JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Duval County School Board strengthened the district’s rules against students taking video recordings on campus.
The new rules are broader.
The original version of the policy banned students from recording footage of any fights that might happen between students or employees.
Monday night’s policy update means that students aren’t allowed to take any video of anyone else in school without permission.
It’s part of the annual refreshing of the student code of conduct — the rules students have to follow on Duval County campuses.
A notable change to the policy this year is a widening of the ban on recording video of school fights. The new policy bans any recording of another student, teacher or employee without their permission. This applies on campus during the school day, on the bus or at any school-sponsored events.
During Monday night’s discussion of the change, some spoke up against it, saying cameras can mean accountability.
“Don’t totally disband it altogether for kids who see something inappropriate happening or something illegal happening, that they can pull out their cellphone, that should be allowed. That happens all over the country, everywhere,” said a Duval County resident.
Board member Charlotte Joyce raised concerns over how the rule would be applied and enforced. Joyce said she worried that teachers and administrators would not be fair and consistent with the rule.
“It’s just better if we go back and reevaluate the policy and put some very straight and strict guardrails around this because I think we are opening ourselves up for a lot of problems if we keep it in the language that it is,” Joyce said.
Joyce was the only “nay” vote as the policy changes in the student code of conduct were approved Monday night and take effect with the new school year.