Series 5000: Students

5131.81 Electronic Devices

Use of Private Technology Devices by Students

Students may possess privately owned technological devices on school property and/or during

school sponsored activities, in accordance with the mandates of this policy and any applicable

administrative regulations as may be developed by the Superintendent of Schools or his/her

designee. The Thomaston Board of Education (“Board”) considers allowing students to bring to

school such devices to be a privilege and not a right. The Board and Administration reserves the

right to revoke this privilege if a student fails to adhere to the following guidelines and/or the

Board’s acceptable use and student discipline policies.

Parents and/or guardians must read and sign the Use of Technology Student agreement form before

a student may be permitted to bring to school a privately owned technological device and use a

personal Internet device in a non-instructional space.

Definitions

Board Technology Resources

For the purposes of this policy, “Board Technology Resources” refers to the Board’s computers

and instructional technologies; communications and data management systems; informational

technologies and the Internet; and any other technology resources used by the school district and

accessible by students.

Privately Owned Technological Devices

For the purposes of this policy, “Privately Owned Technological Devices” refers to privately

owned wireless and/or portable electronic hand-held equipment that can be used for word

processing, wireless Internet access, image capture and recording, sound recording, information

transmitting and/or receiving, storing, etc. These devices include any electronic device that is

capable of accessing the Internet.

Personal Internet Devices

Personal Internet devices include, but are not limited to, devices owned by students such as cell

phones, tablets, smart watches, etc. Any device that is capable of connecting to the Internet that

is not provided by the school district.

Sexting

Sexting means sending, forwarding, displaying, retaining, storing or posting sexually explicit,

lewd, indecent or pornographic photographs, images or messages by a telecommunications

device, computer or other electronic means during school hours or school activities on or off

campus; or beyond the hours of school operation if the behavior detrimentally affects: the

personal safety or well-being of school-related individuals; the governance, climate or efficient

operation of the school; or the educational process or experience.

Disrupting the Learning Environment

Disrupting the learning environment means any intentional gesture, any intentional electronic

communication or any intentional written, verbal or physical act or statement initiated, occurring,

transmitted or received by a student at school that a reasonable person under the circumstance

should know will have the effect of:

• Insulting, mocking or demeaning a student or group of students causing substantial

disruption in, or substantial interference with, the orderly operation of the school; or

• Creating an intimidating, threatening, hostile or abusive educational environment for a

student or group of students through substantially severe, persistent or pervasive behavior.

Use of Privately Owned Technological Devices

Privately owned technological devices may not be used during instructional time. Privately owned

technological devices may not be used on a school bus. All privately owned devices must be off

and away during instructional times.

Use of any such device for an improper purpose is prohibited. Improper purposes include, but are

not limited to:

• Sending any form of harassing, threatening, or intimidating message, at any time, to any

person (such communications may also be a crime);

• Gaining or seeking to gain unauthorized access to Board technology resources;

• Damaging Board technology resources;

• Accessing or attempting to access any material that is obscene or contains pornography;

• Cyberbullying;

• Taking pictures without the specific permission of the subject of the picture;

• Using a privately owned technological device to violate any school rules, including the

unauthorized recording (photographic or audio) of another individual without the

permission of the individual or a school staff member; or

• Taking any action prohibited by any Federal or State law.

Search of Privately Owned Technological Devices

A student’s privately owned technological device may be searched if there are reasonable grounds

for suspecting that the search will turn up evidence that the student has violated or is violating

either the law or the rules of the school. Any such search shall be reasonably related to the

objectives of the search and not excessively intrusive in light of the age and sex of the student and

the nature of the infraction.

Responsibility for Privately Owned Technological Devices

Students are responsible for the safety and use of their privately owned technological devices. If a

privately owned technological device is stolen, lost, or damaged, a report should be made to the

building principal, who will investigate the loss in a manner consistent with procedures for stolen

or damaged personal property. Students and parents should be aware that the Board is not liable

for any privately owned technological device that is stolen, lost, or damaged while at school.

Furthermore, the Board shall not be liable for any data plan charges or any other costs associated

with the use of private technological devices. For that reason, students are advised not to share or

loan their privately owned technological devices with other students.

