We have a number of Junior and Intermediate students who are bringing their cell phones to school, primarily so that they can communicate with their families and let them know that they’ve arrived safely at school or home. We are having an issue, however, with cell phones being used at inappropriate times or in inappropriate ways. The following is a brief review of our rules for cell phone use:

• Cell phones are not to be out during class time unless a teacher has given permission:
  • Explanation: Cell phones can be great learning tools, but they can also be major distractions. We have had cases where students are texting with friends, taking inappropriate pictures or videos, or playing games. This causes a major distraction, both for the student who owns the phone and for others. This rule is in place to minimize distractions and have a safe learning environment.

• Cell phones are not to be taken to the bathroom
  • Explanation: Bathrooms need to be places where students feel safe, and where they feel like their privacy is respected. We have had students take videos and photos in the bathroom, and even in cases where the videos are innocent there is the danger that someone is incidentally photographed. We also have students who are asking to go to the bathroom not because they need to, but because they wish to use their phones for texting, games, etc. Students who have phones are expected to keep them in their bags, give them to their teachers, or ask the office to hold on to it while they go to the bathroom. This rule is in place to protect student’s emotional safety in the bathrooms, and to minimize time spent out of class.

• Videos are not to be taken without teacher permission. This includes taking videos at recess.
  • Explanation: Making videos is a creative endeavour and we recognize that it can be a productive, fun activity. These videos can give a sense of accomplishment when others view them on social media. Unfortunately it isn’t possible to make sure that the parent of every child in the video has given permission to have it posted. This limitation means that we can’t allow for videos to be created while at school unless it’s for a school assignment.

• Students who break these rules may be asked to store their cell-phones in the office
  • Explanation: We understand that students may need their cellphones before school, after school and at lunch. Students who are in this position but are unable to use their phones in a manner appropriate for school will be asked to check their phone into the office in the morning and pick it up at times when they need it. This consequence is in place to balance the safety concerns parents who wish their children to have phones for transit to and from school with the need to have a safe learning environment in the building.

• Students are expected to follow our Online Code of Conduct and the Bruce School Code of Conduct. In particular, students are expected to be kind in words and actions towards others.
  • Explanation: Cyber-bullying is a very real phenomenon, and cyber-meanness is just as big an issue. Online activities can have a major impact on the students, their classes, and on school climate. Students will be held responsible for any online activity that negatively impacts school climate, even if that activity occurred outside of school hours.​​​​​​

What we need from families: Please review and reinforce these expectations with your children. It is important that we work together as we guide students through how to use technology in a productive, appropriate and kind way. As always, please feel free to contact Ryan Naidoo if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) provides online systems and resources for use by employees and students. Online resources include all material that is accessed through a computer or telecommunications network.

All policies, procedures, codes of behaviour and rules of the TDSB apply to those using online systems and resources provided by or on behalf of the TDSB. The "Code of Online Conduct" pertains to the use of online systems and resources. This Code has been prepared to protect the rights and safety of all.

The TDSB takes appropriate measures to ensure the security of the facilities and information that may be contained in them. The TDSB reserves the right to monitor the use of online resources by all that access the systems.

1) Personal Safety Rules

• Never reveal information about your personal identity (such as your name, address, phone number, age, physical description or school) to strangers whom you may encounter online. Likewise, do not reveal such information in a public online forum where you may not know everyone who might see the information.
• Never reveal personal information online about someone else unless you have their prior permission and you know the information will not be used for harmful purposes.
• Never reveal your access password or that of anyone else.
• Never send a picture of yourself, another person or a group over an electronic network without prior informed permission of all the individuals involved and, in the case of minors, their parents or guardians.
• Report immediately to a teacher any message or request that you receive that bothers you or that suggests personal contact with you.
• Never publish the specific dates, times and locations of field trips to people who are not directly entitled to such information or to public forums where unknown persons might access the information.

