Just a few days after patting itself on the back for enlisting a
R&B singer with a MySpace page and lots of Twitter followers,
CPS's new email policy (PDF) requiring teachers to use official email for all communications with students has come to light.
Blog readers brought this issue to light in
reader commentsover the weekend. No communiating with students or their families via
personal email. No cell phones. No Twitter. No Facebook.
Read below for one teacher's dismayed reaction, and weigh in with your thoughts. Does this seem like a legitimate restriction for safety or other reasons, or an over-reaction that will hinder teacher-student communications?
One teacher comments:
The biggest frustration is that on the technology front the CPS Network
is totally inadequate. The message to me is strong and clear -
innovative, tech savvy teachers should look elsewhere for employment.
Also irritating is the proprietary nature of it all. With so many tools
out there to introduce technology into the curriculum, the CPS system
either can't or won't allow it. Even if the CPS system supported it, to
my knowledge there has been literally zero training available - for
students or staff - for any of these Collaboration Systems they
reference.
Also, I give my cell phone number out to
all of my students so they can call or text if the need me. This AUP bars contact with students via cell phones. Obviously,
cell phones are not on the CPS Network systems.
I had also intended to
use Twitter for a significant portion of my class lessons since it is
an easy and free way for me to send bulk text messages. Needless to say
that won't be happening.
A few highlights:
Article III. DUTIES
Section C
User
Duties. All Users have a duty to protect the security, integrity and
confidentiality of the CPS Network and Computer Resources including the
obligation to protect and report any unauthorized access or use, abuse,
misuse, injury, degradation, theft or destruction. Users shall comply
with all ITS Guidelines when using the CPS Network or Computer
Resources. All employees communicating with students via electronic
means must do so using CPS Network systems.
I guess this
means that the interactive website I've spent this summer designing for
my students with open-source WordPress is off limits. I can't share
video we create on our own. I can't ask them to compare and contrast
two of our own videos, or one of our videos with someone else's, or two
videos from elsewhere. I can't solicit student responses on core
content. I can't post accessible calendar information. I can't post a
contact form for students who forget or lose my e-mail address but know
the website we'll use on a weekly basis. I can't host interactive Flash
tools that my students use on a regular basis.
The
CPS network is simply incapable of handling my digital needs or the
needs of my students. I get 100MB of storage on the CPS network.
Seriously. 100MB. In this digital age. 500MB on the FirstClass e-mail
system. That's eaten up in no time with digital media, especially if
I'm encouraging students to use digital media as part of their
learning. Not to mention the fact it takes a month to delete old files.
(There is no way to empty the trash can on FirstClass. You have to put
the file in the trash and then wait. 4 weeks. And I can't store my data
on FirstClass for longer than 12 months. So I'm required to backup to
my own hard drive. But apparently, CPS owns everything on my drive, too.
Article IV. OWNERSHIP AND PRIVACY
Section A
Board
Property. All documents, data and information stored, transmitted and
processed on CPS Network or Computer Resources are the property of, and
subject to, the Board's policies, rules, standards and guidelines on
usage. Users shall ensure that all access and use of such documents,
data and information complies with applicable laws and Board rules and
policies including those related to the Confidentiality of Student
Records and E-mail Retention. When a User is no longer employed or
under contract with the Board, all information stored by that User on
CPS Network and Computer Resources remains the property of the Board.
I've
authored an interactive Flash tool that I'd like to use for my
students. It requires communication between me and them. If I am forced
to host it on the CPS Network in order to use it I simply will not use
it. I have no interest in giving CPS ownership of a product of hundreds
of hours of my own computer work. Also, when CPS lays off an employee,
that employee immediately loses access to e-mail and the CPS Network.
Why exactly would any CPS employee store ANYTHING on the CPS Network
knowing it is no longer their own property and they may lose access to
it at any moment? How might an employee actually exercise any ownership
of proprietary information whatsoever?
Unacceptable use # 11 is use that "degrades the performance of the CPS Network or Computer Resources or causes a security risk."
I
violate this one every day. I download or upload large files. That
degrades the performance of the Network. I stream audio or video. That
degrades the performance of the Network. I access Impact and/or
GradeBook at the same time as thousands of other employees. That
degrades the performance of the Network.
Article VI. E-MAIL
A.
Usage. Users are not allowed to use third party e-mail systems (such as
Yahoo or AOL) in their capacity as representatives of Chicago Public
Schools. All e-mail sent by Users in their capacity as representatives
of the Chicago Public Schools must be sent from Board authorized e-mail
systems, with Board authorized return addresses. User e-mails are
subject to retention by ITS in accordance with the Board's E-mail
Retention Policy.
