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Home > Tips for protecting student privacy rights when using video surveillance in schools
October 10, 2008
By: Lynn Bryant
The issue of school safety is a paramount concern for all
parents of school-aged children. Reports of recent school
shootings and acts of violence on school campuses are fresh
on the minds of many parents. Parents have become outspoken
about demanding that local schools implement more effective
and proactive safety measures to ensure the safety of their
children. The use of video surveillance in schools as a
means of enhancing security has become the method of choice
for many of our nation's schools.
The
National Center on Education Statistics reported that in
2003-2004 nearly one third of elementary schools, 42 percent
of middle schools, and 60 percent of high schools utilized
surveillance cameras. As this trend continues to grow, there
are several important issues that should be considered to
ensure that student privacy rights are not violated. While
it is inevitable that some level of privacy will be lost
when video surveillance cameras are installed, there are
measures that can be taken to ensure it is kept to a
minimum. The purpose of this article is to review some of
the protective measures that can be taken to ensure the
invasion of privacy in school is minimized as much as
possible.
- Clear notification of video surveillance policies
is critical -- Parents, teachers, staff, and
students all need to be notified of the fact that video
surveillance cameras are being utilized. Clearly posting
signs both in and around the school premises indicating
that video surveillance cameras are in use is one way to
get the word out. Another approach is to periodically
send out notices to parents or post press releases in
the local newspaper to ensure everyone is well informed.
This is a critical step in ensuring that personal
privacy rights are not being violated. While using
hidden cameras to record in public places is not against
the law, it is always best to be upfront about your
practices to avoid any legal repercussions.
- Establish clear and enforceable processes for the
handling of recorded video files -- One of the most
common ways an individual's personal privacy rights are
violated occurs when video files are not managed and
stored properly. If video files are allowed to be
disbursed to unauthorized individuals, problems can
arise. Control over what is done with the recorded video
is lost, and privacy violations can occur unchecked. In
order to avoid unauthorized access of captured video
files, schools should maintain ownership of the video
files, and should have policy of destroying old files.
Once a set number of time have passed with no formal
complaints that warrant investigation, files should be
properly disposed of. If there is an active
investigation that requires the use of recorded video,
files should only be turned over to the proper legal
authorities through a documentable process.
- Viewing of recorded video -- Many school
districts hire outside security contractors to monitor
and manage the recorded video. This can also open the
door to further privacy violations. While there are
steps that can be implemented to reduce the potential of
unauthorized use, the pros and cons of this type of
monitoring method should be carefully considered. As
video surveillance technology becomes more sophisticated
with the incorporation of automated alerts and digital
flagging of security events, the need for hiring outside
resources may not be necessary at all.
As our society becomes more and more concerned with
security and protection, it is inevitable that video
surveillance will continue to encroach on our personal
privacy. It is critical that we take the necessary steps to
ensure that privacy violations are kept to a minimum.
Carefully planning and implementing policies and procedures,
and maintaining open lines of communication with parents and
students helps make the whole prospect of video surveillance
much less intrusive.
About the Author
Lynn Bryant is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Video-Surveillance-Guide.com. Your
definitive guide to video surveillance equipment, CCTV
cameras and wireless security systems for home and business.
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