Inappropiate Images

[webby74]

Hi all

We have had a couple of instances in the last week with inappropriate images (naked women, one case of porn) found on user areas and on pupils memory sticks and accessed on school computers. Here there seems to be various views on how best to deal with it.

Some say ban, but that only works to the next lesson when they need to do coursework. Other say don't ban and contact parents.

My question, at of curiosity, is how does your school deal with this issue? What do you do about pupils memory sticks being personal property?

[DAckroyd]

I'd have thought tempory ban and stop them using memory sticks but it should be an SLT/SMT policy

[K.C.Leblanc]

At my old school parents were called in and students had to do community service.

This needs to be delt with by managment.

[Dom_]

detention

[jcollings]

Hi all

We have had a couple of instances in the last week with inappropriate images (naked women, one case of porn) found on user areas and on pupils memory sticks and accessed on school computers. Here there seems to be various views on how best to deal with it.

Some say ban, but that only works to the next lesson when they need to do coursework. Other say don't ban and contact parents.

My question, at of curiosity, is how does your school deal with this issue? What do you do about pupils memory sticks being personal property?

IMHO banning is a waste of time. What would your place do if a student brought in a p*rn mag? Personnally here we'd be looking at getting parents in etc.

[TechMonkey]

Print it out and send it home to parents to choke on over breakfast

[sstar]

we send a letter with the pictures attached to explain why their son/daughter is banned.
a few months ago we had to send the "goatse" picture to a year 8's parents

[CHR1S]

Again, get parents involved. Sometimes even the threat of parental involvement is enough to have them turn into the nicest kids ever lol.

[jcollings]

I think you need to be careful of sending any images via the post that can be classed as obscene - I think it breaks some law or other.

[Sylv3r]

One thing I would make sure if covered before you contact the parents is to ensure that the school has tried to prevent all access to unsavoury sites through the use of filtering etc to the best of their capabilities.

Some parents will no doubt, back their own son / daughter in saying that access to this sort of site should not be available within school anyway.

Also do you have the sanctions documented in your student AUP? Have students / parents signed the AUP to say they agree with it?

[GrumbleDook]

I think you need to be careful of sending any images via the post that can be classed as obscene - I think it breaks some law or other.

Obscene publications act 1959 is the one usually used. In the same manner if you are going to show it to a parent who has been invited in then you must ask the parent if they want to see it ... not just thrust it in there face.

You should also not show it to the student either in case they did not put it there and there is the allegation against you for forcing a minor to view obscene materials.

Yep ... as said above you should treat it as much as you can as if a pr 0n mag had been brought in and as part of normal discipline policy.

[webby74]

Thanks for your replies.

I agree with banning doesn't work. Our AUP states "inappropriate use of internet" which I feel needs to be updated.

I have a meeting with my line manager tomorrow to discuss this issue. The general consensus at the school does seem to be not to ban and contact parents.

I also agree that sending home a copy of evidence is not suitable. The parents can ask to see it if so wish.

[enjay]

Print it out and send it home to parents to choke on over breakfast

Don't do that with the pornographic ones, though - doing so would be illegal, and the school will be in the dock for distributing pornographic material...

[enjay]

Also, as Tony says, the fact that it was an electronic image doesn't make it your job to discipline them - pass them to whatever disciplinary procedure the school has for other offences.

Oh, and to pick up your earlier comment about pen drives being private property, they become part of the computer when connected, so you are legally allowed to scan them as you would the network. This might not extend as far as you finding one and plugging it in, but you're certainly okay to scan them while connected (just like your AV hopefully does).

[Stuart_C]

Our current school Policy says that they get banned form the comptuers. Our deputy head says that it's a policy and should be inforced.

I have had a number of disagreements with staff over this about the disruptions to work etc including one where it took a massive ammount of selfcontrol on my part not to go off on one at a member of staff who just shouted me down and wasn't prepared to enter a discussion (no a smart move as he had just asked me to unblock Sky's E-mail site as his router at home was broken, "I'll just prioritise that").

I personally feel that schools should be educating in behaviour as well as raw information therefore I agree with enforcing the banning policy. It only works if that is carried down the line with pupils punished for not handing in work thus they see the effect of their actions. If the SMT want to have a different policy/punishment system then that should be stated, people informed and then the policy enforced. It would make my life far easier if pupils coul dbe put straight into detention but that is not the policy here. I have told people who have complained to raise it with SMT, discuss their problems and see about changing the policy. No one does.

In short. Enfore the School policy regardless. If people complain explain that you are enforcing School Policy and if they don't like it they need to get SMT to change the policy.