Selecting Audio Visual Materials
All Audio Visual materials should be selected on the basis of their instructional value. They should be selected to be age appropriate and used with discretion and care so as not to offend community values. They should be previewed by the teacher before they are presented to the class. The students should be given a specific purpose for hearing or viewing audio visual materials; and upon completion, there should be a follow-up to obtain the maximum value that can result from the well planned used of an audio visual instructional aid.
Entertainment Music
On occasion, students request the privilege of listening to popular music during class time. In general, it is inappropriate to play popular music during an instructional period. Exceptions, to this may include using popular music in a music class to meet the lesson’s objective or using popular music as “quiet” background music during periods of independent practice in a shop or p.e. class. In any event, the use of this music during class time must be approved both by the teacher and building principal. Music selected for dances should not contain lyrics with offensive messages. The volume of the music should never exceed that which may be physically harmful to the participants ears.
Entertainment Movies
Due to the wide variance of subject matter presented in entertainment movies and in order to comply with copyright laws the following portion of this policy is established to provide direction for the use of entertainment movies.
Due to copyright restrictions and the wide availability of entertainment videos in the home, the use of entertainment films during class time is prohibited. However, films which contain factual material which are used to supplement curricular programs may be approved for classroom use by the principal. All films that are shown as a curricular supplement to school age students must be rated “G”. A film with a “PG” rating may be shown if it is approved by the building principal. A film published before the rating system came into effect must also be approved by the building principal.
Students are not required to view approved films even when used to supplement the curriculum. Students choosing not to view these films should be provided positive learning alternatives.
Copyright Laws
Public Domain Media: Educational institutions have the right to retain copies of all audio/visual media for which the copyright has expired or that is designated as being “Public Domain.”
Fair Use Principle: Section 107 of the 1976 Copyrights Act defines fair use as, “[Instructional] performance or display of a work by instructors or pupils in the course of face-to-face teaching activities of a nonprofit educational institution, in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction…” Please note, while the use of Home Videos in schools has not yet been tested in court, the general legal opinion of the Idaho Attorney General’s office is that the “Fair Use Principle” applies and that there is a difference between a video which is shown for entertainment purposes in a school, which would not be allowed, and one shown in an instructional activity, which would be allowed.
10-Day Fair Use Guidelines: Although there are a number of restrictions placed on the use of videotaped television programs, the two most critical limitation are:
1-Videotaped recordings may be kept for no more than 45 calendar days after the recording date, at which time the tapes must be erased.
2-Videotaped recordings may be shown to students only within the first 10 school days of the 45-day retention period. The recordings may be shown to students no more than two times during the 10-day period , and the second time only for necessary instructional reinforcement. The programs may be viewed only by teachers after the 10-day instructional period for evaluation purposes, that is, to determine whether to include the broadcast program in the curriculum in the future.
LEGAL REFERENCE:
ADOPTED: June 21, 2000