Right of Privacy - Teaching Staff Members

RIGHT OF PRIVACY

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The Board of Education will provide facilities and school district-owned property to assist teaching staff members in their job responsibilities or for the teaching staff members’ convenience.  These facilities or district-owned property may include, but are not limited to, an office, a storage closet, a filing cabinet, a locker, and/or a desk.  The Principal or designee may provide a teaching staff member with exclusive use and access to such facilities or school district-owned property or may require the facility or school district-owned property be shared with other staff members.  The teaching staff member may be provided a lock or key by the school district or may secure the facility or school district-owned property using their own locking device with permission from the Principal or designee. 

Teaching staff members should be aware their expectation of privacy in these facilities and/or the school district-owned property provided by the Board of Education is reduced by virtue of actual office practices and procedures, for searches conducted pursuant to an investigation of work-related employee misconduct, or by school district policies or regulations.  In addition, teaching staff members shall have a reduced expectation of privacy in these facilities and school district-owned property if there is reasonable suspicion the teaching staff member is violating a law or school policy.  Teaching staff members shall be on notice this reduced expectation of privacy may result in such facilities and/or school district-owned property being searched without a search warrant.  In order to avoid exposing personal belongings to such a search, teaching staff members are discouraged from storing personal papers and effects in these facilities or school district-owned property.

The Board prohibits any audio or video recording of a teaching staff member or student by any student; other school staff member; visitor; or any other person while a teaching staff member is performing their Board-assigned job responsibilities without the prior written approval of the teaching staff member’s Principal or supervisor.  In addition to protecting the privacy rights of all teaching staff members, such recordings may violate the privacy rights of students and teaching staff members and can be disruptive to the educational program. The teaching staff members’ Principal or supervisor’s prior approval for a person to make an audio or video recording of a teaching staff member or a school-sponsored activity is not required for a school-sponsored activity that is open to parents, family members, or other members of the public to attend.  Such activities include, but are not limited to: curricular activities; co-curricular activities; athletic events; student programs; or any other school-sponsored activity.

A person requesting prior approval to audio or video record a teaching staff member or student that is not permitted in accordance with the provisions of this Policy, must submit a written request to the Principal.  The Principal will review the written request and provide the requester with a written decision.  If a written approval is not provided by the Principal to the person submitting the request prior to the requested recording date or event, the request shall be deemed denied and the audio or video recording shall not be permitted.

Any person making an audio or video recording in violation of the provisions of this Policy shall be required to immediately cease making the recording to avoid violating the privacy rights of others.  Any teaching staff member found to have violated the provisions of this Policy may be subject to discipline.

Revised: 30 November 2023