Empowering Policies

ISP has spent a lot of time creating its extensive ISP family handbook. In this document, you can find our Mission and Vision, go through our school song (anthem), and explore our many school policies. I have been part of various committees focused on elaborating, revising, and updating policies and procedures such as Inclusion and Diversity, Child Protection, Field Trips, SBG, and GDPR.

These two clauses belong to ISP’s Technology Code of Conduct:

3. ISP users agree that they will not send or solicit hate mail or use any device to harass or bully anyone, as outlined in the ANTI-HARASSMENT & ANTI-BULLYING POLICY the Social Media Policy.

4. Individuals are responsible for adhering to the laws for copyrighted materials under Panamanian and international guidelines. Users accept responsibility for personal software when used on school premises. Such software must be appropriate for school use and conform to school policies and procedures.

I chose these two points for various reasons. I am pleased to see that we directly and explicitly address harassment, bullying, and copyright within our policies. In fact, in other sections of the handbook (Behavior), they expand on bullying. However, I am sad that, in four years of working at ISP, this is the first time I have come across these clauses. This makes me think about it and ask myself the following questions:

• Is this the best format in which to present the handbook?
• Should we consider or create a condensed format of this important document?
• Should visual materials that summarize the most important themes of our handbook be displayed on our campus, to some extent?
• Do parents, students, and employees, in general, read all of these policies (or even know about them)?
• Is it sufficient that stakeholders only read these documents?
• Should group reviews or discussions of our policies be considered at least once a year?
• Should training be offered on how to understand these standards, and also on how to teach and implement them?

I never found the ANTI-HARASSMENT & ANTI-BULLYING POLICY on the school’s website or in the handbook. If necessary, I am going to investigate and update this post with more information, but this makes me wonder if the way these documents are shared is the best or most efficient. Our school is changing website providers and will revamp our website… the perfect time to better organize and share this information.

The ISP Social Media Policy document states:

“Social media” is a category of online broadcasting that supports people talking, participating, sharing, networking, and bookmarking online. Common social media platforms include, but are not limited to, online networks such as CANVAS, SeeSaw, Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, AskFM, blogs, podcasts, discussion forums, and content sharing sites such as Instagram and YouTube. Because technology is constantly evolving, any list of social media sites or programs will never be definitive.

Indeed, no social media list will ever be definitive, but while reading “AskFM”, I realized that we have a lot of pending work updating documents in our school. I don’t consider Canvas part of the Social Media category, although I would love it to be capable enough to be included.

In this same document, it reads:

In particular, students must not use social media for any of the following (but not limited to):

• To post inappropriate, discriminatory, or defamatory comments, including comments about other students, staff, or other ISP community members.
• To bully, harass, or intimidate other students, staff, or members of the school.
• To post threatening, obscene or profane comments.
• To discriminate by any means, including but not limited to sexist, racist, sectarian, xenophobic, or homophobic views or banter.
• To express support for illegal activities or organizations.
• To purposefully disseminate misleading information.
• To share confidential or sensitive information.
• To view or distribute sexually explicit or offensive content.
• To infringe or violate someone else’s rights as stated by Panamanian law, and/or fail to adhere to generally/commonly accepted digital citizenship norms.
• To post locational information about others under any means without the prior specific consent.
• To post content that could create a security risk for the physical school, its staff, or students.

….Disciplinary actions will be taken if improper use of social media is found. Inappropriate action merits follow up by the school or affected organization. Misuse of social media, such as posting inappropriate content, should be reported to the school administration…

All right. We have a good number of pretty explicit rules to follow: everything we should avoid doing to others. However, I doubt that we are doing a good job of promoting them. Besides, parallel to these rules, we should have a curriculum designed to empower our students, colleagues, and parents in media literacy, so they avoid being actors in these scenarios or falling victim to them. Where are the recommendations, suggestions, and advice for those who are victims of these situations?

As an ISP member, I will:

• Continue to improve my own media literacy by studying and taking part in professional development opportunities like COETAIL, which make me question my professional practice and that of my school.
• Grow my professional network to include external contributors who can help me with feedback and suggestions, and offer different views.
• Make my school aware of our flaws in this regard and help as much as possible with the improvements needed.
• Offer and promote media literacy professional development opportunities to my colleagues.
• Create and integrate media literacy into our curriculum.
• Promote platforms and activities related to media literacy.
• Instruct students on media literacy when possible.