PACT Charter School

Original Creation Date: November 15, 2006
Last Approved By: PACT Charter School Board of Directors
Last Approved Date: November 2, 2023
Year Reviewed: 2019-2020

PURPOSE

The PACT School Board of Directors wishes to maintain students, staff, and visitors' health, welfare, and safety while on school property. The protection of school property is an important function of the school. The School Board of Directors recognizes that video/electronic surveillance systems may serve as a deterrent to prohibited activity and assist with monitoring and investigating activity on school property.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

Placement

1. School district buildings and grounds may be equipped with video cameras.
2. If the buildings and grounds are equipped with video cameras, a conspicuous notice will be posted to notify students, staff, and the public that they may be recorded. The notice may read, "Warning: This facility employs video surveillance equipment for security purposes. This equipment may or may not be monitored at any time."
3. Video surveillance will not be used in bathrooms or locker rooms, although monitoring may occur in hallways in the vicinity of bathrooms or locker rooms. Cameras will not be used in private offices but may be used in classrooms with notices being posted.

Use of Videotape

1. Video will be viewed only by the appropriate school building administrator (and/or designee). The building administrator will use the video to assist in determining whether or not an incident actually occurred, and if so, the severity of the incident. Information obtained from the video that reveals unlawful actions or actions that break school rules or policies may be brought to the attention of law enforcement and appropriate action may be taken.
2. Neither the parent/guardian of the student that has been videotaped nor the student will be allowed to view the tape, following data privacy laws, unless the student is the only subject on the videotape. Upon written request, the school district will provide a written summary of the taped incident(s) to a student pictured on the tape or the student's parent/guardians.
3. The administrator (and/or designee) will be responsible for the security of the video equipment and for the handling of the recorded information. The video will be reviewed by the administrator (and/or designee) on an as-needed basis and will remain on the DVR until storage is full. It will then automatically replace itself on a first-on, first-off basis.
4. A video will be released only in conformance with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minnesota Statute Chapter 13 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. §1232g and the rules and/or regulations defined by the school.
5. The video recording equipment will be stored in a secure location with limited access. It will also be available through password-protected Internet access.

Source:

Forum Guide to Protecting the Privacy of Student Information: State and Local Education Agencies. (National Forum on Education Statistics, 2004).