DMA – Employee Acceptable Use of Electronic Devices

Employee Acceptable Use of Electronic Devices

Purpose—

District employees’ job responsibilities may require them to use electronic devices or may be more efficiently and effectively fulfilled by use of such devices. District employees may also wish to use electronic devices for personal purposes during work time. However, electronic devices are subject to misuse and in some circumstances can have the effect of distracting and disrupting the employee and others in the school setting and may also lead to the disruption of the educational process. The purpose of this policy is to vest in school and District administrators the authority to enforce reasonable rules relating to electronic devices in the workplace and to establish the framework for acceptable use of such devices. Policy DMB contains additional standards relating to District-owned devices and devices being used to conduct District business.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-3(1) (April 8, 2019)

Definitions—

  1. “Electronic device” means a device that is used for audio, video, or text communication or any other type of computer or computer-like instrument including:
    1. a smart phone
    1. a smart or electronic watch;
    1. a tablet; or
    1. a virtual reality device.
  2. “Guest” means an individual who is not a student, employee, or designated volunteer of a District school who is on school property or at the site of a school-sponsored activity or event.
  3. “Inappropriate matter” means pornographic or indecent material as defined in Utah Code § 76-10-1235(1)(a).

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-2(2), (3), (4) (April 8, 2019)

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-4(1)(a) (April 8, 2019)

General requirements for acceptable use of electronic devices—

            Employee use of electronic devices must comply with Policy EEB (regarding internet and school network use), Policy DAI (employee code of conduct), Policy DKB (regarding sexual harassment), Policy DKBA (regarding interactions with students), Policies FE and FEA (relating to privacy of student records and information) and any other applicable District policies. Certified employee use of electronic devices must also comply with the Utah Educator Standards (see Utah Admin. Rules R277-217-1 and following). Employees shall not use electronic devices in any way which violates local, state or federal laws. Employees shall not use electronic devices in ways that bully, humiliate, harass, or intimidate school-related individuals, including students, employees, and guests.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-4(1)(a), (c), (f), (g) (April 8, 2019)

            Employee use of an electronic device on school premises (or use of school connectivity) to access inappropriate matter is prohibited by this policy. It is also illegal, may have criminal consequences, shall be reported to law enforcement, and may have adverse employment consequences including termination from employment.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-4(1)(c), (3)(a) (April 8, 2019)

Utah Code § 76-10-1235 (2007)

Electronic devices must be used in an ethical and responsible manner and must not be used to invade others’ reasonable expectations of privacy. Students and others in the public schools should not be subject to video or audio capture, recording, or transmission of their words or images by any employee without express prior notice and explicit consent for the capture, recording, or transmission of such words or images. There are certain situations where the possession or use of electronic devices and cameras is absolutely prohibited within District schools, including locker rooms, counseling sessions, washrooms, and dressing areas.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-4(4)(a) (April 8, 2019)

            Electronic devices must not be used in hacking (obtaining unauthorized access to or disrupting in any way) any District network or any District electronic device.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-4(1)(f) (April 7, 2019)

Personally owned electronic devices—

Employees may carry and use personally owned electronic devices on school property subject to this policy and any additional rules and regulations promulgated by the Board of Education.

Personal electronic devices should not be turned on during the employee’s normal duty time to send or receive messages of a personal nature except in emergency situations or with pre-approval from the superintendent or school principal or designee. This includes all times when the employee has direct supervisory responsibility for students or school activities, including after regular school hours (such as at evening school-sponsored events). Personal use of an electronic device is allowable during normal break times, lunch times, preparation times, and outside of regular school hours when the employee does not have direct supervisory responsibility. Personal electronic devices should not be used during instructional time or at school-sponsored programs, meetings, in-services, conferences with parents or guardians, or any other time where there would be a reasonable expectation of quiet attentiveness. Personal electronic devices should not be used while operating a District motor vehicle except as permitted by governing motor vehicle or other laws and then only when that can be done safely.

Training—

            Each school shall, within the first 45 days of each school year, provide school-wide or in-classroom training to employees that covers:

  1. The District’s internet and electronic device policies (Policies DMA, DMB, FGAB, and EEB);
  2. The importance of digital citizenship;
  3. The District and school’s student conduct and discipline policies;
  4. The benefits of connecting to the internet and using the school’s internet filters while on school premises; and
  5. The discipline related consequences of violating internet and electronic device policies.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-5 (April 8, 2019)

Notice of policy—

            Copies of the District’s internet and electronic device policies shall be available on the District’s website in the same location as the District’s data governance plan and shall also be available at the District office, at school administration offices.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-3(4) (April 8, 2019)

Consequences for violating policy—

            Violation of this policy or of Policies DMB or EEB may result in disciplinary action against the employee up to and including termination of employment.

Utah Admin. Rules R277-495-4(4)(c) (April 8, 2019)