STAFF SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

POLICY NO. 2026

Instruction

SOCIAL MEDIA

The Board of Directors recognizes that social media technology can serve as a powerful tool to enhance education, communication, and learning. This technology can provide both educational and professional benefits, including preparing students to succeed in their educational and career endeavors. These new opportunities also pose many new challenges including, but not limited to, access for all students, age-level appropriateness of material, and security. The district will endeavor to ensure that these concerns are appropriately addressed, but cannot ensure that problems will not arise.

The District recognizes the public and pervasive nature of social media communications, as well as the fact that in this digital era, the lines between professional and personal endeavors are sometimes blurred. The District is committed to ensuring that all staff and students, who utilize social media technology for professional purposes, do so in a safe and responsible manner. The District strives to create professional social media environments that mirror the academically supportive environments of our schools.

Social media is defined as any form of online publication or presence that allows interactive communication, including, but not limited to, social networks, blogs, internet websites, internet forums, and wikis. Examples of social media include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Instagram, Linked In, and Flickr.

The Board directs the Superintendent to provide guidelines and directives that allow access to social media by students, staff and patrons for educational purposes while establishing reasonable controls for the lawful, efficient and appropriate use and management of the system.

Cross References:

1117 Code of Ethical Conduct

2022 Electronic Resources (Networks)

3207 Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

3246 Students and Telecommunications Devices

5253 Maintaining Professional Staff-Student Boundaries