School Committee Corner: What is CIPA?

CIPA is the acronym for the Children’s Internet Protection Act: a law that went into effect on April 20, 2001. CIPA mandates that any schools and libraries, which are the recipients of E-rate discounts for Internet access and/or certain federal funding for technology, must enforce a policy of Internet safety that includes the use of filtering (or blocking) software. This software must protect against access by adults and minors to "visual depictions of material that is obscene, child pornography, and when minors are using the computer, material that is harmful to minors."

To be in compliance with CIPA, our District must meet the following three requirements:

  1. Installation and use of Internet filtering software: the District already utilizes this type of software.
  2. Adoption of an "Internet Safety Policy" (sometimes referred to as an "Acceptable Use Policy"). This safety policy must address the following issues:
    1. access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web;
    2. the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications;
    3. unauthorized access, including so called "hacking," and other unlawful activities by minors online;
    4. unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors; and
    5. measures designed to restrict minors’ access to materials harmful to minors.

    Note: the District is currently in the process of revising the language in our current "Acceptable Use Policy" so that we will satisfy the aforementioned criteria.

  3. Notification and a Public Hearing: the District must provide reasonable public notice and hold at least one public hearing to address the protection software and the Internet Safety Policy prior to July 1, 2002.

The District is planning to hold this public hearing sometime in early to mid-June. Please look for the public notice and if you have any questions/concerns regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact the School Committee c/o the Superintendent, 2 Narrows Rd. -Suite 101, Westminster, MA 01473-1619.

Posted April 25, 2002

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