440 SOCIAL MEDIA USE

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Brainerd Public Schools employees are aware of and comply with the District’s expectations for personal and professional use of publicly available social media networks. This includes, but is not limited to, individual personal blogs, personal websites, postings on wikis and other interactive sites, postings on video or picture sharing sites, or in comments sections of online blogs or on other sites. These guidelines are designed to protect the privacy, confidentiality, and interests of Brainerd Public Schools, its employees, students, and their parents.

II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

Brainerd Public Schools recognizes the importance of online social media networks as a communication and e-learning tool. The school district acknowledges the value of teacher inquiry, investigation, and innovation using new technology tools to enhance the learning experience. The district recognizes its obligation to teach and ensure the responsible and safe use of these technologies. To that end, the school district provides password-protected social media tools and district-approved technologies for e-learning, and it requires the use of district-provided tools for collaboration among employees.

The line between professional and personal relationships can be blurred within the context of social media. When employees choose to join or engage with school district students, families or fellow employees in a social media context that exists outside those approved by the district, they are advised to maintain their professionalism as district employees. Employees are responsible for their behavior or activity on these networks. Employees must report inappropriate student behavior, illegal actions or violations of school district policies governed by mandated reporting to their supervisor.

III. DEFINITIONS
 

A. “Public social media networks” are defined to include: websites, social networks, online forums, virtual and augmented reality environments, and any other social media generally available to the public or consumers. Examples of public social media include but are not limited to the following platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vimeo, YouTube and blogs.

B. “District-approved online engagement tools” are those the District has approved for educational or official communication purposes. The District has greater ability to protect minors from inappropriate content and can limit public access with such tools.

C. “Post(s)”are published content you created or uploaded yourself. It appears on your profile/timeline as original content from you.

D. “Share(s)” are redistributed content that already exists elsewhere (another user’s post, a page, or a public URL). The social media network labels it as shared and links to the original.
 

IV. REQUIREMENTS

All employees are expected to serve as positive ambassadors for our schools and to remember that they are role models to students in the community. Because those on social media networks may view the employee as a representative of the schools and the District, the District requires employees to observe the following rules when referring to the District, its schools, students, programs, activities, employees, volunteers, and communities on any social media networks:

A. The school district takes no position on employees’ decision to participate in the use of social media networks for personal use on personal time. However, the use of these media for personal use during district time and/or on district equipment is prohibited. In addition, employees must avoid posting any information or engaging in communications that violate state or federal laws, school district policies and procedures, and guidelines outlined in the employee handbook.

B. Public social media networks, outside of those sponsored by the school district, may not be used for classroom instruction or school-sponsored activities without the prior authorization of the Superintendent or designee and parental consent for student participation on publicly accessible social networks. Brainerd Public Schools may utilize these tools and other communication technologies to fulfill its responsibility for effectively communicating with the public.

C. An employee’s use of any social media network and an employee’s postings, displays, or communications on any social media network must comply with all state and federal laws, the website's terms of service, and any applicable district policies.
Employees are expected to be respectful and professional in all communications by word, image, or other means when using school district social media.

Employees are expected to be respectful and professional in all communications by word, image, or other means when using school district social media.

Employees shall not use their district-provided email address for communications on public social media networks for personal use or without approval from the Superintendent or designee.

Employees may not act as spokespersons for the district or post comments as a representative of the district, except as authorized by the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee or as appropriate for their role as a spokesperson or social media poster for the District. When approved as a spokesperson for Brainerd Public Schools, employees must disclose their employment relationship with the district.

Employees may not disclose on any social media network information that is confidential or proprietary to the district, its students, or employees, or that is protected by data privacy laws.

Employees may not use or post the district logo on any social media network without permission from the Superintendent or designee.

Employees may not post images of coworkers on any personal social media network without the coworkers’ consent, except for general images taken in public arenas, such as at sporting events or fine arts performances, or for sharing posts from another page.

Employees may not post images of students on any personal social media network without written parental consent, except for images of students taken in public arenas, such as at sporting events or fine arts performances.

Employees may not post any non-public images of district premises and property, including floor plans on their personal social media accounts.

D. Brainerd Public Schools recognizes that student groups or members of the public may create social media accounts representing teams or groups within the district. When employees, including coaches/advisors, choose to join or engage with these social networking groups, they always do so as an employee of the district. Social Media sites representative of the school district must be approved by district administration. Employees are responsible for maintaining appropriate employee-student relationships at all times and for addressing inappropriate behavior or activity on these networks. This includes acting to protect the safety of minors online.

E. An employee who is responsible for a social media network posting that fails to comply with the rules and guidelines set forth in this policy or as outlined in the employee contract language may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Employees will be held responsible for the disclosure, whether purposeful or inadvertent, of confidential or private information, information that violates the privacy rights or other rights of a third party, or the content of anything posted on any social media network.

F. Anything posted on an internet or social media site that is available to public view, such as the employee’s personal website, or other Internet content for which the employee is responsible, will be subject to all district policies, rules, regulations, and guidelines. Due to the public nature of websites and blogs, the district is free to view and monitor an employee’s website or blog at any time without consent or previous approval.

Legal References:
Minnesota Administrative Rule 8700.7500 (Code of Ethics for Minnesota Teachers Children's Internet Protection Act)
15 U.S.C. § 6501 et seq. (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act)
17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq. (Copyrights)
47 U.S.C. § 254 (Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000)
Minn. Stat. 121A.0695 (School Board Policy; Prohibiting Intimidation and Bullying)

Cross References:
423 Employee Student Relationships
515 Protection & Privacy of Student Records