Have you ever sent or received an e-mail which, if your boss saw, could get you in some major trouble, or perhaps even fired? Have you sent or received such messages at work? Were you using a work-related e-mail address? Inappropriate e-mail are something that many of us deal with probably more than we should, but what are the implications for education?
A few years ago, my school decided it was time to start creating an gmail account for every student. The faculty thought, and still does think, that this was a great now- now we have a standardized e-mail address system for everyone! However, is the school allowed to monitor, restrict, and even discipline students for how their school e-mail accounts are used? The answer- yes and no... According to the ACLU:
If the school provides students with an e-mail address, it can impose rules on its use. For example, it can require that the address be used only for school-related purposes and can prohibit using the account in a way that interferes with another student's learning, such as sending flames or bullying messages.
But if your school does not have such a policy, it can discipline you only if what you write disrupts school activities or infringes on the rights of others.
School officials may not censor what is said in an e-mail simply because they disagree with the thoughts. For example, you may criticize a school policy or a school board action. You have the right to express your views on public issues, and doing so does not in itself interfere with the school's educational goals.
Based on this exerpt, it is clearly important that schools lay out definitive guidelines for how students, and faculty, are to use their e-mail accounts.
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