Overview
These guidelines outline how the Worcester Public Schools (WPS) manages social media accounts that are owned and operated by district departments, schools, or programs, including sports teams. These guidelines govern any employee or volunteer who operates such an account, including coaches or non-staff program administrators.
For best practices on how schools can use social media, please visit Social Media Tips for Schools.
Table of Contents
Public Records Law
Under Massachusetts law, all content on Worcester Public School’s social media pages, including social media comments, replies, and private messages exchanged with Worcester Public Schools are part of the public record and are subject to Massachusetts Public Records Law (G.L.c.4, § 7(26)). All content is archived, including comments edited or removed by the citizen or moderator.
By becoming a fan/follower/subscriber of Worcester Public Schools, your information and comments will be a matter of public record. The District may be required to retain this information in accordance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts retention schedule. Public record requests can be made online through the City of Worcester Law Department.
Student Guidelines
WPS recognizes that students create and operate social media accounts for school clubs and teams. Whenever possible, it is recommended that a school staff member acts as an advisor to students operating these accounts, which represent the school.
Students are required to follow applicable policies, procedures and laws, including but not limited to the following:
Students shall use district/school social media accounts to celebrate, promote and highlight the work, accomplishments, and positive atmosphere of students, staff, schools and programs in WPS; and to post news and announcements as warranted.
Student operators are required to adhere to the same rules outlined in the Visitor Guidelines: Moderation of Third Party Content section of these guidelines when posting content.
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) prohibits online companies from collecting personal information of children under age 13. Therefore, students who are under age 13 are prohibited from creating and operating a social media account representing the school.
Students are required to follow all applicable district and school policies, including but not limited to: Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy (Policy IJNDB); Bullying Prevention Policy (Policy JICFB); and Cell Phone Use Policy (Policy JICJ).
Students cannot share student information that is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Ave (HIPPA), or any applicable law governing the release of personal information.
School and district administrators have the right to order school social media accounts removed, or content on these accounts removed or edited, at any time for any reason. These accounts represent the school or district and are not personal accounts of the students operating them.
Students operating social media accounts are required to respect the privacy of fellow students:
WPS advises students operating accounts to ask staff to check whether students in their club or team have permission to have their photo used on social media; staff can check the status on WooEdu or by calling a parent/guardian. Students should not knowingly post photos of students who do not have permission from their parent/guardian.
During after-school events when students are no longer in the district’s custody, such as sports games or club meetings, WPS cannot be responsible for shielding student images or names by members of the public or other students who are taking photos for social media, or by local news media covering the events.
Students cannot use district/school social media accounts to promote political opinions or candidates, religious agendas, private businesses, or unapproved fundraisers.
Staff Guidelines
Staff shall use social media in a manner consistent with district policies, along with state and federal laws.
Staff are required to adhere to the rules outlined in the Visitor Guidelines: Moderation of Third Party Content section of these guidelines when posting content or comments.
District and school staff are required to adhere to the Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy (Policy IJNDB) as a condition of employment. The policy is reviewed annually and posted in the Student/Caregiver Handbook.
Staff shall use district/school social media accounts to celebrate, promote and highlight the work, accomplishments, and positive atmosphere of students, staff, schools and programs in WPS; and to post news and announcements as warranted.
Staff shall act with concern for and attention to their own and the school system’s legal responsibility for the safety and welfare of students. (Policy GBEB: Staff Conduct).
Staff shall ensure that the school or department’s social media posts are not creating a disturbance to the educational or professional climate.
Staff shall ensure that use of social media does not violate the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which prohibits online companies from collecting personal information about children under 13 years old. Children under age 13 are prohibited from using social media accounts.
Staff cannot share images, names, or identifying information of students unless there is permission from the parent/guardian documented in WooEdu or another manner.
Staff cannot share student information that is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Ave (HIPPA), or any applicable law governing the release of personal information.
Staff cannot use district/school social media accounts to promote political opinions or candidates; religious agendas; private businesses; unapproved fundraisers; or content that create a real or perceived conflict of interest, such as promoting their own child’s accomplishments.
Visitor Guidelines: Moderation of Third Party Content
Worcester Public Schools reserves the right to restrict or remove any content that is deemed in violation of these guidelines or any applicable law. The district’s intent is not to create a public forum, but to maintain a moderated online discussion (a limited public forum) directly relating to the topics posted by the Worcester Public Schools district that are appropriate for community members.
Worcester Public Schools will not censor opposing viewpoints. However, because the main aim of the Worcester Public Schools is to serve children, the district takes extra care to ensure its scholars are subjected to a safe and welcoming environment on the district-maintained social media accounts.
Visitor comments to the district’s social media accounts, primarily Facebook and Instagram but may include others, cannot contain the following:
Links*
Profane or vulgar language or content*
Sexual content
Content that causes a disturbance to the educational or workplace environment, including but not limited to bullying, harassment, or slanderous information about a person or institution.
Content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates discrimination or hate on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, national origin, immigration status, physical or mental disability, or another status.
Content in support of or opposition to political campaigns and/or ballot measures.
Threats of harm toward an individual or group(s) of individuals or property.
Conduct or encouragement of violent or illegal activity.
Content that harms or could harm the physical or emotional safety and wellbeing of students and staff.
Content that violates a copyright, trademark, or other legal ownership interest of any other party.
Information that may compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems.
Confidential information about an individual, such as a student or employee, that is protected under state or federal laws.
Worcester Public Schools may ban repeat violators from posting to the district’s social media accounts, as well as remove comments at any time.
*All links in the comments of the district’s Facebook and Instagram accounts are automatically deleted via filter. In recent years “spam bots” have plagued school district Facebook accounts by posting links that lead to websites that are not secure and may be used for financial deception or identity theft.
**Most vulgar content is automatically filtered out of comments on the district’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.