Parent Advocacy Center

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Video footage can offer valuable information. We often hear from parents wanting to see video of an incident that led to discipline, a mistreatment incident between student and staff, or bullying.

Every situation is different, so this is general information, not a recommendation for your specific circumstance. For details on your situation, see FERPA's FAQ page: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/faq/faqs-photos-and-videos-under-ferpa

Here's the general framework: FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act) is the federal law governing student records and privacy. If the school maintains the camera that captured the incident, that footage may qualify as part of your child's educational record. See the FAQ link above to determine if your situation qualifies as such. If law enforcement or a bus company maintains the camera, it's a different process that won't be included in this post.

If you believe a camera captured an incident involving your child, start with a written request to the building principal — and do it quickly. Schools don't keep footage indefinitely, and you want it preserved before it's erased along with everything else. Ask specifically that the footage be preserved as part of your child's educational record.

In cases where you are able to view footage, schools aren't obligated to give you a copy — expect to schedule a viewing on school property, on a school device. If legal action begins or charges are filed over the incident, an attorney can take over obtaining the footage for you. If the district still refuses access to view the video, ensure that it is preserved while seeking assistance.

A common pushback: other students appear in the video, it can't be redacted or blurred, and their privacy rights block other parents from viewing it. The U.S. Department of Education addressed this directly in a published letter, concluding that the inability to redact footage without destroying the video's meaning is not sufficient reason to withhold it from the parents of a disciplined student.

Full letter:
https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/sites/default/files/resource_document/file/Letter%20to%20Wachter%20%28Surveillance%20Video%20of%20Multiple%20Students%29_0.pdf

07/31/2026