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Policy No. 4325 Electronic Visual Materials in Schools

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The Provo City School District Board of Education acknowledges that both appropriate and inappropriate uses exist for showing/viewing electronic visual programs in class. This policy regulates the viewing of such electronic visual materials in classes throughout the district. “Electronic visual materials” include, but are not limited to, pre-recorded videotapes, DVDs, television recordings, movies, streaming visual files, and television broadcasts other than news programs, all of which are herein referred to generally as “videos.”

Purpose of Video Use

Videos may be used in Provo City School District to support and illustrate concepts clearly connected to the content at hand. Their use must have a clear educational purpose and be appropriate for the intended audience age level. As in all class settings, teaching concepts are to be derived from the established state and district standards. All teachers, substitutes, and guest presenters are regulated by this policy.

General Expectations for Use/Disclosure to Parents

No video or video segments may be shown that contain profanity; graphic, blatant, suggestive, or gratuitous sexual material; or extensive, unnecessary, or gory violence. Any full-length showing of a video requires advance administrative approval. No R-rated videos may be shown in part or in whole, edited or unedited. Advance notice to parents as to the date/time/purpose of all videos with a rating of PG or above must be provided at least 5 school days in advance. Such notice shall be in writing.

Parental Exclusion

Students whose parents object to having their child/children view the proposed video will be accommodated by the teacher in ways that are not punitive to the child. In most cases, the teacher would remove the child from the viewing area and provide a meaningful learning experience during the time of exclusion. No academic penalty may be meted to students for missing a film due to parent exclusion.

Copyright Compliance Requirements

Provo City School District videos have been purchased with full rights for maintaining them in the district to provide repeated viewing and use in instructional settings.

Television broadcast programs may be recorded for use in the classroom, one time only for each class, and used only if they tie directly to the curriculum in a meaningful way. Such recorded programs may not be shown for the purpose of simple entertainment. These programs may be retained for not more than 45 days, and then must be erased/destroyed. In cases when license agreements are required for pre-recorded television programs, compliance with such license agreements must be provided before viewing in class. 

Videos that are purchased, borrowed, rented, donated, brought from home, or otherwise available which bear the designation “FOR HOME USE ONLY” may be used for face-to-face instruction with students as a defensible part of the academic program. They may not be shown for other than instructional purposes unless a specific copyright permission agreement is entered into in advance.

Guest presenters and substitutes who use videos in their presentations are subject to the same copyright compliance guidelines as the regular classroom teacher.

Approved by Board of Education

September 9, 2014