From: xx717@freenet.carleton.ca (Miranda Gray)
Subject: Draft -- Open Access policy

This is not a radical departure from NCF's current practice. It is a
formalization of our current practice as a policy statement.

begin---

Open Access Statement 
===================== 
  
The National Capital FreeNet provides full access to all its
users, regardless of age. Responsibility for choice of material
by children rests with their parents or guardians, not the NCF.
NCF will not exclude any material from the system only because it
may come into the hands of children. 

---end

As with all NCF policies, it should be accompanied with at least one
document which explains the policy's intent in detail. In this case, there
is a need to provide some information for parents about the risks involved
in having kids online. (Basically this is file others can print out to allay
parental fears i.e. schoolteachers.)

I have not found a perfect document in public domain although one likely
exists. For a sample of the type of document I am thinking of as a guide
for parents, see http://www.compuserve.com/new/news_rel/chldsfty.html. 

Another related help document would be the Kid's Membership Agreement
written by Richard Taylor. It would be excellent resource for parents when
they discuss the responsibilities of NCF membership with their kids. (It is
posted at the end of message 50 in this newsgroup.)

We should also consider amending the Members' Agreement to allow parents
to let their minor children use their accounts. This already happens but
we might want to chose to acknowledge the practice.

The source for the wording is the Open Access Policy of the Ottawa Public
Library which is available as brochure in their information displays.
--

Miranda Gray	xx717@freenet.carleton.ca