Ask around and you will hear strong and conflicting opinions about whether or not webcams belong in our classrooms. With school safety a major issue in a post Columbine, Newtown, Virginia Tech world (sadly the list goes on way too long), parents need to know that their children are protected and staff need to feel secure. As of 2014 school year, 75 percent of public schools reported using security cameras to monitor their buildings. Most educators do believe they belong in the communal spaces of a schoolâ hallways, cafeteria, entrance waysâbut the classroom?
The debate over classroom surveillance rages on. A recent survey revealed that 70% of educators felt cameras in the classroom could be useful in preventing theft, vandalism and cheating. A recent discussion on WeAreTeachers.com a the  feelings and reactions from teachers were mixed. Many feel itâs an invasion of privacy while others worry that cameras would disrupt the level of comfort they feel in front of students.
A bigger issue, as Miranda N. pointed out, is who sees the footage? âAs a parent, my worry about a live stream is who could be watching? I have some safety concerns about [strangers] constantly knowing where my kid is if they so choose,â she says. âI think cameras in halls are fine, but I donât think they should be in the classroom unless administration or a security team are the only ones viewing it.â
Miranda is right to be concerned. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regarding a parentâs right to access video footage taken of their children at school is murkyâat best. There have been a few court cases where judges ruled that video footage obtained by school officials or other district contractors were not considered education records. Therefore, that footage couldnât be accessed by the students or their parents.
When it comes to nipping behavioral problems in the bud or clearing up misunderstandingsâcameras have come in handy. âWe have cameras in hallways and itâs great for tracking down miscreants. Toilets used to deliberately get clogged,â Katherine K. told us. âAfter tracking down the last students in the bathroomâproblem solved.â Even though Katherine has first-hand experience with a positive impact of surveillanceâshe still doesnât want cameras installed in her classroom.
Thereâs no simple answer and this will remain a polarizing and divisive issue for a long time to come. For now, the only solution is to keep the conversation going with your staff, parents and fellow administrators around the country. To keep the conversation going, read on for more thoughts, opinions, arguments and concerns over cameras in the classroom that teachers revealed to us.
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1. Cameras are not okay for my students or my own children
âI was asked by my childâs school about it and I said I felt it was an invasion of privacy in the classroom. Most of the other parents said no. As a teacher, Iâm against it as well.â âLorena I.
2. Why is it okay for teachers and not other professions?
âIf we wouldnât do it for doctors and other professionals, why would we do [put cameras] on teachers? Itâs an invasion of privacy. Hallways, yes, as itâs a safety issue to know whoâs in your building at all times. But, why would you need them in classrooms? This summer, I sliced my toe open and my husband wasnât even allowed to take a picture of it before they stitched it up [at the ER]. The nurse completely covered it up and asked him to put the camera away. But we want to put cameras in classrooms?â âChristina B.
3. Will I be watched AFTER the students go home?
âWe have cameras in hallways and outside. None in the classroom. I donât want them in there. Anyone is welcome to pop in and watch me teach, I have nothing to hide. I wouldnât want my own child filmed seven hours a day. Also, I donât want to be filmed when Iâm on prep, or working after school.â âJaclyn S.
4. It feels like someone is always watching me
âWe have cameras in the classroom at my school. Itâs good in case a student or parent says something happenedâbut I donât like it because feels like Iâm on watch.â âFranky H.
5. You can get the same effect WITHOUT a camera
âThereâs this robot dinosaur up on my shelf that looks like he has a camera in his head. I tell all the kids that itâs watching themâbut itâs not. I just need leverage on some of my more âstretch-the-truthâ kiddos.â âEmily N.
6. The students are already filmingâso why shouldnât we film too?
âIâm to the point where I wouldnât mind a camera in the classroom. Iâm tired of kids throwing things and getting away with it because I didnât see who exactly did it. And, the students are turning their cameras on too.â âDolores D.
7. Cameras workâin moderation
âWe have cameras in the hallways and outside that run all the time. We have them in our classrooms, as well, but teachers have control over them.â âPaige N.
8. Itâs a good protection plan
âThere are cameras in our rooms. I donât mind it, as theyâre not viewed on any regular basis. Our principal can review if needed, but at his discretion. I donât do anything that I wouldnât want seen. It does give protection in case parents or students decide to lie about something in class.â âJennifer H.
9. Could cameras be a confidence booster?
âI used to teach Kindergarten and second grade. I have a licensed in-home daycare now and voluntarily put live stream cameras in my home to give the parentsâ peace of mind. Iâm so used to it now, it wouldnât bother me. I have nothing to hide, the cameras have actually given me more confidence over time.â âBrittany C.
10. If you have nothing to hide, then why not?
âWe have them where I work and I love them. If youâre doing the right thing there should be no worries.â âBrenda R.
11. A good hallway strategy
âWe have them in the hallways but not in classrooms. If I have an angry parent, I try to meet with them out in the hallway so I know thereâs video of whatever happens.â âSarah S.
12. What if other parents are watching your child?
âWhen I worked in a private preschool, we had cameras hooked up to an app so parents could watch their kids 24/7. I think it makes some sense when parents are leaving their babies with you. However, it was creepy to think about a parent watching a child that wasnât theirs. Now that Iâm in public school, I wouldnât be okay being filmed when I didnât have a class in session. Iâm not sure how theyâd coordinate that.â âPaige T.
13. Cameras = less paperwork
âWe have cameras in the hallways, but at least once a day I wish I had one in my classroom. I want the deans of my high school to see what really happensânot just my written referral and the studentsâ versions. The deans want so much documentation, and I donât have time to stop and document.â âHeidi B.
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