Applicability

This section applies to all employees of the District when on District property and at school related events and activities. 

Acceptable and Unacceptable Personal Use of Technology on District Property and at Related Events and Activities

District employees may bring personal technology on District property and to school related events and activities and may keep such technology powered on. 

Any use of technology for personal purposes at school or related events or activities must comply with the parameters of  Policy 9:00 Acceptable Use of the Districts Electronic Resources, 9:30 Internet Publications and District Social Media and all other District policies, administrative procedures, handbooks and guidelines governing use of the District’s electronic resources, and must not be in a manner that adversely affects or reasonably could be foreseen to adversely affect an employee’s job performance, the performance of others, members of the District community, or the ability of the District to provide efficient services or conduct its business operations.

Personal Communications with Members of the District Community

Employees are prohibited from using technology to communicate with a student for personal purposes if they do not have a legitimate independent relationship with the student. Examples of a legitimate independent relationship include a familial relationship or pre-existing relationship through an outside organization such as a religious house of worship. This prohibition includes communicating with students through electronic mail, personal messaging programs or text messaging, and “friending” or “following” students’ social media profiles for personal purposes. If an employee has any doubt about whether a legitimate independent relationship justifies an exception to this prohibition, the employee is expected to speak with the Superintendent or Building Principal regarding the relationship prior to deviating from this prohibition.

How an employee otherwise uses technology to communicate with other members of the District community for personal purposes is within his or her own discretion. In general, what employees do on their own time is their affair. However, activities outside of work that may adversely affect an employee’s job performance, the performance of others, members of the District community, or the ability of the District to provide efficient services or conduct its business operations may be the subject of discipline. Employees are strongly encouraged to take steps to strictly control the privacy of their online activity, although such measures may not prevent the imposition of discipline. 

Usage and Conduct 

All District employees who use personal technology and social media shall:

1. Adhere to the high standards for appropriate school relationships required by policy 5:120, Employee Ethics; Code of Professional Conduct; and Conflict of Interest, at all times, regardless of the ever-changing social media and personal technology platforms available. This includes District employees posting images or private information about themselves or others in a manner readily accessible to students and other employees that is inappropriate as defined by policies 5:20, Workplace Harassment Prohibited; 5:100, Staff Development Program; 5:120, Employee Ethics;  Code of Professional Conduct; and Conflict of Interest; 7:20, Harassment of Students Prohibited;, and 9:00, Acceptable Use of District  Electronic Resources; and the Ill. Code of Educator Ethics, 23 Ill.Admin.Code §22.20.

2. Choose a District-provided or supported method whenever possible to communicate with students and their parents/guardians.

3. Not interfere with or disrupt the educational or working environment, or the delivery of education or educational support services.

4. Inform their immediate supervisor if a student initiates inappropriate contact with them via any form of personal technology or social media.

5. Report instances of suspected abuse or neglect discovered through the use of social media or personal technology pursuant to a school employee’s obligations under policy 5:90, Abused and Neglected Child Reporting.

6. Not disclose confidential information, including but not limited to school student records (e.g., student work, photographs of students, names of students, or any other personally identifiable information about students) or personnel records, in compliance with policy 5:130, Responsibilities Concerning Internal Information. This means that personal technology and social media may not be used to share, publish, or transmit information about or images of students and/or District employees without proper approval. For District employees, proper approval may include implied consent under the circumstances.

7. Refrain from using the District’s logos without permission and follow Board policy 5:170, Copyright, and all District copyright compliance procedures.

8. Use personal technology and social media for personal purposes only during non-work times or hours. Any duty-free use must occur during times and places that the use will not interfere with job duties or otherwise be disruptive to the school environment or its operation.

9. Assume all risks associated with the use of personal technology and social media at school or school-sponsored activities, including students’ viewing of inappropriate Internet materials through the District employee’s personal technology or social media. The Board expressly disclaims any responsibility for imposing content filters, blocking lists, or monitoring of its employees’ personal technology and social media. 

10. Be subject to remedial and any other appropriate disciplinary action for violations of this policy ranging from prohibiting the employee from possessing or using any personal technology or social media at school to dismissal and/or indemnification of the District for any losses, costs, or damages, including reasonable attorney fees, incurred by the District relating to, or arising out of, any violation of this policy.

Disclaimer, Limitation of Liability, and Indemnification

An employee who uses personal technology for personal purposes on District property, at school related events or activities, or with members of the District community, agrees by such use to assume all risks associated with such use, including the risk that students may view or gain access to inappropriate material through the employee’s personal technology or that suspicions may arise regarding the nature of a relationship between and employee and a student. Unless the employee is using personal technology to access the District’s Internet services, filters may not necessarily be in place to control or monitor use of an employee’s technology. It is thus the employee’s responsibility to prevent any risks associated with the use of personal technology. An employee will be responsible to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the District, to the extent allowed by law, for any use of technology for personal purposes, on District property, at school-related events or activities, or with members of the District community that violates this policy, any other District policy, or any relevant law. 

LEGAL REF.: 105 ILCS 5/21B-75 and 5/21B-80.

Ill. Human Rights Act, 775 ILCS 5/5A-102. 

Code of Ethics for Ill. Educators, 23 Ill.Admin.Code §22.20.

CROSS REF.: 5:20 (Workplace Harassment Prohibited), 5:30 (Hiring Process and Criteria), 5:100 (Staff Development Program), 5:120 (Ethics and Code of Professional  Conduct), 5:130 (Responsibilities Concerning Internal Information), 5:150 (Personnel Records), 5:170 (Copyright), 5:200 (Terms and Conditions of Employment and Dismissal), 6:235 (Access to Electronic Networks), 7:20 (Harassment of Students Prohibited), 9:00 (Acceptable Use of the District’s Electronic Resources)

Reviewed: December 8, 2014, June 27, 2016, January 23, 2017, December 13, 2021, May 20, 2024

Adopted: January 12, 2015

Revisions Adopted: August 1, 2016, February 6, 2017, January 22, 2022, June 10, 2024