FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — At-large Fairfax County School Board member Kyle McDaniel is proposing a ban on Flock cameras on school property, citing concerns about surveillance, access to collected data and the school system's role in public safety.
McDaniel told Patch his motion would prohibit the superintendent from allowing automated license plate reader cameras to be installed on school property. The proposal includes exceptions for school bus stop-arm cameras and school-zone speed cameras.
The School Board vote is scheduled for Thursday, McDaniel said.
"FCPS is not a public safety agency, fundamentally, and these cameras are designed for public safety functions," he said.
DeFlock Fairfax endorsed the proposal and urged residents to contact their School Board representatives in support. The group also criticized county supervisors' recent decision to pause new Flock installations while reviewing the technology.
McDaniel said he wants to prevent the school system's responsibilities from expanding into broader surveillance. He also questioned whether sufficient safeguards govern the information cameras collect and the agencies that can access it.
He said he wants state or federal lawmakers and regulators to establish stronger rules.
"But until that happens, I don't want these on school property," McDaniel said.
McDaniel distinguished automated license plate readers from cameras used to enforce specific traffic violations. He said his proposal preserves bus stop-arm and school-zone speed cameras because those systems serve a different purpose.
He said conversations with other School Board members indicated broad support. He began discussing the proposal about a month and a half ago, before the recent actions by neighboring governments.
"DeFlock Fairfax fully supports School Board Member McDaniel's motion to prohibit Automatic License Plate Reader cameras (ALPRs) on FCPS property," Maryann Germaine said in a statement on behalf of the group.
Germaine accused the Board of Supervisors of failing to protect civil liberties, leaving School Board members and residents to press for changes.
RELATED: Fairfax Pauses Flock Camera Expansion As Arlington Ends Its Program
"The Board's recent 'pause' on expanding future Flock cameras is a performative example, designed to move public attention away from the Supervisors' intention to purchase ALPRs from another vendor," she said.
The supervisors' approved motion directs police to evaluate alternatives; it does not authorize a purchase from another vendor.
DeFlock Fairfax urged residents to call or email School Board members before Thursday's vote and participate in its letter campaign seeking an end to all license plate readers in Fairfax County. Germaine said the group has already sent thousands of emails to supervisors and is working with partner groups in Alexandria, Arlington and George Mason University toward a regional ban.
The Board of Supervisors voted Sept. 15 to pause installation of new stationary Flock license plate readers while officials examine privacy protections and data access. The motion passed by voice vote without recorded opposition or abstentions.
The county's 84 licensed stationary Flock cameras remain operating.
Supervisors directed police to evaluate alternatives and report to the board's Safety and Security Committee in October. They also sought answers from Flock about data sharing, access and artificial intelligence tools.
RELATED: Arlington County Board Orders End To Flock Camera Use
According to Chairman Jeff McKay's written board matter, police policy prohibits sharing data with federal law enforcement unless required by law. The document says county camera data is stored on county servers, deleted after 21 days and subject to an audit of every search.
McKay said Fairfax police had identified no instances of misuse. Supervisor Rodney Lusk urged colleagues to weigh the technology's investigative benefits alongside privacy concerns.
The Arlington County Board directed its county manager Sept. 15 to stop using county-leased Flock technology and begin removing 41 cameras, citing residents' concerns. Privately owned cameras are unaffected.
RELATED: APD Announces Tech Use Listening Sessions As City Debates Flock Camera Safety
Arlington also directed that data not needed for active criminal investigations be deleted in accordance with applicable requirements.
In Alexandria, police restricted camera-data access by Virginia agencies with Immigration and Customs Enforcement cooperation agreements following questions at the City Council's Sept. 8 meeting.
Several Alexandria council members have called for abandoning the cameras. Police scheduled technology listening sessions for Sept. 24 and Oct. 7 to answer questions and gather feedback for future decisions.
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