By Ann Marie Shambaugh
The Zionsville school board approved a policy Nov. 14 aimed at stopping students from making secret recordings of other students or teachers and using them to ostracize others or get them in trouble.
The policy prohibits photography and audio and video recordings on school property without permission. The board approved it on first reading, which is permitted in “emergency” situations.
Superintendent Scott Robison said the immediate action was necessary to protect ZCS employees from liability in possible litigation regarding listening devices planted by parents on their children.
“What imperils our teachers and other staff would be a follow-on litigation about FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) violation due to recording by one parent (secretly) of other parents’ children without permission and posting or publishing of this audio or video, again, without permission,” Robison stated in an email. “We have a situation or two of this nature that may ripen in the coming weeks, and the policy seeks to ensure school board protection for staff people who have not in any way aided or condoned the surreptitious recording.”
A document prepared for the school board on the matter stated that “ZCS is well along the line with disputes in this area, and at least one is likely to mature prior to the December meeting.” It also states that the new policy will help ensure that any ZCS employee who puts a stop to recordings will be supported by the school board’s clear intention.
Robison said the policy can also protect students from other students who may record them speaking or answering a question in class and post it online to ridicule them. He hopes it will serve as a deterrent for bullying.
“Social media and smart phones/other devices have brought to the fore a whole new world in many ways,” he said.
The new policy states that violations can lead to suspension for students and termination for employees. Visitors may be removed from school property for violations.
The public is still permitted to record public school board meetings.
See the new policy at https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=39651614.
