THEY['VE] GOT EYES IN THE SKY: HOW THE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT GOVERNS BODY CAMERA USE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is the premier federal law that protects student privacy rights in public schools. In the face of increasing technology, courts have struggled to determine what information qualifies as a student's "education record" protected under FERPA. Body cameras are being increasingly utilized throughout the country. School districts have contemplated using body cameras within schools, and some districts could soon allow school administrators to use them in disciplinary proceedings against students. This Comment argues that FERPA should govern the use of body camera footage within public schools, and that such footage should qualify as an education record due to its wealth of personally identifiable information and its use by school personnel. This Comment also discusses the incompatibility of certain state open records laws with FERPA and concludes that disclosure of the body camera education records will depend on individual jurisdictional interpretations of FERPA as binding law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]