4118.51P Social Networking

SHIPMAN/GOODWIN SUGGESTED POLICY REVISIONS

                                                                                           ~4118.51P
                                                                                            4218.51P

                                                        PERSONNEL - CERTIFIED/NON-CERTIFIED

                             SOCIAL NETWORKING/SOCIAL MEDIA

The Colchester Board of Education acknowledges that its employees have the right under the
First Amendment, in certain circumstances, to speak out on matters of public concern.

The Board expects all employees to learn to use and stay abreast of technological resources
that will assist them in the performance of their job responsibilities.

Staff members shall utilize social network sites judiciously by not posting confidential
information about students, staff, or District business. Communication via social networks with
Colchester students will be appropriate and professional; communication with students in the
school where staff members currently work must be related to school assignments or activities.
Administrators shall annually educate staff and orient new staff members concerning the
importance of maintaining proper decorum in the on-line digital world as well as in person.

Ordinarily, the use of social media by employees, including employees’ use of personal online
accounts, will not be a legal or policy issue. While a policy cannot address every instance of
inappropriate social media use, employees must refrain from social media use that:

       1)​ i​ nterferes, disrupts or undermines the effective operation of the school district;

       2)​ i​ s used to engage in harassing, defamatory, obscene, abusive, discriminatory or
              threatening or similarly inappropriate communications;

       3)​ c​ reates a hostile work environment;

       4)​ b
           ​ reaches confidentiality obligations of school district employees; or


       5)​ v​ iolates the law, board policies and/or other school rules and regulations.

School district employees are prohibited from engaging in any conduct on social networking
sites that violates the law, Board Policies and/ or the Connecticut Code of Professional
Responsibility for Educators, which ​applies to all staff and​ currently states:


SOCIAL NETWORKING                                                                       Page 1 of 2
The education profession is vested by the public with a trust and responsibility requiring the
highest ideals of professionalism. Therefore, the educator accepts both the public trust and the
responsibilities to practice the profession according to the highest possible degree of ethical
conduct and standards. Such responsibilities include the commitment to the students, the
profession, the community, and the family.

Social media​ include the posting of ideas, information, photos, opinions, or thoughts on a web
site with the purpose of connecting with other people. ​Current examples are facebook, twitter,
YouTube, Linked In; wikis, nings and blogs; image sharing networks such as Flickr and Picasa. [It
is recognized that social software and media will continue to change.]


       Legal References:     U.S. Constitution, Amend.

                             Conn. Constitution, Article I, Sections 3, 4, 14

                             Electronic Communication Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510 through
                             2520

                             Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-40x
                             Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-48d
                             Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51q
                             Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-182; 53a-183; 53a-250


Policy Adopted:       September 13, 2011
Revised:              February 9, 2020

COLCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Colchester, Connecticut