USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA | Policy Manual

7544 – USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Technology is a powerful tool to enhance education, communication, and learning.

The Governing Board authorizes the use of social media to promote community involvement and facilitate effective communication with students, parents/guardians, staff (including ESC-approved volunteers), and the general public. Social media is defined in Bylaw 0100.

The Superintendent is charged with designating the Governing Board-approved social media platforms/sites, which shall be listed on the Governing Board’s website.

In designating Governing Board-approved social media platforms/sites, the Superintendent shall specify which platforms/sites are appropriate for use at the Governing Board-level, the building or department level, for extra-curricular activities, and at the individual level by employees for professional purposes.

It is critical that students be taught how to use social media platforms safely and responsibly. Social media (as defined in Bylaw 0100) are a powerful and pervasive technology that affords students and employees the opportunity to communicate for school and work purposes, and to collaborate in the delivery of a comprehensive education. Federal law mandates that the Governing Board provide for the education of students regarding appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and regarding cyberbullying awareness and response. See Governing Board Policy 7540.03 – Student Technology Acceptable Use and Safety.

The Governing Board recognizes that employees may use social media for personal, as well as professional reasons. The Governing Board neither encourages nor discourages employees’ use of social media for personal purposes. The Governing Board regulates employees’ use of social media for purposes related to their Governing Board assignment to the same extent as it regulates any other form of employee communication in that regard.

The ESC uses approved social media platforms/sites as interactive forms of communication.

Each Governing Board-approved social media account/site must contain a statement that specifies its purpose(s) and limits those who access the social media account/site to use of the account/site only for that/those purpose(s), and in accordance with any specified procedures, and applicable terms of service. Users are personally responsible for the content of their posts.

Social Media for Instructional and School-Sponsored Activities

Staff (including Governing Board-approved volunteers) may, with prior approval/authorization from the Superintendent or designee to use social media platforms/sites for classroom instruction or school-sponsored activities. When a staff member uses a Governing Board-approved social media platform/site for an educational purpose, it will be considered an educational activity and will not be considered a limited public forum. Students’ use of Governing Board-approved social media platforms/sites must be consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, Policy 7540.03, the instructor’s directions/procedures, and the platform/site's applicable terms of service. Students are prohibited from posting or releasing personal information about students, employees, and volunteers through Governing Board-approved social media without appropriate consent.

Staff members (including Governing Board-approved volunteers) must obtain parental consent for students to participate in the use of social media platforms/sites related to a school-sponsored activity. If a parent refuses to provide such consent, the staff member must arrange for an alternative method of communicating with the participating student concerning the school-sponsored activity.

Expected Standards of Conduct on Governing Board-Approved Social Media

Employees and Governing Board-approved volunteers who access Governing Board-approved social media platforms are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful, courteous, and professional manner. Students, parents, and members of the general public who access Governing Board-approved social media platforms are similarly expected to conduct themselves in a respectful, courteous, and civil manner.

Governing Board-approved social media sites shall not contain content that is obscene; is vulgar and lewd such that it undermines the school's basic educational mission; is libelous or defamatory; constitutes hate speech; promotes illegal drug use; is aimed at inciting an individual to engage in unlawful acts or to cause a substantial disruption or material interference with Governing Board operations; or interferes with the rights of others. The Governing Board may exercise editorial control over the style and content of student speech on Governing Board-approved social media, if reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns. Staff or students who post prohibited content shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

The Governing Board is committed to protecting the privacy rights of students, parents/guardians, staff, volunteers, Governing Board members, and other individuals on Governing Board-approved social media sites. Governing Board employees and volunteers are prohibited from posting or releasing confidential information about students, employees, volunteers, or Governing Board operations through social media, without appropriate consent (i.e., express written consent from the parent of a student, the affected employee or volunteer, or the Superintendent concerning Governing Board operations).

Retention of Public/Student Records

Governing Board communications that occur through the use of Governing Board-approved social media platforms/sites – including staff members’/volunteers' use of social media with school-sponsored activities, and comments, replies, and messages received from the general public – may constitute public records or student records, and all such communications will be maintained (i.e., electronically archived) in accordance with the Governing Board’s adopted record retention schedule and all applicable State statutes.

Records that do not document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the Governing Board do not become public records just because they are kept or maintained by the Governing Board under this policy.

Staff members and Governing Board-approved volunteers cannot rely on social networking platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to sufficiently fulfill potential records retention requirements because these platforms, in general, do not guarantee retention and are unlikely to assist in the production of third-party comments and communications that have been edited, deleted, or are otherwise no longer available. Consequently, Governing Board employees and volunteers who use such social media accounts for professional communications must operate them in accordance with the general archiving practices and technology instituted by the Governing Board so records remain within the Governing Board’s control and are appropriately retained.

If a staff member uses Governing Board-approved social media platforms/sites in the classroom for educational purposes (i.e., classroom instruction), the staff member must consult with the Principal/program manager concerning whether such use may result in the creation of public and/or education records that must be maintained (i.e., electronically archived) for a specific period of time.

Employees' Use of Governing Board Technology Resources to Access Social Media for Personal Use

Employees and Governing Board-approved volunteers are prohibited from using Governing Board technology resources (as defined in Bylaw 0100) to access social media for personal use.

Employees' Use of Personal Communication Devices at Work to Access Social Media for Personal Use

Employees are prohibited from using personal communication devices to access social media for personal use during work hours.

Employees and Governing Board-approved volunteers are prohibited from posting or engaging in communication that violates State or Federal law, Governing Board policies, or administrative procedures. If an employee/volunteer's communication interferes with his/her ability to effectively perform his/her job, or violates State or Federal law, Governing Board policies, or administrative procedures, the Governing Board may impose disciplinary action and/or refer the matter to appropriate law enforcement authorities.