Sen. Grall files bill requiring video cameras be placed in certain public school classrooms

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Sen. Erin Grall, R-Fort Pierce, filed legislation to add video cameras to certain public school classrooms as well as certain charter school classrooms.

Under the bill, a school district would have to provide a video camera to each school with a self-contained classroom.

The bill defines a self contained classroom as a classroom at a public or charter school that “has at least one student in regular attendance that is nonverbal and receives special educational services.”

A video camera placed in a self contained classroom must be capable of monitoring all areas of the room including any room that is attached to the self contained classroom that is used for other purposes, according to the bill.

The video camera must also be capable of recording audio from all areas of the room.

According to the bill, the video camera may not monitor a restroom or any area in the classroom where a student changes their clothes.

An explanation must be submitted in writing to the school or charter school principal as well as, if applicable, the district school board, if there is an interruption in the operation of the video camera “for any reason,” according to the bill.

The explanation must explain the reason for the interruption and the duration. The written explanation must be maintained by the school for at least one year.

Before a school places the video camera in a classroom, the school must provide written notice to the following, according to the bill:

• The parent of each student who is assigned to the self contained classroom.
• Each student who is assigned to the self-contained classroom.
• The school district, if applicable.
• Each school or charter school employee who is assigned to work with one or more students in the self-contained classroom.

The bill states that a public or charter school must retain the video recording placed in the classroom for at least three months after a video was recorded.

After three months, the recording may be deleted unless there is any investigation or any administrative or legal proceedings that result from the recording, then the school must retain the recording until after the investigation and all appeals have been completed.

The principal of the school would be responsible of the video camera and all recordings of the camera, according to the bill.

If a school, school district, or charter school decides to release or view any of the video recordings, they would be required to conceal the identity of each student who appears in the recording, if they are not involved in an alleged incident, according to the bill.

If approved, the bill would go into effect July 1. A companion bill has not yet been filed.