Six years ago, CHS connected its campus' network to the Internet. This
connection widened the scope of our computer network to include over 50
million users on the more than 1.8 million computer systems that make up
the world-wide Internet. This means that it is as easy to send a
message to Tokyo as it is to send a message to the person in the room
next to you; it is as easy to access a repository of data at the US
Library of Congress as it is to download a file from a database in
Helsinki, Finland. Along with the incredible educational potential
comes a responsibility to use this medium in appropriate ways.
Giving students world wide communications resources through the Internet
is an exciting opportunity. Claremont High School is uniquely qualified
to extend to our students FULL Internet access because of previous
grants and funding sources secured by our faculty and students; this has
provided us with computing resources unavailable to most public school
students. In addition to our basic level of access provided from the
campus and via telnet dail-up sessions from home, students may now
increase their level of home-connectivity using our PPP (Point-To-Point
Protocol), SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol), or ARA (AppleTalk
Remote Access). This permission form for PPP/SLIP/ARA access to the
school's network is intended to give the school an opportunity to inform
parents and students about this valuable resource and create an
awareness of the medium and the expectations the school has of the
students.
CHS provides reliable access to the global academic and research community through advanced data communications technology. Students, faculty, alumni and other CHS associates, use CHS to tap into the wealth of information and computing resources that are available today on the Internet: databases, library catalogs, super computers, and hundreds of special interest mailing lists. Interest in extending Internet access to the nation's K-12 school systems has grown tremendously. Expressions of interest have come from the federal and state governments, academic and industrial organizations, and, most importantly, from teachers and administrators in our nation's school systems. However, the CHS network management has general knowledge that, in addition to the vast valuable resources the Internet is intended to provide access to, there exists material that may be deemed inappropriate for K-12 students.
While on the CHS campus, users are supervised by CHS faculty and staff and substantial care is give to monitor and supervise activities that might compromise "appropriate" educational use. Providing additional accessibility to minors from remote locations--through the use of PPP, SLIP, ARA and other dial-up mechanisms--means that adequate supervision must be provided.
Although CHS and CUSD as a Internet provider has developed its own Acceptable Usage Policy (or AUP) concerning statutable prohibited material (see CHS Appropriate Use Policy), it cannot practicably control or monitor content on the Internet. It is the responsibility of the users and their guardians to honor CHS' use restrictions and determine what network content is appropriate for their use. Ultimately, access to Internet material by K-12 students is the responsibility of K-12 administrators, teachers, and parents and guardians.
CHS is hereby providing notice to K-12 administrators, teachers, students, and especially parents concerning the existence of such possibly inappropriate materials so that they may take appropriate additional precautions when providing K-12 students information obtained over the Internet. Further, inappropriate material is defined rather subjectively and depends on the average opinion of a set of average people. The legal phrase "offensive as to minors" is defined in a similarly subjective manner. These definitions may differ among the states and local jurisdictions, where cases have been generally decided. CHS cannot be in a position to decide for all of Claremont what is or is not appropriate for K-12 students when accessed from the privacy of a minor's home computer.
In conclusion, what is appropriate for a college student in Finland--or in the Claremont Colleges for that matter--might not be considered appropriate for a Claremont Unified School District student. By signing this document as parent or legal guardian, you are hereby notifying the CHS network management that you approve of your student receiving improved access to the campus networks from home, and that you will exercise appropriate supervision of your student's activities when using CHS network resources.
In addition, we require that all students abide by the simple statement:
"If you wouldn't want your parents to know you are doing it, you shouldn't be doing it on Claremont High School computers."
If you have further questions please contact Mr. Robs Muir at CHS.
I have read the above Notice to K-12 Administrators, Teachers, and Parents About Network Content and agree to my daughter/son, _______________________________________ , receiving a PPP or SLIP account in addition to their current network-access privileges.
Signed ________________________________________ Date ______________
Name __________________________________________
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