Wow.
10 Comments
JMan said:
I'm sure that CPS's lawyers recommended to have a policy in some fashion and I would recommend to this teacher to not just assume the folks downtown are out to get them. They're just dealing with a tough issue where teachers and kids can communicate outside of school, which can be a good thing and 99% of the time is ok, but there's that 1%....
My perception of watching Huberman and his style at CTA is that they dig electronic stuff, data , new technologies and all that. That's not an editorial on any other management or pedagogical question--just this particular thing on technology. And I bet they would love to work with this teacher and get their IT department on board to figure out a way to support the creative e-leaning teachers so they can do what they want to do to improve the teaching process with the new technologies. They're probably not trying to stifle the creative ones, but just protect themselves from the sickos or just the plain ole dumb teacher who doesn't use their head when using twitter or facebook and they create somekind of misunderstanding or perception problem with kids or their parents.
This teacher sounds like he or she's up to cool stuff and I hope she doesn't take that typical Chicago attitude that everyone downtown must be some patronage hack or crony and therefore they're scared to show-off their stuff. I bet they would like it.
SayWhat said:
CPS has been trying to push First Class down all our throats for the past two years. Problem is -- nothing gets done easily or efficiently through this service. This is depressing and aggravating. Just because they threw a whole bunch of money at a vendor to get this system why is it now our problem? I cannot tell you how many times I have received or sent email to the wrong person because there a kozillion people listed. If CPS wants us to positively and powerfully impact student achievement, then allow us to use technology in ways that matter and without ridiculous mandates that slow and stall progress.
Missy said:
The question now remains is how many teachers are aware of this policy and how many will be "let go" as an execuse because the policy was never publicizied. this should be an interesting year.
Teachwhocares said:
First Class does not allow parents to email teachers at all. I have set up my own website and given parents my email sddress all because it is so much easier to discuss issues when the children are not intefering before and after school or the parents can not talk because they are at work. I will continue to use my website and encourage parents to leave comments. maybe that is a way to get around this issue because then the comments would be public.
CPS is becoming a very difficult place to work, and I do not mean because of the children and parents.
Viniciusdm said:
First Class is a First Class waste of tax money! It is a app from the 1900's. My question is why CPS ITS buys fourth rate junk. We use an outdated Student information system called Chancery and not Pearson's new flagship modern application and Gradespeed, which looks just as bad as Chancery. I am not even talking about the electronic iep system that locks up and wastes special education teachers time is criminal. Some folks are getting rich off the Tax Payers dime. I wish the Tribune would look into these contracts. The only people making money under NCLB are the test making companies, web application companies and basal book companies.
fatclass said:
There is nothing bad facebook for teachers and students they can get help each other at any time. Share important notes.
District299Reader said:
Huberman Plan. If you investigate huberman and what he has done in the past this is exactly what he specializes in. He developes systems that are confusing, outdated and prone to mistakes. Then he blames his mistakes on these systems.
judgejury81 said:
I know that this is very old news, but where exactly does it say we can't use cell phones to contact parents? Since I do not have good access to a phone in my building that would be private enough to discuss student issues with parents, I am thinking of obtaining a pre-paid cell phone just for that use. Will I have trouble for doing this? What if I only use the phone in the building? Really, we have few phones that are private. Students come and go just about everywhere. And, I think it would be easier if I could call quickly during my preps. Am I missing something? I don't see it in the AUP.
District299Reader said:
From Article III, Section C of the Acceptable Use Policy passed by the Board of Education on July 22, 2009:
All employees communicating with students via electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems.
Electronic means is quite broad - it includes cell phones, faxes, e-mail, websites, etc. If CPS does not provide a particular network or system then a teacher may request special permission from the Office of the Chief Executive Officer to utilize an outside resource. I applied for such permission but no one at the Office of the CEO responded to my e-mail, my fax, or my letter.
District299Reader said:
Dear judgejury81--PLEASE do NOT buy the cell phone. Understand your need, the same is at my school--no private place to talk about students issues, little access to a phone-the one we have is dirty (unclean) too, but still don't do it. You CAN be disciplined for this and if a student gets mad at you or parents and lies about you--DCFS is at your door and you can be suspended without pay of fired. Sorry, but you should be scared straight.
How bassackwards of CPS since there is a principal out of CPS who gave ALL his students his personal cell. Goofy CPS and Ron did nothing about it...
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