By Denise Jennex
Following is important information from Beverly Tucker, CTA’s Chief Counsel. It is an excerpt from
a June 2001 article in the California Educator.
Inappropriate use of computers and the Internet is a growing problem in the workplace and schools
are no exception. It is important that you know what the potential consequences are if you
inappropriately use a computer while at school. It is no exaggeration to say that the risks include
dismissal from your job, loss of your teaching credential, and even conviction of a criminal offense
and a prison sentence.
Although there are no hard and fast rules as to what constitutes inapropriate use of the computer
in a school setting, it is clear that chat rooms, e-mail and visits to Internet sites with content of a
sexual nature or related to weapons or violent behavior are taboo subjects.
Employees can claim no constitutional right to privacy or first amendment right to free speech when
it comes to inappropriate use of a computer during work time. The school district owns the
computers and school administrators have a right to regulate their use by employees.
CTA strongly advises members to err on the side of caution. While on school premises, do not open
your personal e-mail inbox or other personal messages, enter chat rooms, or open Internet sites
unless you have absolutely no qualms about the principal seeing anything that has ever been
accessed.
You need to understand that information cannot be deleted by simply shutting down the computer.
The only way to prevent detection of the content stored on the computer is by physically removing
and destroying the hard drive.
Computer logs can be created that show the date and time an Internet site was visited so districts
can determine whether teachers accessed material when students could have been present. Even
unsuccessful attempts to visit sites blocked by the District’s filtering system are indelibly recorded.
If you are accused of improper use of computers, you should immediately contact the BTA office for
a possible referral to a CTA lawyer.