Ethical Use and Misuse of Social Media Sites in Education WASDA Ethics & Board Relations Committee WASB State School Board Convention Thursday, January 19, 2012

Kieth Kriewaldt, Chairperson Sara Croney, Assistant Chairperson Michael R. Weber, Training Sub-Committee Chairperson Carey Gremminger, Local School Board and CESA #1 Board of Control

Code of Ethics for School Board Members

National School Boards Association 1680 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (703) 838-6722 Fax: (703) 683-7590

E-mail: [email protected]

The NSBA Board endorses the following code for local school board members. As a member of my local Board of Education I will strive to improve public education, and to that end I will:

• • • • • • • • • • •

attend all regularly scheduled board meetings insofar as possible, and become informed concerning the issues to be considered at those meetings; recognize that I should endeavor to make policy decisions only after full discussion at publicly held board meetings; render all decisions based on the available facts and my independent judgment, and refuse to surrender that judgment to individuals or special interest groups; encourage the free expression of opinion by all board members, and seek systematic communications between the board and students, staff, and all elements of the community; work with other board members to establish effective board policies and to delegate authority for the administration of the schools to the superintendent; communicate to other board members and the superintendent expression of public reaction to board policies and school programs; inform myself about current educational issues by individual study and through participation in programs providing needed information, such as those sponsored by my state and national school boards association; support the employment of those persons best qualified to serve as school staff, and insist on a regular and impartial evaluation of all staff; avoid being placed in a position of conflict of interest; take no private action that will compromise the board or administration, and respect the confidentiality of information that is privileged under applicable law; and remember always that my first and greatest concern must be the educational welfare of the students attending the public schools

NOTE: The Wisconsin School Board Association has no formal approved code of ethics, and refers local Boards to the National School Board Convention Code of Ethics.

WISCONSIN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS

Code of Ethics The Professional School Administrator... ...cons t antly upholds the honor and dignity of the educational profession in all actions and relations with pupils, colleagues, school board members and the public. ...obeys local, state and national laws: maintains high ethical and moral standards, and gives loyalty to his/her country and to the cause of democracy and liberty. ...accepts the responsibility throughout his/her career to master and to contribute to the growing body of specialized knowledge, concepts, and skills which characterize school administration as a profession. ...strives to provide the finest possible educational experiences and opportunities to all persons in the district. ...applying for a position or entering into contractual agreements seeks to preserve and enhance the prestige and status of the profession. ...carries out in good faith all policies duly adopted by the local board and the regulations of state authorities and renders professional service to the best of his/her ability. ...honors the public trust of the position above any economic or social rewards. ...does not permit considerations of private gain nor personal economic interest to affect the discharge of his/her professional responsibilities. ...recognizes that the public schools are the public’s business and seeks to keep the public fully and honestly informed about their schools. H igh standards of ethical behavior for the Professional School Administrator are essential and are compatible with the school administrator’s faith in the power of public education and his/her commitment to leadership in the preservation and strengthening of the public schools.

AWSA – Association of School Administrators Code of Ethics Professional school administrators are held to high standards of ethical behavior and conduct. Upholding these standards is essential for the administrator to be viewed by the community, professional associates, and students as a leader in preserving and strengthening the public schools. The following statements of ethical practice and professional behavior emphasize the positive attributes of professional performance which characterize effective administrative leadership. Each Association of Wisconsin School Administrators member: •

upholds the honor, dignity, and integrity of the educational profession in all actions and relations with pupils, parents, colleagues, school board members, and the community;

•

obeys local, state, and national laws; maintains high ethical and moral standards, and gives loyalty to country and to the cause of democracy, liberty, and citizenship;

•

accepts personal responsibility for professional development and for contributing to the expanding body of specialized knowledge, concepts, and skills of school administration;

•

strives to provide the finest possible educational experiences and opportunities for all persons within the public schools;

•

seeks to preserve and enhance the prestige and status of the profession when applying for a position or entering into employment contracts;

•

carries out in good faith all policies duly adopted by the local board, the laws and regulations of the State, and renders the highest professional service possible;

•

honors the public trust of the position above any personal gain;

•

affirms the public schools as the public's business and seeks to keep the public fully and honestly informed about their schools. Members of the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators strive to maintain interpersonal relationships which support and nurture these ethical principles.

policy BOARD OF EDUCATION PORT WASHINGTON-SAUKVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PROFESSIONAL STAFF 3210 / page 1 of 1

