Social Media Monitoring Guidelines and Rules of Engagement
Hamilton Southeastern Schools (“HSE”) embraces social media as another means to communicate with stakeholders and share relevant information about the school corporation. HSE manages social media accounts that are provided for the benefit of the school community and are updated to share the achievements of students and staff, as well as school-related news and other helpful information. HSE aims to foster an open and respectful dialogue online. HSE managed social media accounts are not intended to circumvent standard communication channels for sharing personal issues and concerns.
HSE administrators assigned by the Superintendent or his/her designee monitor all comments posted on HSE social media accounts (“Page Administrators”). The intent of monitoring district social media is not to keep any negative or critical information from being posted, but to protect the privacy and other rights of staff and students. Page Administrators may review any post to check that users follow the below guidelines.
We welcome thoughts and comments. However, when participating in a district-managed social media site, users are not permitted to:
1. Break the law or encourage others to do so. This includes intellectual property and other protections that prohibit posting material that infringes on the rights of the district or an individual or entity.
2. Use abusive or make inappropriate language or statements, or post inappropriate images or other visual depictions. This includes postings that are threatening, harassing, illegal, obscene, lewd, vulgar, defamatory, libelous, personal attacks, or hostile.
3. Post the phone numbers, email addresses or other confidential information of students, faculty, staff or any person other than the user. If the user posts his/her own contact information, he/she should be aware it will be available to the public and subject to possible misuse.
4. Post material that promotes or advertises services or products, except those pre-approved by the district.
5. Post material, language, or images related to a political campaign.
6. Post spam, chain-letter-like communications or the same comment multiple times.
7. Allow others to use your identity for posting or viewing comments.
8. Post links to other social networking sites that do not adhere to these guidelines.
9. Act as a spokesperson or impersonate a representative of the district.
10. Alter, modify or otherwise change or use any post, comment, or message made by the district that results in a misrepresentation or change in the meaning of the original message.
11. Promote, foster, or perpetrate discrimination based upon a protected class.
This list is not intended to be all-inclusive. The mission of HSE Schools is to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. Please be certain that your comments are appropriate for a K-12 environment and people of all ages.
Page Administrators reserve the right to:
1. Remove or refuse to post any comments that violate these guidelines at any time.
2. Ban future posts or input from people who repeatedly violate these guidelines including refusing posts from specific email addresses or IP addresses.
3. Edit comments at any time to comply with these guidelines.
Page Administrators will maintain a record of all posts or comments removed for violation of these guidelines.
By participating in district-managed social media, the user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless HSE Schools, its affiliates, directors, employees, and successors against any damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, causes of action, costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs) arising out of any claim by a third party relating to any material user has posted on the school-sponsored sites.
