Permission for the Parish to Deliver Online Content to Students & Parent Acceptance of Internet Safety Responsibility
During school closures, St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago makes efforts to provide families with student assignments and other instructional materials through various delivery methods, including online. This form allows parents/guardians to grant permission for schools to deliver this online content directly to students with parents copied, and for parents/guardians to accept school's responsibilities under the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
1. General Policies
The parishes/missions should follow responsibilities outlined in the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) for preventing students from accessing obscene or harmful content using school devices or internet connections.
The protection measures block or filter Internet access to pictures that are: (a) obscene; (b) pornography; or (c) harmful to minors (for computers/devices that are accessed by children).
Additionally, our internet safety policies include monitoring the online activities of minors. The measures also provide for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response.
2. Safe Environment Policies
Students are required to view an age appropriate video, which is six minutes long, on “Touching Safety” that helps them recognize appropriate and inappropriate ways of touching them by adults and other minors. If you don't want your child view this video, you may request a “Parent Decline Form” which must be signed by you. You are also welcome to view the video first, before it is shown to the children. Please contact the Safe Environment Team at St. Alphonsa Parish, Baltimore.
For the safe environment policies applicable to organizers, online instructors, other resource persons, and parents, click here
Parents should agree to the following before signing at the bottom:
- I agree to have my children participate in the classes prescribed by the St. Thomas SyroMalabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago for the Safe Environment Program for children. I also agree that as parents, we will participate in the Safe Environment training for Parents, and abide by all safe environment guidelines.
- I permit the church/mission to deliver instructional content directly to students with parents copied.
- I accept to take the responsibility of my child(ren's) internet safety and commit to the following: 1) Having a trusted adult present and monitoring student who use the internet assignment and other instructional materials, or 2) Using tools such as parental controls and other filters to protect student's internet access, as described above.
- I give permission for my daughter/son to participate in virtual faith formation classes taking place from September 12, 2021. I understand this classes will be a live Zoom platform meeting where students and teachers will be interacting via laptop, tablet, or phone device. All reasonable safety precautions will be utilized during this program. I, being the parent/guardian, will make all attempts to ensure my child will act in a proper manner while attending this event and not cause any disruptions.