Student and Staff Access to Computers, Telecommunications, Electronics and Networked Information Resources
 In
a free and democratic society, access to information is fundamental to citizenship
and the foundation for further educational attainment. The Board of Education
recognizes that as computers, telecommunications and other new technologies
change the ways that information may be accessed, communicated and transferred,
those changes may also alter instruction, staff and student learning. The
Board generally supports access by staff and students to rich information
resources along with the development of appropriate skills to analyze and
evaluate such resources.
 Telecommunications, because it may lead
to any publicly available file server in the world, will open classrooms to
electronic information which may not have been screened prior to use by
staff or students of various ages. The Board believes that the benefits
to staff and students from access in the form of information resources and
opportunities for collaboration, exceed the disadvantages. The Board expects
the staff to integrate resources which have been gathered through telecommunications,
electronic information sources, and networked services into the curriculum.
Staff will be expected to follow the guidelines for materials contained in
Board Policy and honor the goals for selection of materials contained therein.
 While computers
and the district-area network are provided for staff and students to conduct
research and communicate with others, access to such will be provided to staff
who shall act in a considerate and responsible manner. Such will also be provided
to students who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner. General
school rules for behavior and communications apply to all computer use and
users. Based upon
needs determined by designated staff, independent student use of telecommunications
and electronic resources may be permitted upon demonstration of proficiency.
Independent student use shall require submission of permission forms and agreement
forms by the parent and by the student. The Lexington Public School supports
and respects each family's right to decide whether or not to apply for
independent access while at school. Parents are ultimately responsible for
setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when
using telecommunications and electronic information sources.
 The Board
of Education authorizes the Superintendent to prepare appropriate procedures
for implementing this policy and for reviewing and evaluating its effect on
instruction and student achievement.
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