DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

Hey Students! The internet is a fantastic place to learn, connect, and have fun, but it’s important to make sure you’re using it safely and responsibly. This bulletin is packed with tips to help you navigate social networking websites, chat rooms, and handle tricky situations like cyberbullying. Let’s dive in!

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Smart Social Networking

Social media is a great way to stay in touch, but remember:

• Think Before You Post: Once something is online, it’s hard to take it back. Avoid sharing personal information like your address, school name, or phone number.
• Be Kind and Respectful: Treat others the way you’d want to be treated. A comment you think is funny could hurt someone else’s feelings.
• Privacy Is Power: Set your accounts to private and only accept friend requests from people you know in real life.

Chat Room Etiquette

When chatting with others online:

• Stay Anonymous: Don’t share personal details, even if someone seems friendly.
• Be Cautious: If someone asks you to keep your conversations a secret or makes you feel uncomfortable, tell a trusted adult immediately. -
• Keep It Appropriate: Avoid sharing inappropriate content or engaging in arguments.

Understanding and Responding to Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can happen to anyone, but knowing how to respond can make a big difference: - Recognize It: Hurtful messages, mean comments, and spreading rumors online are all forms of cyberbullying.

• Don’t Engage: Responding with anger can escalate the situation. Instead, block the bully and save evidence (like screenshots).
• Tell Someone: Speak to a parent, teacher, or counselor. You don’t have to face it alone.
• Support Others: If you see someone being bullied online, report it and offer them support.

Golden Rules for Being a Good Digital Citizen

1. Be Respectful: Use your words to lift others up, not tear them down.
2. Stay Safe: Protect your personal information and avoid risky behavior.
3. Think Critically: Not everything you see online is true.
4. Be Empathetic: Understand that there’s a real person behind the screen.

Need Help or Advice?

If you’re facing a tough situation online or just have questions, reach out to a trusted adult, school counselor, or check out resources like StopBullying.gov for more support.

Stay safe, stay kind, and keep making the internet a better place for everyone!

 

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CIPA Summary

Requirements

CIPA requirements include the following three items:

1. Internet Safety Policy

Schools and libraries are required to adopt and enforce an internet safety policy that includes a technology protection measure that 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. “Minor” is defined as any individual who is under the age of 17.

This internet safety policy must address all of the following:

• 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 communications;
• Unauthorized access including “hacking” and other unlawful activities by minors online;
• Unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors; and
• Measures designed to restrict minors’ access to materials harmful to minors.

For schools, the policy must also include monitoring the online activities of minors. As of July 1, 2012, as part of their CIPA certification, schools also certify that their internet safety policies have been updated to provide for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, cyberbullying awareness, and response.

2. Technology Protection Measure

A technology protection measure is a specific technology that blocks or filters internet access.

The school or library must enforce the operation of the technology protection measure during the use of its computers with Internet access, although an administrator, supervisor, or other person authorized by the authority with responsibility for administration of the school or library may disable the technology protection measure during use by an adult to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purpose. For example, a library that uses internet filtering software can set up a process for disabling that software upon request of an adult user through use of a sign-in page where an adult user can affirm that he or she intends to use the computer for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.

CIPA uses the federal criminal definitions for obscenity and child pornography. The term “harmful to minors” is defined as “any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that – (i) taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion; (ii) depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and (iii) taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.”

Decisions about what matter is inappropriate for minors are made by the local community. E-Rate program rules specify that “[a] determination regarding matter inappropriate for minors shall be made by the school board, local educational agency, library, or other authority responsible for making the determination.”

Student Accessed Apps

All apps are published to devices via appropriate mobile device management console, primarily Google Admin. Students are not allowed access to either Apple or Google app stores on district devices.

Per House Bill 18 (SCOPE Act)