To enhance communication with students, parents/guardians, staff, and community members, the Board of Trustees encourages the development and ongoing maintenance of district and school web sites. Web sites shall be aligned with the district's plans for communications and media relations.
(cf. 0000 - Vision)
(cf. 0440 - District Technology Plan)
(cf. 1100 - Communication with the Public)
(cf. 1112 - Media Relations)
(cf. 1230 - School-Connected Organizations)
(cf. 1260 - Educational Foundation)
(cf. 4040 - Employee Use of Technology)
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)
The Superintendent or designee may establish design standards for district and school web sites in order to maintain a consistent identity, professional appearance, and ease of use.
Content
The Superintendent or designee shall develop content guidelines for district and school web sites. These guidelines shall be consistent with law, Board policy, and administrative regulation.
Staff, students, or other persons may submit materials for web publication to the district or school webmaster who shall ensure that the content adheres to district guidelines and policies.
(cf. 6145.5 - Student Organization and Equal Access)
District and school web sites shall not include content that is obscene, libelous, or slanderous, or which creates a clear and present danger of inciting students to commit unlawful acts, violate school rules, or substantially disrupt the school's orderly operation.
(cf. 5145.2 - Freedom of Speech/Expression)
The Superintendent or designee should ensure that copyright laws are not violated in the use of material on district or school web sites.
(cf. 4132/4232/4332 - Publication or Creation of Materials)
(cf. 6162.6 - Use of Copyrighted Materials)
Any links to external web sites shall support the educational mission and shall include a disclaimer that the district is not responsible for the content of external web sites.
The district shall not accept advertising of commercial products and services on district or school web sites.
Privacy Rights
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that web site content protects the privacy rights of students, parents/guardians, staff, Board members, and other individuals.
(cf. 1340 - Access to District Records)
(cf. 4119.23/4219.23/4319.23 - Unauthorized Release of Confidential/Privileged Information)
(cf. 5022 - Student and Family Privacy Rights)
(cf. 5125 - Student Records)
Phone numbers, home addresses, and email addresses of students or their parents/guardians shall not be published on a district or school web page.
(cf. 5125.1 - Release of Directory Information)
Other directory information including, but not limited to, photographs of individual students with their names may be published except when the student's parent/guardian has notified the district in writing to not allow the release of the student's photograph without prior written consent in accordance with BP/AR 5125.1 - Release of Directory Information. Photographs of groups of students, such as at a school event, may be published provided that students' names are not included.
Home addresses or telephone numbers of staff members shall not be posted.
No public safety official shall be required as a condition of employment to consent to the posting on the Internet of his/her photograph or identity as a public safety officer for any purpose if that officer reasonably believes that the disclosure may result in a threat, harassment, intimidation, or harm to the officer or his/her family. (Government Code 3307.5)
District and school web sites shall not post the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official including, but not limited to, a Board member or public safety official, without the prior written permission of that individual. (Government Code 3307.5, 6254.21, 6254.24)
(cf. 3515.3 - District Police/Security Department)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
35182.5 Contracts for advertising
35258 Internet access to school accountability report cards
48907 Exercise of free expression; rules and regulations
48950 Speech and other communication
49061 Definitions, directory information
49073 Release of directory information
60048 Commercial brand names, contracts or logos
GOVERNMENT CODE
3307.5 Publishing identity of public safety officers
6254.21 Publishing addresses and phone numbers of officials
6254.24 Definition of public safety official
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 17
101-1101 Federal copyright law
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
1232g Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 16
312.1-312.12 Children's Online Privacy
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
99.1-99.67 Family Educational Rights and Privacy
COURT DECISIONS
Aaris v. Las Virgenes Unified School District, (1998) 64 Cal.App.4th 1112
Perry Education Association v. Perry Local Educators' Association, (1983) 460 U.S. 37
Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District, et.al. v. Pico, (1982) 457 U.S. 853
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Maximizing School Board Governance: Community Leadership, 1996
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California School Public Relations Association: http://www.calspra.org
National School Public Relations Association: http://www.nspra.org
Policy BURLINGAME SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: September 21, 2010 Burlingame, California