Posted on 08/19/2008 11:16:35 AM PDT by BGHater
CCTV monitors classrooms at one in 14 schools, according to a survey.
The poll of teachers also found that almost a quarter feared there might be more cameras hidden around the campus that they did not know about.
Most said their schools were fitted with surveillance cameras. Almost 80 per cent said there were cameras at the entrance and more than 7 per cent said there were some in classrooms.
Nearly 10 per cent of teachers polled by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers said there were cameras in the lavatories.
Big brother is watching you: One in 14 schools is monitored by CCTV
Teaching unions said the cameras were being used to monitor pupils' behaviour. But they fear the devices could inhibit teachers from performing to the best of their abilities.
Supporters of the surveillance say it is there to protect children and staff.
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association, said there were no rules governing the installation of the cameras or the use of images. 'No one really knows enough about the use of CCTV in schools - it's a very new issue.
'Certainly we would want staff to be involved in decisions about the use of CCTV in schools, and strict safeguards for its use. Although surveillance in schools can have some positive outcomes, such as discouraging vandalism and violence, we think there are some instances where it should be strictly controlled.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Sad. When I was a kid my mom just employed a little birdie who told her what I was doing.
Now there’s NO crime in Britain right?
I don’t understand the upset.
If you’re not doing anything wrong, what’s the problem?
Only the criminal need be concerned.
That according to a bunch of Freepers.
“1984” was a warning - not a guidebook!
I think I would go absolutely nuts living in that kind of environment. They say Brits in major cities are captured on camera several thousand times per day, between public/private cctv.
No true criminal will give a damn about a camera. No.1 Shoot out the camera. No. 2 Do your dirty deed. No. 3 Be gone or prepared to kick ass by the time the cops arrive 5 or 10 minutes later. A perfect society where nobody can break even the slightest rule (except the ELITE, who can ALWAYS ignore the rules) is a one with no freedom and no soul. Look at North Korea; perfectly robotic behavior of all people. Freaks out even the liberals.
It would be impossible to describe all the ways in which this is stupid. No doubt, someone is saying that "if it makes just one child safer ...", but I can't imagine that cameras in the classroom are a cost effective means of doing that. As for interfering with teaching, I doubt that a teacher who minds being watched would be any better without the cameras. I've had quite a few visitors in my classroom, and except for occasionally asking them to be quieter (they get into loud, off-topic conversations with each other, and I don't permit that from my students or from my guests) I ignore them and don't do anything differently when I'm being watched. I like having cameras in the halls and outside, to catch the occasional vandal, but the number required for classrooms is too high for the cost to be reasonable.
I want a full sized copy of that poster.
I’ve installed hundreds in schools and except for gyms and computer labs none of them are in classrooms.
I don’t think the teacher unions allow it. As you said they are most useful in catching vandals and thieves as well as they occasional assault.
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