To enhance communication with students, parents/guardians, staff, and community members, the Governing Board encourages the development and ongoing maintenance of all district and school authorized websites. Websites 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)
Websites are authorized by the Superintendent or designee(s). Websites that have not been authorized by the Superintendent or designee(s), but that contain content related to the district or comments on district operations, such as sites/networks created by a parent-faculty organization, booster club, foundations, other school-connected organization, or a student's or employee's personal site/network are not considered district websites.
Design Standards for Websites
The Superintendent or designee(s) may establish design standards for district websites in order to maintain a consistent identity, professional appearance, and ease of use. The district's design standards shall address the accessibility of district websites to individuals with disabilities, including compatibility with commonly used assistive technologies.
Content Guidelines for Websites
The Superintendent or designee(s) shall develop content guidelines for district websites. These guidelines shall be consistent with Board policy, administrative regulation, Technology Use Agreements, and all federal and state laws. The Superintendent or designee(s) will be responsible for monitoring compliance.
District websites 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 Governing Board expects that copyright laws are not violated in the use of material on district websites.
(cf. 4132/4232/4332 - Publication or Creation of Materials)
(cf. 6162.6 - Use of Copyrighted Materials)
Any links to external websites shall support the educational mission and shall include a disclaimer that the district is not responsible for the content of external websites.
The district does not intend to create an open public forum or otherwise guarantee an individual's right to free speech.
The district shall not accept advertising of commercial products and services on district websites.
(cf. 1325 - Advertising and Promotion)
Privacy Rights
The Superintendent or designee(s) shall ensure that the privacy rights of students, parents/guardians, staff, Governing Board, and other individuals are protected on district websites.
(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)
District websites are not to be used to transmit confidential information about students, employees, or district operations. Phone numbers, home addresses, and email address of students, their parents/guardians, or staff shall not be published on district websites.
(cf. 5125.1 - Release of Directory Information)
Public safety officials shall not 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 websites shall not post the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official including, but not limited to, the Governing Board 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
11135 Nondiscrimination: accessibility to state websites
PENAL Code
14029.5 Prohibition against publishing personal information of person in witness protection program
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 17
101-1101 Federal copyright law
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
1232g Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29
794 Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; accessibility to federal websites
12101-12213 Americans with Disabilities Act
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
Management Resources:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PUBLICATIONS
Accessibility of State and Local Government Websites to People with Disabilities, June 2003
WORLD WIDE WEB CONSORTIUM PUBLICATIONS
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, December 2008
WEBSITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education, Web Accessibility Standards:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/ws/webaccesstsd.asp
California School Public Relations Association: http://www.calspra.org
National School Public Relations Association: http://www.nspra.org
U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act: http://www.ada.gov
World Wide Web Consortium, Web Accessibility Initiative: http://www.w3.org/wai
Policy NEWPORT-MESA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: March 28, 2017 Costa Mesa, California