FCPS superintendent pushes for federal help with school cybersecurity threats

TLDR:

• FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid urges national elected officials to step up efforts to safeguard local schools from cybercrime threats.
• Senator Mark Warner discusses Congress’s strategy to address privacy threats to FCPS students and staff at Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce event.

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Michelle Reid, is advocating for federal action on cybersecurity threats to schools. During a Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce event, Reid asked Senator Mark Warner about Congress’s strategy to address privacy threats to FCPS students and staff, emphasizing the need for protection against ransomware attacks. Warner discussed the passage of a federal spending bill and the importance of providing aid to Ukraine, while also expressing concerns about cybersecurity threats both domestically and abroad, particularly focusing on social media platforms like TikTok. The emphasis on cybersecurity led to discussions on the need for increased federal regulation of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, as current regulations are deemed insufficient to protect schools. FCPS has faced cybersecurity issues in the past, including a cyber attack in September 2020 and a data breach in November. While efforts have been made by a bipartisan group of lawmakers to propose legislation to mitigate cybersecurity threats in schools, the challenges of cybersecurity continue to evolve, warranting ongoing efforts to protect school divisions.