The Palo Alto Unified School District has formulated a guideline & contract, A Guide to the Internet and District Information Systems for Grade 6-12. This contract will be made available to all students. Any student wishing to use the Internet must read and discuss the guidelines with his/ her parents. When signed, the contract becomes a legally binding document. Without the appropriate signatures of the student and parent/guardian, the school cannot provide access to the Internet.

Please note the following specifics from the guidelines:

• Private or personal information (about oneself or others) must never be given out on the Internet.
• Appropriate language must be used when sending messages on the Internet. Slang, vulgarity, and innuendo are examples of inappropriate language.
• Information retrieved from the Internet must be properly cited, giving credit to the author.
• Copyrighted information may not be used or sold unless the right to do so has been purchased from the owner of the data. All contact must immediately be stopped if a user on the network asks that a person no longer send them mail or in any other way contact them. Ignoring the request may be considered "harassment" and could become a legal issue.
• Playing games is not allowed on the network computers.
• Permission from the teacher or adult in charge is needed before downloading large files. Print or copy to disk the necessary information and log off.
• Be considerate of others who need to use the Internet for school assignments and projects.
• Find out what is a reasonable time to be on the Internet and what is reasonable to download from the Internet.

The California legislature passed a computer crime bill making certain activities a felony punishable by law. Examples of illegal activities include, but are not restricted to:

• Maliciously accessing, altering, deleting, damaging or destroying any computer system, computer network, or computer program;
• Moving another user’s accounts;
• Changing another user’s passwords;
• Using unauthorized accounts;
• Damaging files;
• Altering the system;
• Using the system to make money illegally or for other illegal purposes;
• Intentionally disrupting the network;
• Causing damage to any school district property; using ideas or writings from another person without giving credit to the author (plagiarism);
• Violating copyright laws;
• Libeling another person.

The school has the right to monitor network activity in whatever forms necessary to maintain the integrity of the system. The Internet is a public place and privacy is not possible. Every message sent or received can be read by others and every "stop" made while one is exploring can be tracked by other users. If students have been found to have violated the rules for network behavior, they may be subject to any or all of the following:

• Suspension and/or revocation of internet access
• Suspension and/or revocation of computer access
• School suspension
• School expulsion
• Legal action and prosecution by authorities

Jordan Students and parents are responsible for reading, signing, and following the PAUSD Internet Contract and Guidelines and the Jordan Technology User Contract if students use school computers.