STAFF ETHICS An effective educational program requires the services of professionals of integrity, high ideals, and human understanding. To maintain and promote these essentials, the Board of Education expects all staff members to maintain high standards in their working relationships, and in the performance of their duties, to: A.

recognize basic dignities of all individuals with whom they interact;

B.

exercise due care to protect the emotional, mental and physical health of others;

C.

seek and apply the knowledge and skills appropriate to assigned responsibilities;

D.

maintain confidential information;

E.

ensure that personal actions do not promote private economic interests;

F.

avoid accepting gifts offered by another for the purpose of influencing judgment;

G.

refrain from using position or public property, or permitting another person to use an employee's position or public property for partisan political or religious purposes. This will in no way limit constitutionally or legally protected rights as a citizen.

Adopted: 6/18/01

DISTRICT USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA Sample Policy 1

Policy 821.5 Page 1 of 3

(The following is a sample policy that grants the district administrator the authority to establish and maintain one or more social media accounts for limited purposes related to district public communication initiatives. This sample prohibits the district social media accounts from enabling public comment boards or public discussion forums. It also requires the district to obtain specific written consent prior to using student photos or individual student names in connection with any district use of a social media account.) The administration, with the express advance approval of the District Administrator and the prior input of the Director of Technology, may establish one or more official District accounts through third-party social media applications for the purpose of enhancing the community’s ability to access information about the District and its programs, activities and events. Any such account(s) shall be maintained in a manner consistent with the following requirements, as well as any other standards or rules that the District Administrator or his/her designee may establish: 1. The primary purpose of any District social media account established pursuant to this policy shall be the communication of information from and about the District to school families and the larger community, including communications issued for public relations purposes. Accordingly, any District social media account that may be established shall not serve as a public forum or limited or designated forum for the expression or posting of opinions, concerns, beliefs or other information. a. A District-sponsored social media account may be used to promote District and schoolrelated programs, activities and events, as well as to provide information about District and school schedules, meetings, and important deadlines. b. At the discretion of the District Administrator, the District may choose to use its social media account(s) to include District announcements of the activities and accomplishments of any groups that have been organized primarily to support a schoolrelated purpose, such as parent-teacher organizations and booster clubs, provided that the same standards are applied to all such groups when similarly situated. c. The non-school events, activities, or accomplishments of third-party groups or organizations that are not organized primarily to support a school-related purpose shall not be advertised or promoted through any District social media account(s). d. Any other use of a District-sponsored social media account that is otherwise consistent with this policy may be conditionally approved and implemented by the District Administrator, but shall be brought before the School Board for final approval. 2. The District’s social media account(s) for public communications shall include the display of the District’s name; and, where technologically feasible, the main account page or specific communications sent through the account shall include the URL of the official District website and the telephone number of the main administrative office of the District. 3. Notwithstanding any District policy in regard to any other release of student directory data, no individual student names or the photographs of any individually-identifiable students may be posted to or otherwise publicly disseminated through a District-sponsored social media account unless the District first obtains the advance written consent of the student’s parent or guardian (or of the adult student, if at least 18 years old).

© 2011 Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Inc.

6/13/11

DISTRICT USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA Sample Policy 1

Policy 821.5 Page 2 of 3

4. The District’s social media account(s) for public communications shall not make use of any private or closed networks or groups. Any member of the public interested in accessing the information the District provides through its public-information social media account(s) shall be permitted to have such access. 5. To the extent any social media application allows the account holder to offer a public posting, public reply, or other public messaging option to users other than the account holder (i.e., a feature in which comments or other information can be posted by non-District users and displayed through the account for access by other public users), such a feature shall not be enabled in connection with the District account. 6. A District-sponsored social media account established through this policy shall not be relied upon to establish compliance with the requirements for giving public notice of Board meetings or the meetings of other governmental bodies that fall under the purview of the Board or District. Any notice of such meetings that may be provided through a Districtsponsored social media account shall be considered exclusively supplemental in nature. 7. Prior to approving the establishment and use of any District-sponsored electronic social media account under this policy, the District Administrator shall ensure that there is a plan in place for managing the records created or maintained through the account. In the event that the District Administrator approves the establishment of a District social media account(s) for public communications pursuant to this policy, the District Administrator shall inform the Board of that decision. Except for District-sponsored social media accounts that have been approved pursuant to this policy, no District employee, member of the Board, or other person acting as an agent of the District shall establish any account, site, page, blog or other similar presence on a third-party website or on any other third-party electronic social media application that purports to represent, or that a member of the public would be likely to reasonably believe represents (e.g., due to the manner in which information is presented), an official or authorized account, site, page, blog or other similar presence of the full Board, the District, any District school, or any District-sponsored program or activity (e.g., athletic teams). This policy is not intended to address the use of the District’s internal technology networks and email system, the District’s password-based electronic student information system, the instructional use of the Internet, or the use of specific websites or applications for direct instructional or other internal purposes (e.g., staff development). Those issues are governed by separate policies, rules and/or administrative directives.

