FILE: EFAA
EMPLOYEE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
The Assumption Parish School Board recognizes the importance of employees, students and parents engaging, collaborating, learning and sharing in digital environments as a part of adapting to the changing methods of communication in 21st century learning. To this end, the Assumption Parish School Board has adopted this policy to ensure that its employees understand the many factors and possible ramifications to consider when participating in online social media activities whether personally or professionally.
As practicable, the Assumption Parish School Board may provide access to secure social media tools and approved technologies for use during instructional time and for school related activities in accordance with policies EFA, Use of Technology Resources, and IFBGA, Internet Safety.
The Assumption Parish School Board acknowledges that employees may engage in the use of social media off campus during their personal time. Employees who use social media for personal purposes must be mindful that they are responsible for their public conduct even when not acting in their capacities as school system employees. All employees shall comply with the requirements of this policy when using electronic social media for personal purposes.
For purposes of this policy, social media includes, but is not limited to, personal or group websites or "pages", internet postings, web logs (biogs), wikis, social network sites, online forums, virtual worlds, video-sharing websites and any other social media generally available to the public or consumers (e.g., Web 2.0 tools, MySpace, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, lnstagram, Pinterest, Linkedln, Flickr, YouTube).
EMPLOYEE PROFESSIONAL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
An employee seeking to utilize and/or establish a social media website for instructional or other school-related purposes shall submit a written request and obtain prior written approval from the Superintendent or his/her designee and the school principal and meet any applicable requirements of policies EFA, Use of Technology Resources, and IFBGA, Internet Safety. Employees who use social media and/or electronic communications to interact with students or parents in an educational manner or as a communication tool shall maintain a professional relationship at all times in accordance with School Board policies, including GAMIA, Electronic Communications Between Employees and Students, and GBRA, Employee Conduct. All electronic communications with students who are currently enrolled in the school system must be school-related and within the scope of the employees' professional responsibilities, unless otherwise authorized by this policy. School personnel using school system technological resources and/or social media tools to communicate directly with students or to comment on student matters through use of the Internet shall abide by all policies governing such activities.
EMPLOYEE PERSONAL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
The Assumption Parish School Board respects the right of employees to use social media as a medium of self-expression off campus and on their personal time. As role models for the school system's students, however, employees shall be responsible for their conduct even when they are not performing their job duties as employees of the School Board. Employees shall be held to the same professional standards in their use of social media and other electronic communications as they are for any other public conduct. Furthermore, employees remain subject to applicable state and federal laws, School Board policies, and administrative regulations and procedures, even if communicating with others concerning personal and private matters.
Material that employees post on social networks that is publicly available to those in the school community shall reflect the professional image applicable to the employee's position and shall not impair the school district's or employee's capacity to maintain the respect of students and parents or impair the employee's ability to serve as a role model for children. Further, if an employee's use of social media interferes with the employee's ability to effectively perform his or her job duties, the employee may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Employees shall be responsible for all content on their social media sites, whether added or posted by the employee or someone else. Employees shall take reasonable precautions, such as using available security settings, to restrict students from viewing their personal information on social media websites and to prevent students from accessing materials that are not age-appropriate.
Employees shall be prohibited from accessing social media websites for personal use during instructional time or with school system technological resources.
POSTING TO SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
Employees who use social media for personal purposes shall be aware that the content they post may be viewed (and shared) by anyone, including students, parents and community members. Employees shall observe the following principles when communicating through social media or making other internet postings:
Employees shall not post or otherwise disclose confidential information about students and/or their families, other employees, the school(s), organizations, or School Board business, obtained by the employee during the course of his/her employment with the School Board.
Employees shall not post student information, pictures, or student work product on personal social media sites.
"Friending", "following" or otherwise interacting with students currently enrolled in the school system from personal social media accounts is prohibited, and it is strongly discouraged with parents of currently enrolled students.
Employees' comments and other Internet postings related to or referencing the school system, a school, its students and/or other employees shall always meet the highest standards of professional discretion.
Employees shall not use the school system's logo or other copyrighted material of the School Board without express, written consent from the School Board.
Employees shall not use Internet postings to libel the school system, individual School Board members, students or any employees (this would include, but not be limited to, posts regarding matters about which the employee does not have first-hand knowledge, the employee does not know the accuracy, truth, or falsity thereof, the employee is not a school district representative with authority to post such information, etc.).
Employees shall not use Internet postings or otherwise make statements to harass, bully or intimidate other employees or students or in any way violate any school or School Board policies, administrative regulations or procedures, including those concerning discrimination or harassment, or state or federal laws.
Employees shall not use Internet postings to engage in any other conduct that violates School Board policy, state or federal law, or the general expectations society sets for those to whom the instruction and care of its children are assigned. Without the need for a specific warning, policy, or prohibition, educators and other employees working in a school system know, for example, that the posting of nudity, pornography, sexuallysuggestive information or drug/drug related references is unacceptable. In addition, employees are warned against posting items which may call into question their ability to fulfil their assigned duties in a fair and impartial manner.
When posting, even on the strictest settings, employees shall act on the assumption that all postings are in the public domain and that such postings may be shared with others by those to whom the employee has granted access. Accordingly, employees are reminded that they should not assume that they enjoy a reasonable expectation of privacy relative to Internet postings.
Before posting personal photographs, employees are cautioned to give thought as to whether the images reflect on their professionalism. Photographs relating to alcohol or tobacco use may be deemed inappropriate.
CONSEQUENCES
Any employee who is found by the Superintendent to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
New policy: August 16, 2017
Ref: U.S. Constitution, Amend. I
17 USC 101 et seq. (Copyrights)
18 USC 2510-2522 (Electronic Communications Privacy Act)
20 USC 1232g (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
20 USC 7131 (Internet Safety)
47 USC 254 (Children’s Internet Protection Act)
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:81
Board minutes, 8-16-17
Assumption Parish School Board