Athena Security — K–12 Privacy & Configurable Functionality FAQ

1. Can Athena Security’s concealed weapons detection system be configured for K–12 environments?

Yes. Athena Security offers configurable security capabilities that can be tailored to the needs and privacy requirements of a school district. Districts can work with Athena to determine which functions are necessary for their security objectives and which functions should remain disabled.

2. Does the system require student biometric information?

No. The concealed weapons detection function can operate without requiring student biometric identification. Districts can configure the system to focus on weapons detection while disabling functions that are not necessary for the district’s stated security objectives.

3. Can certain system functions be turned off?

Yes. Athena Security systems include different functions and capabilities, and applicable functions can be disabled when they are not required by the school district.

This allows a district to implement a privacy-by-design approach, using only the functionality necessary to support its security program.

4. If optional functions are disabled, do they create additional student-privacy concerns?

Functions that are disabled are not being used as part of the district's deployment. Accordingly, the district can structure its implementation around the specific functions it needs and avoid activating capabilities that could introduce unnecessary collection or processing of student information.

The district should document its selected configuration and applicable privacy requirements as part of its procurement and implementation process.

5. Can Athena Security be used without creating student profiles?

Yes. A district can configure its deployment to focus on detecting potential concealed weapons rather than creating persistent student profiles. The specific configuration, data flows, retention settings, and integrations should be reviewed with the district before deployment.

6. Does Athena Security use facial recognition?

Athena Security offers multiple security functions, and not every function is required for concealed weapons detection. A school district can determine which capabilities are appropriate for its environment. If facial-recognition functionality is not part of the district's approved deployment, it can remain disabled.

7. Does the district have control over which capabilities are deployed?

Yes. Athena can work with the district to establish the appropriate configuration. This enables the district to select the security functions it requires while limiting unnecessary features or data processing.

8. How does Athena Security support a privacy-conscious deployment?

A privacy-conscious deployment can include:

• Using only the security functions necessary for the district's stated purpose.
• Disabling functions that are not required.
• Limiting access to authorized personnel.
• Establishing appropriate data-retention and deletion practices.
• Reviewing system integrations before activation.
• Documenting the district's configuration and data-handling requirements.

9. Does turning off a function affect the concealed weapons detection capability?

The effect depends on the particular function and system configuration. Athena can work with the district to identify which capabilities are necessary for concealed weapons detection and which optional capabilities can be disabled without affecting the district's intended screening operation.

10. Is Athena Security “FERPA compliant”?

Athena Security should not be understood as providing a blanket legal determination that a district's deployment is FERPA compliant. FERPA obligations can depend on the district's specific use of the system, contractual arrangements, data flows, and configuration.

Athena can provide information about its technology, security controls, configurable features, and data practices to support the district's FERPA privacy and legal requirements.

11. What should a school district ask Athena during procurement?

Districts should request documentation addressing:

• What information the system collects.
• What information is stored.
• How long information is retained.
• Where information is stored and processed.
• Who can access the information.
• Whether information is associated with an identifiable student.
• Which functions can be disabled.
• Whether disabling specific functions changes system operation.
• Security controls and access management.
• Data deletion procedures.
• Applicable contractual privacy protections.

12. What is Athena Security's recommended approach for K–12 deployments?

Athena Security supports a purpose-specific, configurable approach: deploy the capabilities necessary to meet the school's security objectives and disable capabilities that are not required for that particular deployment.

This approach allows school districts to evaluate security functionality and student-privacy considerations together rather than treating every available system function as necessary for every deployment.