MIssouri HB1540 on Recording School District Meetings (Approve)
Channel: secularus.org
Date: 2020-01-16

House Bill 1540 proposes to specify that parents and guardians retain the right to record private sessions covered under federal program Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). It also includes language to extend whistle-blower rights to school staff who report violations of this law.
Missouri is a one-consent state, meaning that any one party can record at any given time under nearly any circumstance. This bill seeks to explicitly exert the right to record these sessions over any school policy in conflict with standing law.
Critique: The bill in the form as presented only extends as far as public school systems. Our position urges lawmakers to extend these protections to all school districts: public, private, charter, and religious. Moreover, we encourage legislators to mandate that schools provide access to recording equipment and copies to the parent/guardian at no cost. These recordings would be attached to the student's personal file for future reference and compose part of a complete educational history.