© 2011 Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Inc.

6/13/11

DISTRICT USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Policy 821.5 Page 3 of 3

Sample Policy 1 Legal References: Wisconsin Statutes Sections 19.31 to 19.37

[Wisconsin Public Records Law]

Cross References:

[Insert appropriate cross references to the policy as applicable to your district.]

Adoption Date:

© 2011 Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Inc.

6/13/11

STAFF USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA Sample Policy 1

Policy 522.71 Page 1 of 2

(The following is a sample policy that specifically addresses staff use of Web 2.0 tools and applications, which includes social media. Rather than having a separate policy and rule addressing staff use of Web 2.0 tools and applications, a district could integrate this policy information and the information in PRG sample 522.71-Rule with the district’s more general staff use of technology policy and acceptable use of technology rules.} The School Board encourages the District’s staff to make use of Web 2.0 tools and applications (such as social networks, blogs, wikis, internet-based multi-media applications, collaboration tools, and advanced learning management applications) for the purposes of (1) engaging in professional development and professional collaboration activities; and (2) enhancing student learning and instruction, provided that the use of such tools and applications is consistent with this policy and with such other requirements and expectations as may be established by the Board, the District Administrator, or the District Administrator’s designee. Paramount principles that shall guide all staff members’ activities and conduct in connection with the use of Web 2.0 tools and all other electronic media include the following: −

Any time a staff member is participating in a technology-facilitated communication, collaboration, exercise, or other activity in connection with their responsibilities as a school district employee, the employee is expected to conduct him/herself in a courteous and professional manner that is consistent with the District’s general rules and expectations for appropriate workplace conduct and acceptable use of technology.

−

Maintaining professional boundaries in all forms of technology-facilitated communication with students—including but not limited to the consistent use of a formal, courteous, and professional tone and limiting such communication to exchanges that are within the scope of the employee’s job responsibilities—is vital to maintaining appropriate professional relationships with students and to maintaining the community’s trust in the schools.

−

All District-provided or District-authorized technology tools and applications are provided to further the mission, vision, goals and policies of the District; and, as such, they remain under the ultimate control of the Board and District administration at all times.

−

When such tools and applications are used in connection with student learning, they shall be considered an extension of the District’s educational curriculum. Employees shall use such tools and applications in connection with and to accomplish their assigned duties and responsibilities, and not as a forum for self-directed personal expression. Employees shall not have an expectation of privacy in connection with their use of any District-related form of electronic media. When “off duty” or when otherwise using technology resources in their private capacities away from the District, employees are held to the same standards in their public use of electronic media (including but not limited to social media) as they are held to in connection with their other off-duty, public conduct. Where there is a sufficient nexus between off-duty conduct and an employee’s work-related role and responsibilities, there can be employment-related consequences for off-duty conduct that violates the law, that violates District policy or other work directives, that is harmful to persons in the school community, or that otherwise interferes with the employee’s ability to effectively perform his/her job duties. Accordingly, as an example, each employee is responsible for all content appearing on all personal websites and social media accounts maintained or controlled by the employee, and for establishing and monitoring privacy settings on any personal websites

© 2011 Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Inc.

9/28/11

STAFF USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA Sample Policy 1

Policy 522.71 Page 2 of 2

and other electronic accounts that are appropriate for the nature of content provided therein. −

In the event that any employee proposes a use of any electronic media application or tool for instructional purposes that is prohibited by current policy or by current administrative rules, the employee may request a meeting with the District Administrator and Technology Coordinator to consider alternative options or the possibility of pursuing a modification or exemption from the applicable policy or rule to enable an innovative and viable project.

Cross References: [Insert appropriate cross references to the policy as applicable to your district.]

Adoption Date:

© 2011 Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Inc.

9/28/11