MIALL-NEW AT 11, PREVENTION
VERSUS PRIVACY.
THAT'S THE ISSUE OF A HEART OF
THE NEW DATABASE CREATED BY THE
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TO STOP VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS.
IT HOUSES INFORMATION ON
POTENTIALLY TROUBLED STUDENTS.
SOME CRITICS ARE RAISING
CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY AND BIAS.
CAREY CODD INVESTIGATES.
Reporter: THE PARK WHEN
SHOOTING IN FEBRUARY 2018 LED
TO A CALL FOR SCHOOL LEADERS
AND 40 TO GATHER MORE
INFORMATION AND SHARE MORE
INFORMATION ON TROUBLED
STUDENTS.
LIKE CONFESSED PARKLAND
SHOOTER, NIKOLAS CRUZ.
THE GOAL?
TO PREVENT ANOTHER MASS
SHOOTING.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE HAVE
LEARNED FROM THESE TRAGEDIES IS
WHEN THESE ORGANIZATIONS FAIL
TO COMMUNICATE BAD THINGS
HAPPEN.
Reporter: PEDDIE SAID ONE
THING HE HAS LEARNED FOR
SERVING ON THE MARJORIE
STALLMAN HIGH SCHOOL IS HOW
MANY AGENCIES SOLVE WARNING
SIGNS ABOUT CREWS BUT FAILED TO
CONNECT THE DOTS ABOUT OTHER
AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS.
NO THEY TALKED ABOUT THAT
WITH EACH OTHER, I DO THINK
SOMEBODY IN ONE OF THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS WOULD'VE RAISED
THEIR HAND AND SAID WE SHOULD
DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
Reporter: THE COMMISSION
WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT.
THEY RECOMMENDED CREATING A
FLORIDA SCHOOLS SAFETY PORTAL.
TO GIVE ACCESS TO LAYERS OF
INFORMATION ON STUDENTS.
IT'S NOT TO PUSH A CHILD
TOWARD AN INTERACTION WITH THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
IT'S TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
IS GOING ON IN THAT STUDENT OR
CHILD'S LIFE.
TRIED TO COME ALONGSIDE THEM
AND HELP THEM.
Reporter: FOR THE SCHOOL
LEADERS SPOKE ABOUT IT AT EIGHT
COMMISSION MEETING LAST YEAR.
IT IS NOT A CRYSTAL BALL.
IT IS NOT MEANT TO SPIT OUT
INFORMATION ABOUT WHO IS GOING
TO BE THE NEXT SCHOOL SHOOTER.
IT IS NOT MAGIC AND IT DOESN'T
DO THAT.
Reporter: A POWERPOINT
ILLUSTRATES HOW THE PORTAL
WORKS.
THE PORTAL WILL CONTAIN
INFORMATION FROM SEVERAL
SOURCES LIKE SCHOOLED
DISCIPLINE RECORDS AND BAKER
ACT RECORDS.
TIPS FROM THE REPORTING
APPLICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA
INFORMATION.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA SCHOOL LEADERS
SAY THE PROGRAM LOOKS FOR
CERTAIN KEYWORDS LIKE BOMB OR
GONE.
THEY TRY TO ISOLATE A SPECIFIC
SCHOOL THAT MIGHT BE THREATENED
IF SPECIFIC THREAT
INFORMATION IS FOUND ON SOCIAL
MEDIA AND THAT INFORMATION IS
COMMUNICATED TO THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN THAT AREA.
STATE SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THE
PRIVACY IS PROTECTED AND NO ONE
IS MONITORING STUDENT SOCIAL
MEDIA ACCOUNTS.
IT DOES NOT STORE
INFORMATION, IT DOES NOT ALLOW
USERS TO DOWNLOAD AND SAVE
INFORMATION.
IT DOES NOT TRACK STUDENTS.
Reporter: RYAN PETTY SAYS HE
WANTS TO SEE ROBUST PRIVACY
PROTECTION.
WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE DATA?
AND WHAT ARE THE LEGAL USES OF
THAT DATA?
Reporter: A TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCHER AND GRADUATE
STUDENTS SPOKE AT AN MST
COMMISSION MEETING TO BRING UP
CONCERNS THAT THE INFORMATION
IN THE SAFETY PORTAL MAY BE
BIASED AGAINST MINORITY
STUDENTS.
SHE BELIEVES IT IS DANGEROUS TO
ASSUME THAT KIDS THAT HAVE BEEN
IN TROUBLE IN THE PAST MIGHT
WIND UP CAUSING MORE TROUBLE IN
THE FUTURE.
THEY ARE GOING TO WRONGLY
FLAG A LOT OF STUDENTS.
BECAUSE SOMEBODY MAY HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED WHEN THEY WERE IN
SIXTH GRADE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WILL GO
ON TO CAUSE HARM.
Reporter: SHE ALSO BELIEVES
THERE NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENCY
IN HOW THE DATA IN THE PORTAL
IS USED.
THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF
RECOURSE.
IF MY CHILD IS WRONGLY FLAGGED
I DO NOT WANT THEM TO CONTINUE
BEING IN THE DATABASE.
OR IF YOU ARE MONITORING THEM.
Reporter: RYAN PETTY
UNDERSTANDS THE CONCERNS.
HE BELIEVES THE SAFEGUARDS ARE
IN PLACE FOR THE INFORMATION.
AND THE PORTAL PROVIDES
IMPORTANT BENEFITS FOR SCHOOLS
AND STUDENTS.
WE CAN FACILITATE THE
COMMUNICATION.
WE COULD HAVE A CHANCE AT
PREVENTING THESE KINDS OF
TRAGEDIES.
THE REAL BENEFIT WILL BE A
BETTER CLIMATE AND CULTURE IN
SCHOOLS FOR ALL OF OUR
STUDENTS.
Reporter: THE BROWARD COUNTY
SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS THEY ARE