Students shall take full responsibility for their device and shall keep it safely stored when not in

use. Classroom teachers will determine the best storage location for such devices. Students are

required to take home their privately owned technological devices at the end of each school day.

(continued)

Disciplinary Action

Misuse of the Board’s technology resources and/or the use of privately owned technological

devices to access or utilize the Board’s technology resources in an inappropriate manner or in a

manner inconsistent with this policy will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action. For

students, a violation of this policy may result in loss of access privileges, a prohibition on the use

and/or possession of privately owned technological devices on school property, and/or suspension

or expulsion in accordance with the Board’s policies related to student discipline.

Access to Board Technology Resources

It is the policy of the Thomaston Board of Education to permit students, using their privately owned

technology devices, to access the Board’s computers and instructional technologies;

communications and data management systems; informational technologies and the Internet; and

any other technology resources used by the school district and accessible by students. Additionally,

it is the expectation of the Board of Education that students who access these resources while using

privately owned technology devices will act at all times appropriately in ways which are fully in

accord with applicable policies concerning technology use as well as all local, state, and federal

laws.

Through the publication and dissemination of this policy statement and others related to use of the

Board’s computer systems, as well as other instructional means, the Board educates students about

the Board’s expectations for technology users.

The Board technology resources shall only be used to access educational information and to

promote learning activities both at home and at school. The Board considers access to its

technology resources to be a privilege and not a right. Students are expected to act at all times

appropriately in ways which are fully in accord with applicable policies concerning technology

use as well as all local, state, and federal laws when using the Board technology resources. Failure

to do so will result in the consequences outlined herein and in other applicable policies.

Students must abide by the procedures outlined in this policy and all policies and applicable

regulations outlined in the Board’s computer use and other applicable policies. Students will be

given specific information for log-on and access procedures using school accounts. No user may

deviate from these log-on/access procedures. Students are advised that the Board’s network

administrators have the capability to identify users and to monitor all privately owned

technological devices while they are logged on to the network. Students must understand that the

Board has reserved the right to conduct monitoring of Board technology resources and can do so

despite the assignment to individual users of passwords for system security. Any password systems

implemented by the Board are designed solely to provide system security from unauthorized users,

not to provide privacy to the individual system user. The system’s security aspects, message delete

function and personal passwords can be bypassed for monitoring purposes. Therefore, students

should be aware that they should not have any expectation of personal privacy in the use of

privately owned technological devices to access Board technology resources. This provision

applies to any and all uses of the Board’s technology resources and that any privately owned

technological devices access same.

Harm to Board Technology Resources

Any act by a student using a privately owned technological device that harms the Board’s

technology resources or otherwise interferes with or compromises the integrity of Board

technology resources will be considered vandalism and will be subject to discipline and/or

appropriate criminal or civil action.

Closed Forum

This policy shall not be construed to establish a public forum or a limited open forum.

(cf. 5114 – Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process)

(cf. 5131 – Conduct)

(cf. 5131.8 – Off School Grounds Misconduct)

(cf. 5131.82 – Restrictions on Publications and Written or Electronic Material)

(cf. 5131.911 – Bullying)

(cf. 5131.913 – Cyberbullying)

(cf. 5144 – Discipline/Punishment)

(cf. 5145.5 – Sexual Harassment)

(cf. 5145.51 – Peer Sexual Harassment)

Legal References:   Connecticut General Statutes

10-233j Student possession and use of telecommunications devices

31-48d Employees engaged in electronic monitoring required to give prior

notice to employees.

53a-182 Obstructing free passage: Class C misdemeanor.

53a-183 Harassment in the second degree: Class C misdemeanor.

53a-250 Definitions.

Electronic Communication Privacy Act, 28 U.S.C. §§2510 through 2520.

Eisner v. Stamford Board of Education, 440 F. 2d 803 (2nd Cir 1971)

Trachtman v. Anker, 563 F. 2d 512 (2nd Cir. 1977) cert. denied, 435

U.S. 925 (1978)

Hazelwood School District v. Ruhlmeir, 484 U.S. 260, 108 S Ct 562

(1988)

Bethel School District v. Fraser, 478 US 675 (1986)

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community Dist., 393 US 503, (1969)



Policy adopted: February 12, 2018          THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Thomaston, Connecticut

Policy revised: August 2, 2024