I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that employees are aware of and comply with the school district's expectations for personal and professional use of publicly available social media networks.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT
Moorhead Area Public Schools recognizes the importance of online social media networks as a communication and e-learning tool. The school district acknowledges the value of teacher inquiry, investigation, and innovation using new technology tools to enhance the learning experience. The district recognizes its obligation to teach and ensure the responsible and safe use of these technologies. Toward that end, the school district provides password-protected social media tools and district-approved technologies for e-learning and requires the use of district-provided tools for collaboration by employees.
The line between professional and personal relationships can be blurred within the context of social media. When employees choose to join or engage with school district students, families or fellow employees in a social media context that exists outside those approved by the district, they are advised to maintain their professionalism as district employees. Employees are responsible for their behavior or activity on these networks. Employees must report inappropriate student behavior, illegal actions or violations of school district policies governed by mandated reporting to their supervisor.
III. DEFINITIONS
A. “Public social media networks” are defined to include: websites, social networks, online forums, virtual worlds, and any other social media generally available to the public or consumers and which do not fall within Moorhead Area Public Schools network. Examples of public social media include (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vimeo, YouTube, and blogs).
B. “District-approved online engagement tools are those that fall within the Moorhead Area Public Schools network or which the school district has approved for educational or communications purposes. The district has greater authority and responsibility to protect minors from inappropriate content and can limit public access within this limited public forum. Examples include by are not limited to the following platforms: Apptegy, Schoology, Carousel, rSchools.
IV. REQUIREMENTS
Employees are expected to serve as positive ambassadors for our schools and to act as role models to students in this community. Because those on social media networks may view the employee as a representative of the schools and the district, Moorhead Area Public Schools requires employees to observe the following rules when referring to the school district, its schools, students, programs, activities, employees, volunteers and communities on any social media networks. Administrative Procedure 447.1: Social Media Guidelines for Employees contains additional guidelines:
A. The school district takes no position on employees’ decision to participate in the use of social media networks for personal use on personal time. However, the use of these media for personal use during district time and/or on district equipment is prohibited. In addition, employees must avoid posting any information or engaging in communications that violate state or federal laws, school district policies and procedures, and guidelines outlined in the employee handbook.
B. Public social media networks, outside of those sponsored by the school district, may not be used for classroom instruction or school-sponsored activities without the prior authorization of the Superintendent or designee and parental consent for student participation on public accessible social networks. The school district will maintain a list of acceptable social media network tools for instructional use on the Extranet. Moorhead Area Public Schools may use these tools and other communication technologies in fulfilling its responsibility for effectively communicating with the public.
C. An employee’s use of any social media network and an employee’s postings, displays, or communications on any social media network must comply with all state and federal laws, the website's terms of service, and any applicable district policies.
Employees are expected to be respectful and professional in all communications by word, image, or other means when using school district social media.
Employees shall not use their district-provided email address for communications on public social media networks for personal use or without approval form the Superintendent or designee.
Employees must make clear that any views expressed online are the employee’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the district. Employees may not act as a spokesperson for the district or post comments as a representative of the district, except as authorized by the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee or as appropriate for their role as a spokesperson or social media poster for the District. When authorized as a spokesperson for Moorhead Area Public Schools, employees must disclose their employment relationship with the district.
Employees may not disclose on any social media network information that is confidential or proprietary to the district, its students, or employees or that is protected by data privacy laws.
Employees may not use or post the district logo on any social media network without permission from the Superintendent or designee.
Employees may not post images on any social media network of co-workers without the co-workers’ consent., except for general images that may have been taken in the public arena, such as at sporting events or fine arts public performances etc.
Employees may not post images of students on any social media network without written parental consent, except for images of students taken in the public arena, such as at sporting events or fine arts public performances.
Employees may not post any nonpublic images of the district premises and property, including floor plans.
D. Moorhead Area Public Schools recognizes that student groups or members of the public may create social media accounts representing teams or groups within the district. When employees, including coaches/advisors, choose to join or engage with these social networking groups, they always do so as an employee of the district. Social Media sites representative of the school district must be approved by district administration. Current login and password information is available to the Department of Community Engagement and Public Relations as well as the Technology Department. Employees have responsibility for maintaining appropriate employee-student relationships at all times and have responsibility for addressing inappropriate behavior or activity on these networks. This includes acting to protect the safety of minors online. Employees shall annually disclose to the district the existence of and their participation in such networks. Employees are required to register their active district-related professional social media accounts under My Demographics on the Extranet. It is recommended that employees also register their personal social media networks as well.
1. When an official student group or team creates a social media site or team website for itself, the coach or advisor must request and secure the login, password, and recovery information for that online group. This will prevent, for example, dozens of out-of-date Twitter accounts for sports teams, as each year's team social designee has graduated and the social media account remains online, but not active.
E. An employee who is responsible for a social media network posting that fails to comply with the rules and guidelines set forth in this policy or as outlined in employee contract language may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Employees will be held responsible for the disclosure, whether purposeful or inadvertent, of confidential or private information, information that violates the privacy rights or other rights of a third party, or the content of anything posted on any social media network.
F. Anything posted on an internet or social media site that is available to public view, such as the employee’s personal website, or other Internet content for which the employee is responsible, will be subject to all district policies, rules, regulations, and guidelines. Due to the public nature of websites and weblogs, the district is free to view and monitor an employee’s website or Web log at any time without consent or previous approval.
Legal References:
Minnesota Administrative Rule 8700.7500 (Code of Ethics for Minnesota Teachers Children's Internet Protection Act)
15 U.S.C. 6501 et seq. (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act)
17 U.S.C. 101 et seq. (Copyrights)
47 U.S.C. 254 (Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000)
Minn. Stat. 121A.0695 (School Board Policy; Prohibiting Intimidation and Bullying)
Cross References:
Minnetonka School Board Policy 470 Employee Use of Social Media
Moorhead School Board Policy 414: Employee Public and Private Personnel Data
Moorhead School Board Policy 448: Electronic Communication Between Employees and Students
Moorhead School Board Policy 504: Protection and Privacy of Student Records
Moorhead School Board Policy 534: Mandated Reporting of Child Neglect or Physical or Sexual Abuse
Moorhead School Board Policy 535: Maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults
Moorhead School Board Policy 551: Student Discipline
Moorhead School Board Policy 570: Prohibition of Harassment and Violence
Moorhead School Board Policy 601: Curriculum and Instruction Goals of Moorhead Area Public Schools
Moorhead School Board Policy 620: Selection of Textbooks and Instructional Materials
Moorhead School Board Policy 730: School District Copyright
Moorhead School Board Policy 731: Electronic Network and Systems Responsible Use and Safety