Acceptable Use Policy 6-64

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Policy 6-64

INSTRUCTION

Acceptable Use Policy

The School Board provides computer systems (as defined in School Board Policy 6-62) to promote educational excellence, resource sharing, innovative instruction, and communication and to prepare students to live, collaborate and work in the 21st century. Computer systems include, but are not limited to, all computers, electronic tablets, electronic readers, servers, network devices, telecommunication devices, multifunction devices, printers, scanners, peripheral equipment, local and wide area networks, Internet access, software, apps, application systems, web resources, data and digital content. Misuse of computer systems may result in disciplinary and/or legal action. The computer systems shall not be used to conduct illegal activities, or to send, receive, view or download illegal materials. The School Division computer systems will not be used to violate School Board policy, regulation or procedures/protocols.

Use of the School Division computer systems during school and professional hours must be:

1. in support of education and/or research; or
2. for school business; and
3. in support of the mission of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools; and
4. in accordance with all School Board policies and regulations.

Access to the School Division computer systems is granted as a privilege, not a right. The Superintendent or designee shall establish regulations and/or procedures containing the appropriate uses of, ethics and protocol for computer systems. These regulations shall include some measure for preventing students from accessing information that the School Division determines to be harmful or inappropriate to students. All computer systems users, School Board employees, non-employees, and students must comply with the requirements defined in School Board Regulation 6-64.1 Acceptable Use of Computer Systems.

Any School Board employee, non-employee, or student who fails to comply with the terms of this Policy or the regulations developed by the School Division may lose computer systems privileges. Employees may also be disciplined by the School Division up to and including termination depending upon the nature of the violation of this Policy or the implementing regulations, and students may be disciplined in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct or other School Board policies and regulations governing student discipline. Employees, non-employees, and students may also be the subject of appropriate legal action for violation of this Policy or implementing regulations.

Use of the School Division computer systems must be in accordance with the parameters stated in this Policy and the implementing regulation. Therefore, school officials reserve the right to review computer systems use at any time to determine if such use meets the criteria set forth in School Board policies and regulations. Accordingly, employees, non-employees, and students have no right of privacy and should have no expectation of privacy in materials sent, received or stored in School Division computers systems. The Superintendent or designee shall notify employees, non-employees, and students of the terms of this Policy and any regulations promulgated hereunder.

The School Board shall not be responsible for any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable when using the School Division computer systems or for any information retrieved from the Internet. Further, the School Board is not responsible for any unauthorized charge or fee resulting from the use of the computer systems.

Editor's Note

See School Board Regulation 6-64.1 - Acceptable Use of Computer Systems.

Legal Reference

Code of Virginia § 22.1-70.2, as amended. Acceptable Internet use policies for public and private schools.

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. § 6501-6505, as amended.

Children’s Internet Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. §254, et seq., as amended.

Related Links

School Board Policy 6-62
School Board Regulation 6-64.1

Adopted by School Board: July 18, 1995
Amended by School Board: November 16, 1999
Amended by School Board: August 5, 2003
Amended by School Board: June 6, 2006
Amended by School Board: June 18, 2013
Amended by School Board: March 21, 2017
Amended by School Board: June 25, 2019
Amended by School Board: August 8, 2023