DISTRICT · PUBLIC · TECH · 2024

BP 1114 District-Sponsored Social Media

Palo Alto Unified School District · Palo Alto Unified School District, CA

AI summary

TL;DR

This policy establishes guidelines for the use of official district-sponsored social media accounts, aiming to share district information, promote community involvement, and support student learning while ensuring accessibility and compliance with legal standards. It defines content limitations, privacy considerations, and consequences for misuse.

PURPOSE

The policy recognizes social media's value for communication and community engagement, intending to further the district's vision and mission, support student learning and staff development, and enhance communication with all stakeholders. It mandates the Superintendent to develop content guidelines to ensure appropriate, responsible, and legal use.

KEY PROVISIONS

Official district social media accounts must be used solely for their stated purposes, furthering the district's vision and mission, supporting learning and development, and enhancing communication.
Content posted on district social media must be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The Superintendent or designee is responsible for developing content guidelines and protocols to ensure public access, appropriate use, and compliance with laws and board policies.
District social media accounts are not intended as open public forums and do not guarantee free speech rights to individuals.
Accounts must clearly communicate their limited purpose and any user expectations or conditions.
Prohibited content includes anything obscene, libelous, or that incites unlawful acts, violations of school rules, or substantial disruption.
Staff or students misusing accounts or posting prohibited content are subject to disciplinary action.
Users should be aware that information on official accounts may be considered a public record.
Privacy rights of students, parents/guardians, staff, and Board members must be protected, consistent with Board Policy 1113 regarding student photographs and personal contact information.
Confidential information about students, employees, or district operations must not be transmitted via social media or other online platforms by district employees.

WHO IT APPLIES TO

District staff, students, families, and community members interacting with official district social media

Full text

PROPOSED POLICY – BP 1114: District-Sponsored Social Media (New for PAUSD)

Original CSBA Adopted Date: 07/01/2011 | Last CSBA Reviewed Date: 09/01/2024

The Board recognizes the value of social media to share district information with families and the community and promote community involvement and collaboration in district decisions. The purpose of any official district social media account shall be to further the district's vision and mission, to support student learning and staff professional development, and to enhance communication and engagement with students, families, staff, and community members. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the content posted by the district on an official district social media account is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The Superintendent or designee shall develop content guidelines and protocols for official district social media accounts to ensure public access, appropriate and responsible use, and compliance with law, board policy, and administrative regulation.

Guidelines for Content

Official district social media accounts shall be used only for their stated purposes and in a manner consistent with this policy and administrative regulation. This policy is not intended to create an open public forum or otherwise guarantee an individual's right to free speech on any of the official district social media accounts even if one or more features on the account that permit interaction with and between members of the public are enabled.

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the limited purpose of official district social media accounts is clearly communicated to users. Each account shall contain a statement specifying the purposes of the account, that the account shall only be used for such purposes, and any other user expectations or conditions as specified in the accompanying administrative regulation.

Official district social media accounts may not contain content that is obscene, libelous, or so incites students as to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts on school premises, violation of school rules, or substantial disruption of the school's orderly operation.

Staff or students who post prohibited content or otherwise engage with an official district social media account in a manner that violates board policies and administrative regulations shall be subject to discipline in accordance with such applicable policies and regulations.

Users of official district social media accounts, and anyone who posts, replies, or otherwise leaves a digital footprint on an official district social media account, should be aware of the public nature and accessibility of social media and that such information posted or left on an official district social media account may be considered a public record subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act. Privacy

To the extent practicable, the Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the privacy rights of students, parents/guardians, staff, Board members, and other individuals are protected on official district social media accounts.

As it pertains to the posting of student photographs and the privacy of telephone numbers, home addresses, and email addresses, official district social media accounts shall operate in accordance with Board Policy 1113 - District and School Websites.

Social media and other online platforms shall not be used by district employees to transmit confidential information about students, employees, or district operations.

