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Because the internet is merely in its infancy, there are not many guidelines available.
This puts the responsibility of proper website and internet etiquette on the website
developers as well as the users. Schools especially need to be aware of the various
responsibilities involved in having their own web site. The World Wide Web offers a vast
amount of information and your school can be viewed by millions of people worldwide. This
list describes the various legal considerations and guidelines that should be followed.
- Disclaimers
Whenever an opinion is expressed that is not that of the school or the school district, it
is a good idea to issue a disclaimer so that your school is not associated with any
controvery that may arise. A disclaimer should also be used when links to other sites are
used. PBC Disclaimer
(http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/disclaim.asp)
- Acceptable Use Policies
An Acceptable Use Policy should be followed by all users who are accessing the internet.
- Parent Consent
Because the internet is so vast, precautions must be taken and parents
and students need to understand and acknowledge the rules and risks
associated with use. It is best to get a signed permission form from the
parents that explains how your school intends to use the internet.
For students who are Accessing the Internet at school:
Examples: Bellingham Public
School Parent Permission Form,
Houston's Independent School
District
For Publishing Student Work to the Web:
Example: FloridaSMART Parent Permission Form,
Bellingham Public Schools
Parent Permission Form both are excellent examples and they grant permission for their form to be copied and used by
others.
- No identifying information such as email, phone number or photographs
of individual children should be published. Do not list the full name of the students.
Group or class photos are acceptable. If an individual photo is to be
used, a seperate parent permission form should be obtained from the
parent.
- All material should be reviewed by appointed staff members before being published to the
Web.
- Copyright Issues
Copyright on the internet is a big issue. Because the internet contains so much
information, many people assume it is free for the taking. However, unless it is clearly
stated that the photos and information are public domain, it should be considered
copyrighted and treated as such. When publishing your own information or student work to
the Web, it is a good idea to include a copyright notice to make it crystal clear that the
information is not allowed to be copied without permission.
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