7440.01 - VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AND ELECTRONIC MONITORING
In order to promote student and staff safety, and deter unauthorized access and destructive acts (e.g., theft and vandalism). In order to protect Board property, promote security and protect the health, welfare, and safety of students, staff, and visitors, the Board of Education authorizes the use of video surveillance and electronic monitoring equipment on school property, and in school buildings and school buses. Information obtained through video surveillance/electronic monitoring may be used to identify intruders and persons breaking the law, Board policy, or the Student Code of Conduct (i.e., it may be used as evidence in disciplinary actions and criminal proceedings).
The monitoring of actions and behavior of individuals who come onto school property is a significant factor in maintaining order and discipline and protecting students, staff, visitors, and school and student property. 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 the school staff assigned by the building principal to monitor and supervise the school building. 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 building principal is responsible for verifying that due diligence is observed in maintaining general campus security.
The Superintendent 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. Video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment may be placed in common areas in school buildings (e.g., school hallways, entryways, the front office where students, employees, and visitors are permitted to freely come and go, gymnasiums, cafeterias, libraries), the school parking lots and other outside areas, and in school buses. Except in extraordinary circumstances and with the written authorization of the Superintendent or Board President, video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment shall not be used in areas where persons have a reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g., restrooms, locker rooms, changing areas, private offices (unless there is express consent given by the office occupant), or conference/meeting rooms), or in individual classrooms during instructional times. Security staff and administrators are authorized to carry and use portable video cameras when responding to incidents. The Board authorizes security personnel to use body-worn video cameras while on duty, but prohibits them from being operated while the individual is routinely patrolling restrooms and locker rooms unless the staff member is responding to a specific incident.
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.
Legible and visible signs shall be placed at the main entrance to buildings and in the areas where video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment is in use to notify people that their actions/behavior are being monitored/recorded. Additionally, the Superintendent is directed to annually notify parents and students via school newsletters and the Student Handbook, and staff via the Staff Handbook, of the use of video surveillance/electronic monitoring systems in their schools.
Any information obtained from video surveillance/electronic monitoring systems may only be used to support the orderly operation of the School 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 proceedings, or criminal proceedings, 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.
Ordinarily, video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment will not be used to make an audio recording of conversation occurring on school grounds or property.
Smart Sensor Monitoring Technology
To protect students and faculty, promote security, and protect the health, welfare, and safety of students, staff, and visitors, the Board authorizes the use of smart sensor electronic monitoring equipment on school property, including in school buildings and on school vehicles. Smart sensor monitoring technology uses devices that can sense, collect, and process a variety of environmental information. Information obtained through smart sensor devices may be used to identify intruders and persons breaking the law, Board policy, or the Student Code of Conduct; as such, it may be used as evidence in disciplinary actions and may be provided to law enforcement in appropriate circumstances.
The monitoring of actions and behavior of individuals who come onto school property is a significant factor in maintaining order and discipline and protecting students, staff, visitors, and school and student property. Smart sensor monitoring systems serve to complement other means that the District employs to promote and foster a safe and secure teaching and learning environment for students and staff. The Board recognizes that the use of a smart sensor monitoring system does not replace the need for the ongoing vigilance of the school staff assigned by the building principal to monitor and supervise the school building. Rather, the smart sensor monitoring system serves as an appropriate and useful tool with which to augment or support the in-person supervision provided by staff. The building principal is responsible for verifying that due diligence is observed in maintaining general campus safety and security.
The Superintendent is responsible for determining where to install and operate fixed-location smart sensor monitoring equipment in the District. The determination of where and when to use smart sensor equipment will be made in a nondiscriminatory manner. Smart sensor monitoring equipment may be placed in designated areas in school buildings (e.g., school hallways, restrooms, classrooms, gymnasiums, libraries, locker rooms, entryways, the front office, and other areas where students, employees, and visitors are permitted to freely come and go). The Superintendent will post notices in areas where smart sensor monitoring equipment is in use.
Any person who takes action to block, move, or alter the location of a smart sensor device shall be subject to disciplinary action.
Any information obtained from smart sensor monitoring systems may only be used to support the orderly operation of the School District's schools and facilities and for law enforcement purposes and not for any other purposes. As such, information obtained through the use of smart sensor monitoring equipment may be used as evidence in any disciplinary proceedings or administrative proceedings, or provided to local law enforcement, subject to Board policy and administrative guidelines.
Smart sensor monitoring technology is to be implemented in accordance with this policy and the related guidelines. The Board will not accept or tolerate the improper use of smart sensor monitoring equipment and will take appropriate action in any cases of wrongful use of this policy or such technology.
The Board will not use video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment to obtain information for the purpose of routine staff appraisal/evaluation or monitoring. However, prerecorded lessons or observations of online or virtual learning sessions may be included as part of an employee's evaluation in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement or Memorandum of Understanding approved by the Board.
Further, if an employee is assigned to work remotely (i.e., telework), the administration is authorized to conduct observations that consist of the supervisor reviewing video-recordings of the employee working and/or watching the employee perform job responsibilities through means of a live-stream that includes both video and audio, provided the employee is afforded advanced notice of the observation, and the recording of the employee's work and/or observation is conducted in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement or Memorandum of Understanding approved by the Board if the employee is a member of a bargaining unit.
Additionally, nothing herein shall prevent the administration from using information gathered through electronic means (i.e., viewing a video-recording or live-stream of an employee working) for employment purposes including, but not limited to, completing components of an evaluation, so long as the information is gathered in a manner consistent with law and any applicable collective bargaining agreement or Memorandum of Understanding approved by the Board.
Recordings of students will be treated as confidential. Consequently, because the Board is bound by Ohio's Student Records Statute and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA"), copies of video recordings containing personal identifiable information about students shall not be released except to school officials with legitimate educational interests. Parents or 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 building 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). Likewise, school personnel may view relevant portions of any video relating to any disciplinary charge against them, upon written request to the building principal, 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 through subpoena or court order.
The Board shall maintain video surveillance/electronic monitoring recordings for a limited period. Any request to view a recording under this policy must be made within seven (7) days of the event/incident. Unless a formal complaint is being investigated, recordings shall be destroyed after thirty (30) days. If, however, action is taken by the Board/administration, as a result of a formal complaint or incident, recordings shall be kept for a minimum of one (1) year from the date of the action taken.
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.
The Superintendent is directed to develop administrative guidelines to address the use of video surveillance/electronic monitoring equipment in school buildings, school buses, and on property owned and/or operated by the Board.
Video surveillance is to be implemented in accordance with this policy and the related guidelines. 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.
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