Policy Reference Disclaimer: These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority for the board to enact this policy. Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in the subject matter of the policy.

State Description Ed. Code 32260-32262 Interagency School Safety Demonstration Act of 1985

Ed. Code 35182.5 Contracts for advertising

Ed. Code 48900 Grounds for suspension or expulsion

Ed. Code 48907 Exercise of free expression; time, place, and manner rules and regulations

Ed. Code 48950 Speech and other communication

Ed. Code 49061 Definitions; directory information

Ed. Code 49073 Release of directory information

Ed. Code 60048 Commercial brand names, contracts or logos

Gov. Code 3307.5 Publishing identity of public safety officers

Gov. Code 54952.2 Brown Act; definition of meeting

Gov. Code 7920.000-7930.215 California Public Records Act

Federal Description 17 USC 101-1101 Federal copyright law

20 USC 1232g Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974

29 USC 157 Employee rights to engage in concerted, protected activity

29 USC 794 Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Section 504

34 CFR 99.1-99.67 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Management Resources Description Court Decision Lindke v. Freed (2024) 601 U.S. 187

Court Decision Aaris v. Las Virgenes Unified School District (1998) 64 Cal.App.4th 1112

Court Decision Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District, et.al. v. Pico (1982) 457 U.S. 853

Court Decision Page v. Lexington County School District (2008, 4th Cir.) 531 F.3d 275

Court Decision Perry Education Association v. Perry Local Educators' Association (1983) 460 U.S. 37

Court Decision Downs v. Los Angeles Unified School District (9th Cir. 2000) 228 F.3d 1003

Facebook Publication Facebook for Educators Guide, 2013

National Labor Relations Board Decision Sears Holdings, December 4, 2009 18-CA-1908 Website Meta in Education

Website CSBA District and County Office of Education Legal Services

Website Facebook, privacy resources

Website California School Public Relations Association

Website CSBA

Cross References

Code Description 0000 Vision

0410 Nondiscrimination In District Programs And Activities

0440 District Technology Plan

0510 School Accountability Report Card

1100 Communication With The Public

1112 Media Relations

1113 District And School Websites

1113-E(1) District And School Websites 1160 Political Processes

1230 School-Connected Organizations

1260 Educational Foundation

1312.3 Uniform Complaint Procedures

1312.3-E(1) Uniform Complaint Procedures

1312.3-E(2) Uniform Complaint Procedures

1325 Advertising And Promotion

3515.7 Firearms On School Grounds

3516 Emergencies And Disaster Preparedness Plan

4030 Nondiscrimination In Employment

4040 Employee Use Of Technology

4040-E(1) Employee Use Of Technology

4118 Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action

4119.21 Professional Standards

4119.21-E(1) Professional Standards

4119.23 Unauthorized Release Of Confidential/Privileged Information

4131 Staff Development

4132 Publication Or Creation Of Materials

4218 Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action

4219.21 Professional Standards

4219.21-E(1) Professional Standards

4219.23 Unauthorized Release Of Confidential/Privileged Information

4231 Staff Development

4232 Publication Or Creation Of Materials

4319.21 Professional Standards 4319.21-E(1) Professional Standards

4319.23 Unauthorized Release Of Confidential/Privileged Information

4331 Staff Development

4332 Publication Or Creation Of Materials

5022 Student And Family Privacy Rights

5125 Student Records

5125.1 Release Of Directory Information

5125.1-E(1) Release Of Directory Information

5131 Conduct

5142.2 Safe Routes To School Program

5144 Discipline

5144.1 Suspension And Expulsion/Due Process

5144.1 Suspension And Expulsion

Citation

Palo Alto Unified School District. (2024). BP 1114 District-Sponsored Social Media. Retrieved from https://k12policies.com/policy/p4 (original: https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/pausd/Board.nsf/files/DAPUM57CABD2/$file/20241112BP1114DistrictSponsoredSocialMediaPROPOSED.pdf).