Highline Public Schools recognizes that social media is a tool that can be used to promote and enhance its education and communication goals. Social media includes websites that incorporate one or more of the following:
• Blogs. Web logs or journals where authors and users can post textual, audio, or video content, and permit others to post comments. Some websites allow individuals to create free standing blogs or use blog tools and message forums to engage users.
• Microblogs. Websites and spaces that allow users to post short blog entries (e.g., Twitter) and sites that invite users to post short status and location updates (e.g., Facebook and Foursquare).
• Social networks. Websites where users can create customized profiles and form connections with other users based on shared characteristics and interests. Websites are oriented toward personal social contact among “friends,” (e.g., Facebook and MySpace) or professional networking (e.g., LinkedIn).
• Media sharing. Websites where users post and share videos, audio files and/or photos as well as tag them to enable searchability (e.g., YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, and Google Video).
• Wikis. Resources or documents edited collaboratively by a community of users with varying levels of editorial control by the website publisher (e.g., Wikipedia).
• Virtual worlds. Web or software-based platforms that allow users to create representations of themselves to meet, socialize and transact with other users (e.g, Second Life).
Social media includes communication with students, employees and guests for educational purposes using school district-provided websites, platforms, resources or documents (e.g., Google Apps, Ning, Teacher Tube, Moodle, and Gaggle).
The District acknowledges that many existing laws and policies apply to social-media use by District staff, students, and the public. This includes but is not limited to laws and policies in the areas of civility, privacy, public records retention and disclosure, copyright, ballot measures, access to District resources, and First Amendment rights. The District will comply with these laws and update its existing policies and procedures in these areas to address social media.
Cross-References:
Library Media Centers - Policy 2021
Electronic Information System (K-20 Network) - Policy 2022
Electronic Resources Use Permission Form Student - Policy 2022F
Electronic Information System (AUP) Procedures - Policy 2022P
Online Learning - Policy 2024
Copyright Compliance - Policy 2025
Copyright Compliance Procedure - Policy 2025P
Controversial Issues/ Guest Speakers - Policy 2331
Controversial Issues Procedures - Policy 2331P
Guest Speakers Procedures - Policy 2331P1
Request for Guest Speakers Form - Policy 2331F
Student Rights and Responsibilities - Policy 3200
Prohibition of harassment, intimidation, and bullying - Policy 3207
Prohibition of harassment, intimidation, and bullying Procedure - Policy 3207P
Harassment, intimidation, and Bullying Incident Form - Policy 3207F
Freedom of Expression - Policy 3220
Freedom of Expression Procedure - Policy 3220P
Student Publications - Policy 3221
Student Publications Procedures - Policy 3221P
Student Conduct - Policy 3240
Student Conduct Procedure - Policy 3240P
Student Conduct – Exceptional Misconduct Matrix - Policy 3240P1
Student Records: Protection of rights and privileges of parents and students - Policy 3250
Student Records: Protection of rights and privileges of parents and students Procedures - Policy 3250P
Confidential Communication - Policy 4020
Public Access to District Records - Policy 4040
Public Information Program - Policy 4120
Public Information Program Procedures - Policy 4120P
Staff Communications Responsibilities - Policy 4121
Staff Participation in Political Activities - Policy 5252
Staff Participation in Political Activities Procedure - Policy 5252P
Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries - Policy 5253
Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries Procedures - Policy 5253P
Malicious Harassment - Policy 5261
Malicious Harassment Procedures - Policy 5261P
Sexual Harassment - Policy 5262
Sexual Harassment Procedures - Policy 5262P
Records Management and Retention - Policy 8410
Records Management and Retention - Policy 8410
Highline School District 401
Adopted by the Board: August 2013
Classification: Essential