Electronic Mail (E-mail)

BP 3523.00

ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-Mail)

Electronic mail systems are provided to district staff for the purpose of professional communication.  All district electronic mail systems are owned by the district and are intended for the purpose of conducting official district business only.  District electronic mail systems are not intended for personal use by employees of the district and employees should have no expectation of privacy when using electronic mail systems.

 The district retains the right to review, store, and disclose all information sent over the district electronic mail systems for any legally permissible reasons, including but not limited to determining whether the information is a public record, whether it contains information discoverable in litigation, and to access district information in the employee’s absence.

Employees must exercise caution and good judgment in the use of the e-mail system.  Electronic mail messages can be retrieved even if they are deleted and statements made in electronic mail communications can form the basis of various legal claims against the individual author or the district.

Definition of Electronic Mail

Electronic mail, or e-mail, is an electronic message that is transmitted between two or more computers or electronic terminals, whether or not the message is converted to hard copy format after receipt and whether or not the message is viewed upon transmission or stored for later retrieval.  Electronic mail includes all electronic messages that are transmitted through local, regional, or global computer networks.

Appropriate Use of E-Mail 

1.      Users of district e-mail are responsible for their appropriate use. 

2.      All illegal and improper uses, including but not limited to, pornography, obscenity, harassment, solicitation, gambling, and violating copyright or intellectual property rights are prohibited.

3.      Use of the e-mail system for which the district will incur an expense without the expressed permission of a supervisor is prohibited.

4.      Electronic messages are not for private or confidential matters.  Because there is no guarantee of privacy or confidentiality, other avenues of communication should be used for such matters. 

5.      Except for directory information, student records will not be transmitted by electronic mail.

6.      Except as otherwise provided in this policy, district employees are prohibited from accessing another employee’s electronic mail without the expressed consent of the employee.

Violations

District employees will be subject to disciplinary action for violation of this policy and regulation.

 Public Records

Electronic mail sent or received by the Board, the district, or the district’s employees may be considered a public record subject to disclosure or inspection under the Alaska Public Records Act.  All Board and district electronic mail communications should be to ensure that all public electronic mail records are retained, archived, and destroyed in compliance with state law.  The Superintendent or designee shall develop administrative regulations so that district personnel will know how public records are to be identified, maintained, and destroyed.

The Superintendent shall designate a custodian of records for the school district. The custodian of records for the district will assist the public in locating any specific public electronic mail record requested and will ensure public access to public electronic mail records without unreasonable delay or cost.

(cf. 3580 - Business Records)

 

Legal Reference

            ALASKA STATUTES
            AS 09.25.110 - Public Records Open to Inspection and Copying

            AS 09.25.120 - Public records; exceptions; certified copies
            AS 09.25.220 - Definitions
            AS 40.21.010-.150 - Management and Preservation of Public Records

           ALASKA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
            6 AAC 96.200

 

 

KETCHIKAN GATEWAY BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Adoption Date:  10/13/99
Revision Date: 8/26/09

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