Platteville committee to review drone policy amid student-privacy concerns

The Community Outreach Policy Committee opened its meeting by advancing a proposed policy review aimed at restricting drone flights on district property, saying the measure is intended to help protect students’ privacy and safety. The chair described the impetus as "the abundance of drones in our world today" and said the draft would proceed to a first reading at the Sept. 9 board meeting.

Committee members acknowledged legitimate uses of drones — for example, sports teams and class photography — and discussed building exemptions for authorized events. A committee member noted common uses include the football team’s film capture and band aerial footage; another emphasized that the policy should preserve the district’s ability to authorize drone use for class pictures, graduations and other supervised activities. The committee did not take a formal vote; the chair characterized the action as scheduling a first reading rather than adopting a final rule.