Local news for your classroom – Sept. 23, 2026
Good afternoon,
It’s officially fall! The weather is changing, election season is here, and maybe you’re even starting to figure out your Halloween costume.
But here in our Educator Newsletter, we’re turning our attention this week to a local debate about technology, public safety and privacy – and a type of camera students may have seen around the county without knowing exactly what it does.
Before we dive in, I want to share a quick reminder:
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And now to the highlighted story of the week:
HIGHLIGHTED STORY
Watsonville City Council revisited its contract with Flock Safety, the company that makes automated license-plate reader cameras. The city currently has 37 Flock cameras, and community members have raised questions about how the technology is used and who can access the information it collects. The Watsonville City Council voted last night to reduce the city’s Flock license-plate surveillance cameras from 37 to 20 and tighten rules around how the data is stored and shared. The city will also conduct community surveys and hold a town hall to gather more input.
What are Flock cameras?
Flock cameras take pictures of vehicles that pass them. The technology can record information such as a license plate number, the vehicle’s color and type, and where and when the vehicle was seen. Think of them as cameras that keep track of cars, not people. When a car passes a Flock camera, the system can record information about that vehicle. Police can then search the database when investigating a crime.
Importantly, a car does not have to be connected to a crime for the camera to record it.
Why do people support them?
Police say Flock cameras can help them investigate crimes such as hit-and-runs and other serious offenses. For example, if a witness remembers seeing a certain type of vehicle near a crime scene, investigators may be able to use Flock data to look for vehicles that match.
Why are some people concerned?
Some people worry about privacy. If cameras record where vehicles are seen, people may wonder: Who can see that information? How long is it kept? Can it be shared with other law enforcement agencies?
Watsonville police say the city’s Flock system has not been used for immigration enforcement. But there have been documented cases elsewhere in California where Flock data was accessed for immigration-related purposes, raising questions about how this type of information can be shared.
In the classroom
Ask students:
1. What is one reason someone might support Flock cameras? What is one reason someone might have concerns about them?
2. Imagine your city wants to install Flock cameras. What rules would you want the city to create about who can use the information and how long it can be kept?
3. Who should decide how this technology is used — police, elected officials, residents or someone else? Why?
Media literacy connection
What information would you need before deciding whether your community should use Flock cameras?
That last question is the key one. Students don’t have to immediately decide whether they are “for” or “against” the technology. They can practice something just as important: figuring out what information they need to make an informed decision.
More current events
Here’s a few other Lookout stories you might find interesting. Interested in more stories? Browse all our recent coverage here.
LOCAL NEWS
CALIFORNIA NEWS
There’s something powerful about helping students connect what they’re learning in the classroom to what’s happening right outside their door.
Stories like this give students a chance to practice asking questions beyond the headline: What does this technology do? What are the benefits? What are the concerns? Who gets to make the rules? And what information do we need before making a decision?
Those are skills students can use far beyond this week’s story – especially as new technologies continue to become part of everyday life.
I hope this story gives you an easy starting point for a discussion, question or lesson this week.
If there’s a local issue you’d like help bringing into your classroom, or if you’d like to learn more about our school programs or schedule a classroom visit, reach out anytime at jamie@lookoutlocal.com.
Best,
Jamie Garfield
Director of Student & Community Engagement
Lookout Santa Cruz
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