Technology & Social Media Acceptable Use Policy
This policy applies to all technology resources in use by JBS students. It includes but is not limited to computers, phones, video equipment, copy machines, information storage devices, e-mail addresses and personal devices. The use of these resources is a privilege and must be treated as such by all students. JBS provides students with access to its technology resources for academic purposes only. The school reserves the right to access and monitor all aspects of its technology systems and devices, and students should not expect any information stored on JBS equipment or systems to be private. Students may, of course, use personal devices for non-school related reasons (during non-school hours), but may face disciplinary action should this use bring discredit to the school or anyone in the JBS community.
—Adopted June 1995/Last Modified August 2022
Any failure to follow the rules listed below is a violation of the school’s Technology and Social Media Acceptable Use Policy:
1. Students are to use on-campus internet access for strictly academic purposes. Examples of internet sites that may not be visited outside of academic use at JBS include but are not limited to the following:
● personal use of sites such as blogs, Google shared apps, podcasts, wikis, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pandora, Snapchat, TikTok and other media that involves the interaction and sharing of social information
● gaming or gambling sites
● pornographic or otherwise sexually explicit sites
● sites promoting “how-to” documents encouraging violence or illegal acts
● sites that promote racism or hate speech
2. Students may not use cell phones during the school day, unless they are being used for an academic purpose with the express permission of a faculty member in a designated area. Students may not use Airpods/earbuds during the school day, unless they’re being used with the express permission of a faculty member in a designated area. Their use is never allowed in transitional or pedestrian spaces, the Commons, and the dining room. Students in grades 9-12 are allowed these devices after the end of 8th period, but they must refrain from their use in academic areas.
3. The use of laptops/tablets/iPads is allowed in common spaces during the school day, when used for academic purposes. Their use is not allowed in classrooms without the teacher’s express permission.
4. Students should remove smart watches while testing. At any other time, teachers may request that students remove smart watches if their use is distracting the student or others.
5. Students are expected to review their JBS e-mail daily. Faculty and administrators use e-mail to communicate with students and for official notices.
6. Students may not use technology to bully or harass others.
7. All students must respect the privacy of others. Any attempt to access private files, phones, or email messages is considered theft. Impersonation of Burroughs, another student, or a Burroughs employee online is illegal and falls under the 1998 US Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act.
8. Students may not in any way vandalize equipment or software that belongs to JBS or any other organization to which JBS has access. Examples of unacceptable behavior include but are not limited to the following:
● damaging, hacking or destroying networks, computer hardware or software
● physical abuse to equipment
● the creation or intentional use of malicious programs
9. Students may never share their JBS e-mail password with anyone else. Stolen or lost passwords can create significant problems for the student and for the school.
10. Students may not transmit, retrieve or store communications of an obscene, discriminatory, offensive or harassing nature or containing derogatory, disrespectful or inflammatory language. If students encounter such communications, they should immediately report it to their principal.
11. Students may not use JBS technological systems for any purpose that is illegal and/or violates school rules and must respect copyright and fair use guidelines.
12. Students may not misuse JBS or personal distribution lists or discussion groups for sending irrelevant messages.
13. Students may not use JBS technological systems or devices for private gain or any commercial purpose.
14. Students must always adhere to the license agreements for installing/copying software that is purchased by the school.
15. Students are not allowed to create personal social media accounts that suggest they are official JBS-sanctioned accounts. Students who wish to create social media accounts for clubs or other organizations must work with their club sponsor to apply through Congress. When participating in approved school-based social media for clubs or other organizations, students are expected to create and promote an atmosphere of honesty, respect, and consideration. Students are personally responsible for the content they publish online and must keep in mind that posts created and/or promoted by Burroughs staff and students are a reflection of the entire school community.
16. When participating in personal social media, students must comply with the School’s
non-discrimination and harassment policies as detailed within “Major School Rules” in the JBS Family Handbook. The misuse of personal social media, depending on its potential effect on the health, safety and welfare of students/others and the sanctity of the educational setting on campus, may result in referral to the principal, head of school, Student Court, and/or law enforcement.
The consequences of violating any of these policies will result in referral to the school’s disciplinary system. For violations, access to technology may be revoked for a period of time in addition to disciplinary warnings, probation, suspension, expulsion from school, or a referral to law enforcement depending on the gravity of the action and the resulting consequences.