Staff
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
| Milwaukee Public Schools offers
electronic network access for students, teachers, and other staff within the
school system. The purpose of having the electronic network is to support
the instructional program including learning opportunities, business applications,
information retrieval, searching strategies, research skills and critical
thinking. This document defines the acceptable use of the MPS network system
(i.e. WAN, LAN, Internet, and Email) and computer resources by MPS Staff. |
| (1) EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE |
(a) |
The district's network system has been established for educational and administrative
purposes. The term educational purposes includes classroom activities, continuing education,
professional or career development, and high-quality, educationally enriching personal research. |
(b) |
The district's network system has not been established as a public access service or a public
forum. The district has the right to place restrictions on the material which staff accesses or posts through
the system. Staff is also expected to follow the rules set forth in this policy and the law in staff's use of the
network system. Disciplinary action may take place against MPS staff that breaks rules as defined in MPS
administrative policy. |
(c) |
Staff may not use the network system for commercial purposes. This means that staff may
not offer, provide, or purchase products or services through the network system. |
| (2) RULES AND REGULATIONS |
(a) |
ACCEPTABLE USE |
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Milwaukee Public Schools networks are to be used in a responsible, efficient, ethical, and legal
manner and must be in support of the educational objectives and employee guidelines of Milwaukee
Public Schools. |
(b) |
UNACCEPTABLE USE |
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1. |
Unacceptable use includes, but is not limited to, the following: |
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a. |
violation of copyright/trademark laws |
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b. |
use of threatening or obscene material |
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c. |
political or campaign materials |
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d. |
Sending or soliciting sexually-oriented messages or images |
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e. |
Changing settings on computers |
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f. |
Disrupting the network through casual use of the Internet |
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g. |
Accessing chat rooms and other social networking sites, except those set up and/or
approved by school administration |
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h. |
Accessing programs not appropriate for educational use |
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i. |
Unauthorized use of password-protected programs (SIMMS, IFAS, Portal, eSIS, etc.). |
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2. |
the casual use of the email system is permitted as long as it does not interrupt the network or
interfere with the employee's assignments and the email item is a legal document. |
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3. |
Listservs may never be used for personal emails nor may the employee use district-wide
school/department email addresses. |
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4. |
Use of offensive or harassing statements or language, including profanity, vulgarity, and/or
disparagement of others based on their race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or
religious or political beliefs, is prohibited. |
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5. |
Staff shall not cyber-bully another person. Cyber-bullying includes, but is not limited to, the
following misuses of technology: harassing, teasing, intimidating, threatening, or terrorizing another staff
member or student by way of any technological tool, such as sending or posting inappropriate or
derogatory email messages, instant messages, text messages, digital pictures, or images, or website
postings. |
| (3) SYSTEM SECURITY AND RESOURCE LIMITS |
(a) |
SYSTEM SECURITY |
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1. |
Attempts to login to the system as any other user, to share a password, or to allow a security
breach may result in cancellation of user privileges. |
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2. |
Staff will immediately notify a system administrator if he/she has identified a possible
security problem. Staff, however, shall not look for security problems, because this may be construed as
an unlawful attempt to gain access. Staff shall not demonstrate any such problem to other users.
Messages relating to, or in support of, illegal activities may be reported to the authorities. |
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3. |
Staff will avoid the inadvertent spread of computer viruses by following the district's virusprotection
procedures. |
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3. |
Listservs may never be used for personal emails nor may the employee use district-wide
school/department email addresses. |
(b) |
Resource Limits |
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Staff will not download files unless absolutely necessary for educational or administrative
purposes. If deemed necessary, staff shall immediately remove the file from the computer/network after
there is no longer a need access to it. |
| (4) EMAIL ACCOUNTS |
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(a) |
Email accounts are to be used only by the owner. |
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(b) |
Electronic mail is not guaranteed to be private; system operators have access to all mail. |
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(c) |
All staff email is archived for a period of seven years, in accordance with the Open Records
Act. |
| (5) PRIVACY |
(a) |
PRIVACY |
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1. |
Staff should expect only limited privacy in the contents of their personal files on the network
system and records of their online activity. This district's monitoring of Internet usage can reveal all
activities in which staff engage in using the network system. |
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2. |
Routine maintenance and monitoring of the network system may lead to discovery that staff
has violated this policy or the law. An individual search will be conducted if there is reasonable suspicion
that staff has violated this policy or the law. The investigation will be reasonable and related to the
suspected violation. |
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3. |
Confidential files are to be accessed only by appropriate personnel. |
(b) |
DUE PROCESS |
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1. |
The district will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation
related to any unlawful activities conducted through the network system. |
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2. |
In the event there is a claim that a member of the staff has violated this policy in his/her use
of the network system, he/she will be provided with notice and opportunity to be heard in the manner
set forth in administrative policy. |
| (5) LIMITATION OF LIABILITY |
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The district will not guarantee that the functions or services provided through the network system
will be without error. The district will not be responsible for any damage which staff may suffer,
including, but not limited to loss of data, interruptions of service, or exposure to inappropriate material or people. The district will not be responsible for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained
through the network system. The district will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through
the unauthorized use of the system. |
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