought and discipline - as connecting with the wrong people could lead to improper associations.
Students should learn how to use social media to empower, not just connect. With more and more employers and educational institutions looking at prospective candidates online, it is important that we help educate and instruct on best practices for our students using the various social media channels. Connecting with a purpose requires thought and discipline - as connecting with the wrong people could lead to improper associations.
Teachers and administrators should be teaching students how to leverage their connections, associations, and level of engagement as a way to strengthen their individual brands online. This increases their chances of being seen in a positive light for potential employers, colleges, or universities – as the character becomes more and more consideration for enrollment or hiring in today’s workforce. Having our students and teachers ready and adaptable to 21st Century communications is a must.
If an employee’s use of social media violates state or federal law or SWPREP policy, or interferes with the employee’s ability to effectively perform his or her job duties or adversely impacts SWPREP and its service to students and parents (as solely determined by SWPREP), the employee is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Specific Guidelines for SWPREP Staff
• You may use the District’s electronic resources to engage in social media activity for non-business purposes as long as that activity involves only an incidental amount of your time, does not interfere with your or your co-workers’ job responsibilities, and complies fully with all District policies. You may not maintain an open connection to, or stream, any social media site. Such non-business use is a privilege that may be withdrawn if abused.
• Your social media activity is subject to all pertinent District’s policies, including, but not limited to, the Expectations of Conduct, Code of Conduct, Confidential Business Information, Anti-Retaliation, Anti-Harassment & Anti-Discrimination Policy, Electronics Policy, Internet Code of Conduct, and other personal conduct policies.
• Unless you have received prior authorization from Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent, you should not represent or suggest in any social media content that you are authorized to speak on the District’s behalf, or that the District has reviewed or approved your content. If that will not be obvious to the reader, you should specifically state, “The views expressed in this post are my own. They have not been reviewed or approved by Southwest Preparatory School.”
• The Federal Trade Commission requires that endorsements be truthful and not deceptive. If your social media activity endorses the District’s products or services, i.e., expresses opinions, beliefs, findings, or experiences concerning the District’s products or services, you must disclose your name and position with the District. Unless the District has approved any such endorsement in writing and in advance, you should specifically state, “The views expressed in this post are my own. They have not been reviewed or approved by Southwest Preparatory School.”
• You should consider using available privacy filters or settings to block from supervisors, customers, vendors, or competitors who may have access to your social media activity any overly personal information about you.
• You should not post content about the District, management, co-workers, or customers that is vulgar, obscene, threatening, intimidating, defamatory, harassing, or a violation of the District’s policies against discrimination, harassment, or hostility on account of age, race, religion, sex, ethnicity, nationality, disability, or other protected class, status or characteristic. You should not unlawfully disparage the District’s products or services, or the products or services of its customers, vendors, or competitors.
• You should not use the District’s logo, trademark, or proprietary graphics (collectively, “IP”) for any commercial purpose, such as selling or advertising any product or service, without the District’s prior written consent. You should not use the District’s IP in any posting unrelated to the terms or conditions of your employment that disparages the District’s brand, products, or services. You should not use the District’s IP in a way that suggests that you are representing the District or while engaging in conduct that violates District policy.
• You should not disclose, or post images or videos of, any of the District’s trade secrets or confidential business information or of any confidential business processes. Trade secrets may include information regarding the development of systems, processes, products, expertise, and technology. Confidential business information may include internal reports, policies, procedures; business plans and product-launch dates; health/financial information of students; the District’s attorney-client communications, or other internal business-related confidential communications.
• You should not post images or videos of the District’s employees, customers, vendors, or competitors without their prior permission.
• You should not mention employees, customers, vendors, or competitors in your social media activity without the District’s prior written approval.
• To ensure that the District communicates with the media in a consistent, timely, and professional manner about matters related to the District, you should speak to the Superintendent before responding to any inquiry from a journalist or the news media about your social media activity related to the District.
• Anyone concerned about social media activity relating to the District that may require a response may contact Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent as a resource.
The following guidelines also apply to your social media activity:
• Managers should avoid situations that may compromise their ability to lead, make objective management decisions or affect the culture within the location(s); keep this in mind when making or responding to friend requests. Any employee may reject a friend request from any other employee without fear of retaliation.
• Managers should avoid situations that may compromise their ability to lead, make objective management decisions or affect the culture within the location(s); keep this in mind when making or responding to friend requests. Any employee may reject a friend request from any other employee without fear of retaliation.
• Employees may not use District-sponsored sites to solicit for or promote personal businesses or any organization, including but not limited to outside business ventures, charities, political campaigns, religious groups, or other membership organizations.
• Employees may not use their District e-mail address to register for any social media account or site, or as an identifier needed to participate in any social media activity, except to engage in social media activity authorized by the District and for the District’s business purposes. Employees may reference the District as their employer and include contact information on social and professional networking sites only, such as LinkedIn and Facebook.
• Employees should use only approved social media channels — and not personal social media sites or pages — to conduct District business. Without prior District approval, social media should not be used to arrange business meetings, communicate with customers about specific transactions, or search for information about current or prospective employees.
• Employees may provide a reference or a recommendation through social media only if they did not review the person making the request as part of the District’s formal performance appraisal process.
• The District has the right to request, in its sole and absolute discretion, that employees temporarily confine their social media activity to matters unrelated to District if the District determines this is necessary to ensure compliance with securities regulations or other laws.