RSD Internet Filtering
Information Management Service (IMS) operates within the guidelines set by various Policies and Laws. All Internet access provided by the District is run through an Internet filter that will attempt to block various content.
Which sites are configured to be blocked or allowed are based on decisions of the Renton Technology Coordinating Council (RTCC)
According to Board Policy 2022 and 2022p, filtering software is used to block or filter access to visual depictions that are obscene including child pornography in accordance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Filtering is also used to block content that is not consistent with the mission of the district:
A. Filtering software is not 100% effective. While filters make it more difficult for objectionable material to be received or accessed, filters are not a solution in themselves. Users must take responsibility for their own use of technology resources and the Internet and avoid objectionable sites
B. When staff become aware of Internet abuse, they will report this abuse to their supervisors and the Information Management Services Department; staff who fail to report may be subject to disciplinary action.
C. Any attempts to defeat or bypass the district’s Internet filter or conceal Internet activities are prohibited: proxies, https, special ports, modifications to district browser settings and any other techniques designed to evade filtering or enable the publication of inappropriate content
D. E-mail inconsistent with the educational and research mission of the district will be considered SPAM and should be blocked from entering the district e-mail system;
E. The district will provide appropriate adult supervision of Internet use. Controlling access by minors to inappropriate material on the Internet is the responsibility of the adults and requires deliberate and consistent monitoring of student access to district computers by the teachers supervising the students
F. Staff members who supervise students, control technology resources or have occasion to observe student use of said resources, must make a reasonable effort to monitor the use of these resources to assure that student use conforms to the mission and goals of the district
G. Staff must make a reasonable effort to become familiar with the technology resources and the Internet to monitor, instruct and assist effectively
Websites are initially filtered based on 90+ general categories such as shopping, entertainment, news/media, adult, custom allowed, and custom blocked.
A list of the categories is available here: http://www.websense.com/content/URLCategories.aspx
These rules are applied to the following user groups:
Generic Users – Very little access due to limited accountability.
Elementary School Students
Middle School Students
High School Students
Staff, and IMS
Filtering Rules are district wide and are not established by/for building or program.
A list is maintained for all categories blocked/unblocked and specific websites blocked/unblocked beyond defined categories. Please consult this list to insure that you not making a duplicate request. If you wish to appeal a previous decision, please see appeal process [below].
[List will be posted soon.]
All requests for websites to be blocked should be submitted to helpdesk@rentonschools.us accompanied with reason for blocking and user groups to be blocked. These requests are acted upon prior to requests for unblocking of websites.
All requests for websites to be unblocked should be submitted to the school principal or department director with explanation of instructional or job-function necessity. Unblocking of a website is at the discretion of the school principal or department director to submit a request to helpdesk@rentonschools.us.
Requests for unblocking should include the following:
For Instructional Use:
1. Explanation of correlation to Curriculum
2. How the website will be used in the lesson plan
3. Specific tasks students will need to complete
4. User group to be unblocked [see Filtering Rules Above]
For Job Function:
1. Explanation of necessity for job-function
2. User group to be unblocked [see Filtering Rules Above]
These requests are acted upon after requests for blocking of websites.
Principals' and Directors' requests will be evaluated by Director of IMS for legal, financial, and system support concerns and by the Director of Instructional Technology for legal, financial, and instructional concerns.
Initial decisions will be made and then taken to RTCC [Renton Technology Coordinating Council] for verification and further discussion.
Appeals can be made directly to RTCC by appointment.