When Schools Spy on Students

Ever feel like somebody’s watching you? If you’re in a in a K-12 school these days, you’re probably right. Education Week’s Benjamin Herold took a close look at the surge in digital surveillance by districts, such as tapping facial recognition software and scanning social media posts for worrisome language. While district officials contend that such steps are necessary to protect students, civil rights advocates are raising concerns: What do these developments mean for student privacy, campus safety, and district budgets? How is information about students’ social media habits being tracked, reported, and stored? And who are smart sources reporters can tap to better understand the legal and technological issues?