7440.01 - VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AND ELECTRONIC MONITORING

1. The Board authorizes the use of video surveillance and electronic monitoring equipment at various school sites throughout the District and on school buses. The video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment shall be used to protect Board property and assets from theft and vandalism, through deterrence and video documentation. While the system is not primarily designed to protect individuals from being victims of violent crimes or disruptions, nor to detect other potentially illegal and undesirable activities, video captured may be used as evidence in such cases for school discipline and/or criminal prosecution. In addition, with available technology during a critical incident, video can be shared in real-time with first responders to enhance their response capabilities.
2. The monitoring of actions and behavior of individuals who come onto school property is a significant factor in maintaining order, safety, and discipline. Video surveillance/electronic monitoring systems serve to complement other means being employed in the District to promote and foster a safe and secure teaching and learning environment for students and staff. The Board recognizes that the use of a video surveillance/electronic monitoring system does not replace the need for the ongoing vigilance of designated school staff to monitor and supervise the school building and campus; rather, the video surveillance/electronic monitoring system serves as an appropriate and useful tool with which to augment or support the in-person supervision provided by staff. The principal is responsible for verifying that due diligence is observed in maintaining general campus security.
3. The Superintendent's designated cross-functional team, to include each location’s administration, is responsible for determining where to install and operate fixed-location video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment in the District. The determination of where and when to use video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment will be made in a nondiscriminatory manner. Any person who takes action to block, move, or alter the location and/or viewing angle of a video camera shall be subject to disciplinary action.
4. Any information obtained from video surveillance/electronic monitoring systems may only be used to support the orderly operation of the District's schools and facilities, and for law enforcement purposes, and not for any other purposes. As such, recordings obtained through the use of video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment may be used as evidence in any disciplinary proceedings, administrative proceeding, or criminal proceeding, subject to Board policy and regulations. Further, such recordings may become a part of a student's education record or staff member's personnel file. The Board will not use video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment to obtain information for the purpose of routine staff appraisal/evaluation or monitoring.
5. Ordinarily, video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment will not be used to make an audio recording of conversation occurring on school grounds or property where individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy; however, notice shall be given to all individuals present on the grounds of a school site or on a school bus that their conversations may be recorded through the video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment and, as a result, individuals on the grounds of a school site or on a school bus should not have an expectation that their conversations will remain private.
6. Under Florida law, parents have the right to give their consent in writing before a school employee makes a video or voice recording of their minor child, unless the recording is used solely for the following
7. a safety demonstration, including the maintenance of order and discipline in the common areas of a school or on student transportation vehicles;
    
   1. a purpose related to a legitimate academic or extra-curricular activity;
   2. a purpose related to regular classroom instruction;
   3. security or surveillance of buildings or grounds; or
   4. a photo identification card (See also Policy 2461 - Recording of IEP Team Meetings.)
      
8. Recordings of students will be treated as confidential. Consequently, because the Board is bound by Florida's Public Records Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), copies of video recordings containing personally identifiable information about students shall not be released except to school officials with legitimate educational interests. Parents/legal guardians of minor students, and students who are eighteen (18) years of age or older, who are charged with disciplinary violations may view relevant portions of any video recording related to the charge, upon written request to the principal, provided that viewing the recording does not violate State and/or Federal law (i.e., the privacy rights of any other students whose images appear on the recording).  At no time during the requested viewing will the video be recorded by any electronic device.
9. Likewise, staff may view relevant portions of any video relating to any disciplinary charge against them, upon written request to the building principal or administrator, provided that viewing the recording does not violate State and/or Federal law (i.e., the privacy rights of any students whose images appear on the recordings). Otherwise, such confidential recordings shall only be released as authorized under or required by State and Federal laws. At no time during the requested viewing will the video be recorded by any electronic device.
10. Video surveillance/electronic monitoring recordings may be retained beyond the retention period required by law if they are going to be utilized for training purposes or as required by law pursuant to Policy 8315 - Information Management and AP 8315 - Litigation Hold Procedure. This policy does not address or cover instances where school officials record a specific event (e.g., a play, music performance, athletic contest, graduation, or Board meeting) or an isolated instance where a classroom is videotaped for educational or research purposes. Authorized videotaping for educational, instructional, and/or research purposes is permitted and is not addressed by this policy.
11. Video surveillance is to be implemented in accordance with this policy and the related administrative procedures. The Board will not accept or tolerate the improper use of video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment and will take appropriate action in any cases of wrongful use of this policy.
12. Video recordings from campuses and/or buses may be confidential and exempt under F.S. 281.301 and F.S. 119.071 and may only be released pursuant to a lawfully issued subpoena or in an emergency involving health, safety, and/or welfare.
13. Periodically, the Superintendent or designee shall conduct a review to verify that this policy and its implementing procedures are being adhered to and report to the Board on the use of video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment in the District.

Revised 6/30/20
Revised 10/15/24

© Neola 2021