SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD OF THE

TRANSITIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS

PERSONNEL POLICY

EMPLOYEE AND LABOR RELATIONS

Code of Ethics and Conduct

Social Media Policy

Policy #4848

All staff members are required to perform their job duties in a professional manner that serves as a positive role model for students.  The sole function of the District is to provide a quality education for the students of the St. Louis Public Schools.  Staff members are required to comply with all federal, state, and local laws that relate to the performance of job duties and the policies and regulations of the District.  Failure to comply with all federal, state, and local laws relating to an employee’s job performance, or failure to comply with the policies and regulations of the District will result in discipline, including termination. 

The success of the District in achieving the goal of providing a quality education requires that all employees conduct themselves in a professional manner.  Accordingly, the District expects all employees and staff to:

Refrain from the following conduct:

1. Using District computers to access their personal social media accounts.

2. Allowing students to access employees personal social media accounts.

3. Classifying or characterizing students or former students as a “Friend” or other special or exclusive contact on their personal social media accounts or allowing students or former students access or contact that would not otherwise be accessible by the general public to their personal social media accounts.

4. Improperly discussing students or former students on social media/networking sites, including but not limited to; harassing or inappropriate content. Harassment includes slurs, comments, jokes, innuendoes, unwelcome compliments, cartoons, pranks, or verbal conduct relating to an individual that (1) have the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment; (2) have the purpose and effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or a student’s school performance, or (3) interfere with school operations.

5. Discussion or posting of confidential or proprietary information about the District, its employees, students or agents on social media and personal websites.

6. Use of District logos or images, etc., on personal websites or social media sites/networks.

7. Making any unprofessional comments on a social media site that negatively portrays the SLPS, SLPS Employees or Staff or SLPS Students or former Students, including profanity, threats, bullying or encouraging others to engage in similar conduct.

8. Allowing students and former students to access or operate the employee’s personal electronic devices, including, but not limited to, cell phones, personal computing devices, etc., except in emergency situations.

9. Using, accessing or operating a student’s personal electronic device, including, but not limited to, cell phones, personal computing devices, etc., except in emergency situations.

Staff cannot use electronic media for communication with students unless such electronic media is available and accessible to school district administrators and the child’s/student’s legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian.

Employees, who have a demonstrated need to communicate with students electronically, via social networking sites or by other electronic means, away from the school setting must notify the top level building administrator prior to engaging in such conduct.

Employees who set up and maintain personal electronic social media/networking sites on their home or personal computers are responsible for the content of their websites including, but not limited to: content added by the employees, their friends or members of the public who can access their websites; or content that is linked to the employee’s websites. Employees who set up personal websites do so at their own risk.

Employees are strongly encouraged to keep their personal websites and other electronic networks private and to prevent students and former students and the parents of student from accessing their personal websites.

DEFINITIONS:

Staff Member – For the purposes of this policy, a staff member is a district employee or volunteer with the district, including but not limited to part-time employees, substitute employees, or vendors doing business with the District.

Student – For the purposes of this policy, the term “student” is any student attending any school in the St. Louis Public School District.

Former Student – For the purposes of this policy, the term “former student” is any person who was at one time a student at the school at which the teacher is employed and who is eighteen years of age or less and who has not graduated.

Additionally, the District expects all contractors and non-employee visitors and persons doing business with the District who is authorized to be on District property to observe and abide by these guidelines.

References

SAB Policy 4847 – Acceptable Use of Technology

Regulation approved: February 16, 2012

Legal Refs:     

§162.069, RSMo

SAB Policy 4847 – Acceptable Use of Technology