Wake County Removes Recording Ban on School Issued Devices
Wake County school board policy committee voted to drop a proposed ban on students recording others with school issued devices, citing concerns that the rule could prevent students from capturing incidents such as bullying. The committee kept broader technology and social media restrictions under consideration, a move that will shape how schools balance student safety, privacy, and network controls.
On November 19, 2025 the Wake County school board policy committee decided to remove language that would have barred students from taking audio video or photos of other students or staff without permission when using school issued devices. Committee members said the restriction could prevent students from recording interactions, including bullying, that might help protect them. Board Chairman Chris Heagarty noted the limitation "doesn't reach the device that 90, 99% of the time would be used" referring to students personal cellphones.
The change applies only to school issued equipment and does not affect personal devices. The committee clarified that personal cellphones and other privately owned devices would remain outside the scope of this specific prohibition. The proposed revision was part of a broader update to the Technology Responsible Use policy that included multiple other controls.
Under the more comprehensive proposal the district would restrict access to social media unless a teacher authorized it for academic purposes. The draft also would limit use of school wi fi and district hotspots to students and staff who require them for academic work and would bar private wi fi or hotspots on campus. A separate element under discussion would block access to websites that do not protect student data. Committee members framed the package as aligned with state House Bill 959 which restricts cellphone use in schools.
Board members said another factor in removing the video prohibition was redundancy. Bullying and harassment are addressed in existing district policies and could be enforced independently of the technology rule. The proposed revisions would nevertheless expand the description of potential consequences for violations ranging from disciplinary measures to possible criminal prosecution depending on the nature of the offense. Superintendent Robert Taylor said cellphone restrictions already in place would largely prevent students from using mobile data to access social media during the school day.
For Wake County families the committee decision underscores an evolving trade off between student safety and network privacy. Allowing recording on district devices preserves a tool some students may use to document harassment while leaving school leaders to devise other means of protecting privacy and complying with data protection concerns. At the same time the anticipated restrictions on wi fi access and social platforms will require clearer enforcement protocols and could increase administrative workload for technology and school staff.
Longer term the debate reflects broader trends in K 12 policy where districts across the state and nation weigh student safety, data privacy and the operational costs of tighter network controls. The committee said it will continue pursuing other technology and social media updates while omitting the outright ban on filming without permission.