2) Unacceptable Sites and Materials

• On a global network such as the Internet it is impossible to effectively control the content of the information. On occasion, users of online systems may encounter material that is controversial and which other users, parents or staff might consider inappropriate or offensive. It is the responsibility of the individual user not to intentionally access such material. If such material is accessed by accident, the incident must be reported immediately to a teacher or appropriate authority.
• The Toronto District School Board is committed to meeting obligations under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code by providing safe schools and workplaces that respect the rights of every individual. Discrimination and harassment will not be tolerated. It is not acceptable to use online systems to knowingly access sites, which contain material of a discriminatory or harassing nature.
• Users of the TDSB Online systems will not knowingly access, upload, download, store, display, distribute or publish any information that:
  
  • is illegal or that advocates illegal acts or facilitates unlawful activity;
  • threatens or intimidates any person or suggests violence, hatred or discrimination toward other people;
  • uses inappropriate and/or abusive language or conduct;
  • contains inappropriate religious or political messages;
  • violates or infringes the rights of any other person according to the Toronto District School Board policies, Ministry of Education policies, the Ontario Human Rights Code, or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
  • is racially, culturally or religiously offensive;
  • encourages the use of controlled substances, participation in an illegal act or uses the system to incite criminal actions;
  • is of a defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane, pornographic or sexually explicit nature;
  • contains personal information , images, or signatures of individuals without their prior informed consent;
  • constitutes messages of sexual harassment or which contains inappropriate romantic overtones;
  • solicits any users on behalf of any business or commercial organization without appropriate authorization;
  • supports bulk mail, junk mail or "spamming";
  • propagates chain letters, or other e-mail debris;
  • attempts to hide, disguise or misrepresent the identity of the sender.

3) Use Guidelines
 
All users of TDSB online systems will do the following:

• Keep use of online services within reasonable limits in terms of time and volume of information transferred through the system. Excessive use of the system may disrupt services for all users (e.g. sending mass mailings of large documents or transferring large files at times of peak system usage).
• Report to an appropriate authority any harm to the system or to information on the system whether that harm has been caused accidentally or intentionally.

4) Prohibited Uses and Activities
 
All users of TDSB online systems will not do the following:

• Copy, download, install or run viruses or other inappropriate or unauthorized materials such as games, files, scripts, fonts, or dynamic link libraries (DLL's) from any source.
• Cause damage to any computer(s) and/or equipment including, but not limited to computer hardware, furniture, projectors, connectors, keyboards, storage devices (e.g. disk drives), and pointing devices (e.g. mice).
• Damage or erase files or information belonging to any person without authorization.
• Use any other person's account on the system.
• Cause any user to lose access to the system - for example, by disabling accounts or changing passwords without authorization.
• Open a computer case, move a computer, tamper with computer cables or connections without proper authorization.
• Attach unauthorized devices to a computer or network. Such devices include but are not limited to portable computers, disk drives, protocol analyzers, and other electronic or mechanical devices. Move, copy, or modify any of the system files or settings on any computer, server or other device without proper authorization.
• Compromise themselves or others by unauthorized copying of information, work or software belonging to others, encouraging others to abuse the computers or network, displaying, transferring or sharing inappropriate materials. Software pirating and unauthorized copying of material belonging to others is regarded as theft.
• Copy, transfer or use files, programs or any other information belonging to the TDSB for any reason whatever unless the licensing specifically permits such actions.
• Attempt to subvert the TDSB networks by breaching security measures, hacking accessing records without authorization or any other type of disruption.
• Take the ideas, writings or images of others and present them as if they were yours. Under copyright laws, all information remains the property of the creator(s)/author(s) and therefore permission is required for its use. The use of copyright materials without permission can result in legal action.

5) Consequences
 
Inappropriate use of online access by students and staff could result in disciplinary action that may include legal action and/or involvement of police.

6) Online Publishing
 
Information published on the Internet or Intranet can reach millions of people who are mostly unknown to the original publishers. For this reason, it is important to regulate information that is published through the facilities of the Toronto District School Board.

• The electronic publication of information using the facilities of the TDSB is subject to all TDSB policies and guidelines.
• Links from a Toronto District Board site to outside sites must be carefully selected and are subject to the same standards of content quality as TDSB sites.
• A means of contacting the publisher of any collection of information (such as a Web site) must be clearly identified on the opening screen of the collection.
• The information published online must be kept current and accurate with no conscious attempt to mislead the reader.
• Personal information such as personal addresses, phone numbers, individual or group pictures, or signatures cannot be published without express informed permission according to TDSB procedures.
• For the safety of our students, schools or departments must NOT publish specific dates, times and locations of future field trips.
• The appropriate school or department administrator is responsible for ensuring that all work published is original or has been cleared for copyright with the originator and ownership of the copyright is clearly indicated.
• Advertising on any TDSB related electronic publication is subject to the approval of the appropriate supervisory officer.
• All Web pages posted to the Internet must be linked to the official central site of the Toronto District School Board.
• All Web pages hosted on the TDSB corporate site or paid for by the TDSB are considered property of the TDSB.

Code of Online Conduct (60K 8/11/2009)