Digital Media and Technology Resources

New technology means new issues for schools and educators to navigate. Social media can provide a forum for bullying, making threats and even planning or committing crimes. It is also a way many students today express themselves and communicate with their friends. House Bill 64, which I sponsored in the Senate, recognizes that primary and secondary schools, as well as universities, need to strike a balance between respecting students’ privacy online and enforcing school rules. This legislation prohibits colleges and universities from requiring students to reveal their passwords or give them access to their accounts. However, a school may require a student to furnish his or her password if administrators suspect the social media account contains evidence of a rules violation. K-12 schools must notify parents of the circumstances under which they are authorized to access students’ social media accounts.