School administrators in the Burlington (Iowa) district will begin wearing body cameras in January, but they'll activate them only in situations in which they believe a video recording could be useful, such as fights on campus.
The Des Moines Register reports that district administrators met Monday to discuss how the equipment would be used. A draft policy is being revised before it goes before the school board for review.
The body cameras that administrators will use cost about $100 and can be clipped onto a shirt, tie or identification badge.
The Burlington district announced earlier this month its plans to incorporate body cameras into its school security program.
"The goal of the policy is to ensure that all parties are being treated with dignity, honor and respect at all times," Superintendent Patrick Coen said in a news release.
Before turning on their cameras, administrators will have a script to read that will inform a person of the intent to record the conversation. That person will have the option of declining the recording.
The move to use the devices came after a middle school principal was accused of assaulting a student. The school surveillance cameras did not support the claim, but because the video recording did not include audio, the school could not investigate allegations of verbal misconduct.
The district says the cameras "will protect everyone, while also holding administrators accountable for their behavior."
