Media Guidelines – Version 4.5

While we at Hebron School recognise the high profile the media has in our students’ lives, we believe that not all such media is beneficial for our students. Furthermore, we recognise that some of the facilities that modern media devices offer may not be appropriate in school. As technology advances rapidly and media devices become smaller and more integrated, it becomes increasingly difficult to legislate on which specific devices students may have and which media they may own or consume.

These Media Guidelines are based on honesty and trust, recognising that with increasing maturity students become more discerning about the media they consume and are able to take greater responsibility for their own actions. All staff and students should be aware of the criteria for inappropriate media. Dorm parents need to work together to ensure that the consequences for violations of these guides are seen by students to be applied consistently.

1) Background

a) Hebron has a long tradition of encouraging students to think for themselves and to make good choices. In response to the rapidly changing world of media and technology, the Music Guidelines have been amended to include other media. The Internet connectivity of many devices makes monitoring of material increasingly difficult and highlights the importance of teaching students both to discern and to be responsible for the content of their media devices.

b) For the purpose of these guidelines, the term media includes, but is not limited to, music, spoken word audio, images, computer games, software, web pages and printed material (e.g. magazines, comics, posters, t-shirts, etc.). Images may be still or moving, photographic (bitmap) or computer generated (vector). Media may be digital or analogue in nature and may be stored in many different ways, such as CDs (data or audio), DVDs, memory sticks, SIM cards, memory cards (e.g. those used in digital cameras and other devices), removable hard drives (HDDs), books, etc.

c) For the purpose of these guidelines, media devices include, but are not limited to, CD, cassette (CC) and minidisc (MD) players, digital audio players (including MP3, WMA and other similar formats), digital video players (including MP4, WMV, MPG, AVI, MOV and other similar formats), mobile game devices (e.g. PSP, Gameboy, Nintendo DS), mobile phones, cameras (digital and film), video cameras (digital or analogue), computers, PDAs, memory cards, USB data storage devices and any other device capable of storing and/or transmitting/playing media.

2) Rationale

a) As with other rules and guidelines, the purpose of the Media Guidelines is to restrict media that are considered to be potentially harmful or unhealthy in the context and ethos of the Hebron Community.

b) Hebron recognises the influence of media on the attitudes of young people, particularly in a close community where students share media and have access to the Internet. We are particularly concerned about the well recognised, detrimental effects of unsuitable images and language.

c) These guidelines are in response to, and with respect for, the wishes of parents who desire some control in these areas and to limit the spread of unsuitable material to and through school students.

d) Hebron recognises that it is not media per se that is unhealthy, but the expressed values and sentiments they portray that may transgress the criteria listed below under point 3.

3) Criteria for inappropriate and restricted media

a) Offensive language – crude or vulgar language, blasphemy, swearing, etc.

b) Negative attitudes towards sex – demeaning, cheapening, dehumanising, erotic or pornographic. Negative attitudes towards men and/or women.

c) Anti-authoritarian, anti-establishment attitudes.

d) Occult themes.

e) Violent or aggressive tendencies, suicide.

f) Anti-theistic, anti-Christian or anti-religious sentiments.

g) Racist or sectarian prejudice.

h) Pirated material.

4) Limits on media and media devices

a) Age-related privileges for media devices

i) Up to Standard 6

(1) Personal games device (e.g. PSP, Gameboy, etc., at the dorm parents’ discretion). These devices will be looked after by the dorm parents and given to students at set periods each week. Devices may not be used for any purpose other than playing games.

ii) Standards 7+ as above, plus:

(1) Personal media player must only be used with headphones.

(2) Camera (digital or film).

iii) Standards 10+ as above, plus:

(1) Students may play music through loudspeakers at an appropriate level. Staff / Dorm parents can request that the volume be lowered.

(2) Students may look after their games devices themselves.

iv) Standards 12+ as above, plus:

(1) As an exception to the rule of 4) b) iii) below, A-level students may use their media devices with headphones to listen to music in the A-Level study.

(2) Mobile phones and an other telecommunication capable devices:

(a) The Mobile Phone Policy must be read in conjunction with this policy.

(b) All mobile phones will be kept by Dorm Parents. They may NOT be kept by students to be used as media players, digital cameras, alarm clocks etc. If these functions are required then suitable separate devices must be brought. No mobile phone must be capable of connection to the internet.

b) General guidelines

i) All media must comply with the spirit of point 3 above.

ii) Additionally, games must be within the appropriate recommended age for the student. Passing or loaning of ‘senior’ games to younger students is not permitted.

iii) Students are not to use media devices around or within school grounds unless specifically authorised.

iv) Student-owned media devices are not permitted in the ‘Hoz’ area.

v) Movies (DVDs, VCDs, VHS cassettes, movie cartridges for PSP, etc.) should not be brought to school. Any such media that is brought to school must be recorded on the student’s media sheet and given to the dorm parent for safe keeping.

vi) With the exception of digital video clips that have been recorded by the students on, for example, their own digital cameras, students are not permitted to store moving images in any form.

vii) Students are responsible for all media in their possession, whether created by them, sent unsolicited to them or otherwise stored. In the event of inappropriate material being sent unsolicited to a student, he or she should inform their dorm parents and arrange for the content to be deleted or destroyed.

viii) Students are not permitted to copy or distribute copyrighted material at school. Students should be legally entitled to all media in their possession as piracy is illegal.

ix) Transferring of media at school without school authorisation through a computer or any other means is not permitted.

x) Students may not use any media device, other than the school’s own computers, to access the Internet or any other outside network. WiFi capability must therefore be turned off.

xi) Dorm movies: all films watched as part of a dorm activity will be appropriate for the youngest member of the dorm. As a guide, dorm parents will use the UK or USA film classification system(s).

5) Education and application to students

a) Criteria in point 3 are given to encourage students to discern media for themselves.

b) Dorm parents are encouraged to discuss with their dorms the rationale behind restricting media. Such open discussions will aim to encourage students to be discerning about the media they own or consume. Such discussions may also follow watching movies together and may, for example, consider both implicit and explicit messages and the values the film promotes. DPD also lead sessions on learning to discern.

c) We encourage parental partnership by asking parents to listen to their children’s music.

6) Monitoring and Consequences

a) This aims to allow each student to accept responsibility and consequences for their own actions.

b) At the start of each term parents are given a Media Form to itemise their son or daughter’s media devices and media. This form must be handed back to their dorm parents at the start of each term, signed by the student, and parent/guardian. This sheet should be checked at the reconvening after half-term breaks to allow the student the opportunity to update it. The dorm parent may do spot checks against this list.

c) The student’s name must be clearly written on the media device and media. If not properly named, devices or media may be confiscated by the dorm parent. This puts the onus to name possessions on the student.

d) Any media that, at the dorm parents’ discretion or authorised staff member's discretion, meeting the criteria in point 3 are considered prohibited. Such media may be confiscated. Staff will normally discuss which aspects they believe are unacceptable and work through this with the student.

e) The consequence of listening to, viewing or storing media that transgress the criteria in point 3, will be in proportion to the severity of the offence. Unsuitable media may be deleted and device(s) may be confiscated up to one term.

f) Any misuse of a media device as deemed by an authorised staff member may also result in confiscation of that device.

g) Confiscated media may be collected by parents/guardians at their expense and a letter will be included in the student’s report envelope at the end of term.

h) In the event of severe or persistent breach of these guidelines, the Head of Dorms will contact parents with a request to destroy the offending media. In extreme cases, such media will not be returned to parents

Oct 09