Writing a Safe Internet Use Policy
Sandra L. Hunt

Besides the traditional excitements and headaches of opening day at my school this year, we faced the novelty and complications of workers wiring our classrooms for the Internet. We all knew it was a beginning, but some of us wondered, "Beginning of what?" Many of us adults have been using the Internet at home for some time, using email to write friends and family, accessing important documents such as tax forms, researching health and other information, or perhaps bidding at Internet auction sites. But while the Internet offers a portal to many "worlds," there are some doors that I hope my students never enter. Moreover, access to the school district's network raises additional issues concerning the safety of system data and confidential information.

My district, along with most others, has been dealing with safety and security on both sides of the portal. For greater safety of students in choosing and navigating the Internet's infinite information, the district has contracted with a private provider to review and filter websites, posting only those that meet district specifications. For further safety of the users and for the security of the district's computers and systems, the district requires that students, their parents, and district staff sign a contract before students can access and use the Internet. This contract is called an "Acceptable Use Policy," or AUP. The AUP outlines the conditions under which students are allowed to use the district's computers. (There are separate policies governing district employees' use of the computers.)

School districts initially began adopting AUPs to regulate use of the Internet in computer labs or libraries. Now, with the Internet literally inching its way down the halls of my own school, snaking its way toward my classroom, I needed to look more closely at my district's AUP.

First stop was my district's website. Luckily, downloading it was a (fairly) simple process, and soon I found the "Student Internet Access Agreement." The first page outlined six conditions that students will "understand and agree with . . ." and abide by. The last one and a half pages contained the agreement and release signature lines to be signed by the student, parent or guardian, and staff member.

Reviewing this agreement, however, left me wondering who the district actually intended to read it. Item number 2, for example, stated: "The District will be the sole arbiter of what constitutes abusive conduct or violation of the District Internet policies. Abusive conduct includes, but is not limited to . . ."

It was immediately obvious to me that my students would never understand what they were being asked to sign. Neither would my students' limited-English-speaking parents comprehend much of it, either. Even a translated copy of this legalese seemed unlikely to bridge the obstacles to clear communication.

This situation worried me for three reasons. First, much as I hate playing police officer, I knew I would be held accountable for keeping off the Internet those students who had not turned in signed agreements. At the same time, I did not want to contribute to the "digital divide" by denying Internet access to the students who needed it the most. Finally, I needed to respect the needs and desires of parents. If they felt they did not want their children to have access to the Internet, they needed to have information to help them make that decision.

My solution was to reword the agreement in order to make it more understandable for my students, their parents, and the interpreters who will do the translating; and to review other AUPs to see whether I needed to address other issues in my own classroom AUP. Because my district had a document in place, it was essential that my classroom AUP incorporate the concepts in that document. To make the school's policy understandable to students, parents, and interpreters, I replaced the complex words and phrasing of the district's AUP with more commonly used language. Also, although I appreciated the brevity of my district's AUP, I saw that parts of it were too vague to be meaningful. My goal was to write an understandable, comprehensive classroom AUP.

I did some online research to make sure that I wasn't missing anything important. I was glad I took this step. My online research turned up several sites that turned out to be particularly helpful in identifying additional issues I needed to address with my students.

At the well-organized Yahooligan's Teacher Guide (www.yahooligans.com/tg/aup.html), I found additional ideas of what to include in my AUP.

Next, doing a general search, I uncovered a site maintained by Nancy Willard, an information technology consultant (netizen.uoregon.edu). The purpose of this site is "to assist school districts in the development of effective Internet policies and practices." Included there was a copyrighted AUP that may be downloaded for review. Schools or districts that choose to use Willard's materials must pay a licensing fee of $50.

Finally, at a friend's recommendation, I looked at another district's AUP. Doug Johnson, of the Mankato, Minnesota, Area Public Schools (www.isd77.k12.mn.us/guidelines.html), developed this AUP. There I saw a document much more substantive than my own district's.

On the basis of my research, I decided to add an additional rule against sharing personal information or arranging to meet, face to face, any person that a student might happen to encounter, "virtually," on the Internet to my classroom AUP.

Following is the policy I developed. I hope my experience and policy are helpful to you as you think about and decide on policies and guidelines for your own students' use of the Internet.

Student Rules for Using the Internet - 3rd Grade

1. You can use the Internet only if you follow the rules.
2. The Internet is for doing schoolwork, not for playing.
3. When using the Internet, you must follow these rules:
   • Do not give your name, address, phone number, school, or any information about yourself to someone on the Internet. People on the Internet are strangers. Tell your teacher if someone wants to meet you.
   • Do not send threatening pictures or messages to other people. Do not send messages if people ask you to stop.
   • Do not look at or send pictures that you would not want your parents or teachers to see.
   • Do not look at or send messages that are dangerous to you or others.
   • Do not load your own games or software on the school computer.
   • Do not change, erase, or remove any of the systems or software on the computer.
   • Do not download anything from the Internet into the computer without a teacher's permission.
4. The school can look at anything you save on the computer and can erase it.
5. The Internet has some information that is not true. You might accidentally see things on the Internet that your parents do not want you to. Your family cannot sue the district or school because of this.
6. You must follow classroom rules about respecting yourself, respecting others, and respecting property anytime you use the Internet at school or use the school system from your house.

Download the Internet Use Permission Form (PDF).

Note: The Permission Form above is a PDF file which requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in. Click on the icon at left to download it for free. Help with copying text from a PDF.

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