The Texas Education Code requires that, upon written request from a parent, schools must install video cameras in special education classrooms and settings.
The special education classroom or settings must be one in which a majority of the students are students with disabilities who are assigned to self-contained classrooms or other special education settings for at least half of the instructional day.
The parent must have a child in the specific classroom for which they seek installation of video cameras.
The parent must submit the request to the campus principal or the principal’s designee.
To the extent a school intends to discontinue operation of a video camera, it must notify parents of each student in that classroom/setting that operation of such video camera will not continue unless requested by a person eligible to make a request as set forth above.
The video cameras must be capable of covering visually and recording audio from all areas of the classroom/setting. There is an exception for restrooms and clothes changing areas.
Schools must retain video recordings for 3 months after the date of recording. However, if there is a request to review a video recording, the school must retain the recording until the requestor views it and there is a determination as to whether it documents an alleged incident. If the recording documents an alleged incident, the school shall retain the recording until the alleged incident is resolved, including exhaustion of all appeals.
Schools may not permit regular or continual monitoring of video footage.
School must permit the parent of a student to view a video recording to the extent the student was involved in an alleged incident that was documented by a recording and reported to the school.
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