Next month, the Fairfax County School Board will vote on a program that would give high school principals the ability to install video surveillance cameras inside their buildings.
The debate has pitted principals who believe the system could curb theft and discipline issues against local activists and community members who say the program is ineffective and violates student rights.
The Fairfax County High School Principals Association and the schools’ Department of Facilities and Transportation Services first brought the proposal before the school board The principals, who the school board then charged with gathering feedback from PTSAs on the issue, presented their findings to the board on Monday, reporting Two — Langley and Annandale high schools — opposed it. Four high schools reported their communities were split on the issue, while two others took no position.
Despite the community support principals spoke about Monday, certain questions still remain, some school board members said at Monday's meeting: what process principals must follow to have cameras installed in their schools, how the tapes would be reviewed and whether students' opinions are being considered.
Join us at 1 p.m. Friday to discuss the proposal, outstanding questions and more with school board member Dan Storck, Lee High School Principal Abe Jeffers and Michele Menapace of Fairfax Zero Tolerance Reform.
Can't make Friday's chat? Email your questions to erica.hendry at patch.com before the chat and we'll include it in the discussion.
Nicole Trifone reported for this story.
We do NOT need to push a decision before the new SB takes office.
A. Will Radle, Jr. Creating a Culture of Listening http://fairfaxstation.patch.com/blog_posts/creating-a-culture-of-listening FairfaxAdvocates@gmail.com http://YouTube.com/WillRadle1
I also find it troubling that after months of data, nobody in FCPS has told us how these cameras will be paid for. Monople, proffer, vending, parking, CIP....did they leave anything out?? Let's get some answers before the "community" is expected to make an informed decision.
a) they have them but don't want you to know what they are b) they don't actually have them so can't provide them OR c) they are working on "creating" their own versions of them
School vouchers would solve this problem. Parents wouldn't be forced to send their children to the closest geographically located school, and could choose which school best met their child's educational needs. If a school placed cameras inside it's building, and parents didn't want their children being filmed, they could send their children to a different school without cameras, and vice versa.
As for principals discretionary funds, I believe all FCPS money comes from us, the citizens of Fairfax County, Virginia, and the U.S. I oppose these cameras for the very reason they are an invasion of privacy that is reminiscent of tactics used by dictators of totalitarian regimes. A free society, needs to run on sound policy of justice, freedom, and trust. As a South Lakes HS parent, I vote a resounding"No!". We need to "teach our children well" by modeling justice through sound governance. We, as a society are supposed to model and teach that in the U.S., citizens have certain unalienable rights. What do our students see when parents and FCPS teachers/principals advocate for surveillance systems? We lead by example; therefore, do we sow the seeds of fear and distrust? Or do we encourage just behavior by providing opportunities for reasonable expression and personal grow through sound educational leadership and parenting. I vote "No!" to this shortcut solution and the waste of money; I vote "No" to surveillance cameras in our public schools.
ADT proposed 2 cameras, wiring, labor costs for $5200 ESI, from VA Beach, proposes the server/storage at a cost of $2600. This is where the $8000 estimate comes from for the cafeterias. I agree completely with your other comments--keep up the fight!
Throughout the county, people are expressing a consistent message. They do not feel heard. A shadow of insularity, division and power politics permeates our culture. I asked the SB to not move forward with their decision unless they are confident that parents, teachers and students have been effectively heard. A. Will Radle, Jr. Creating a Culture of Listening http://fairfaxstation.patch.com/blog_posts/creating-a-culture-of-listening FairfaxAdvocates@gmail.com http://YouTube.com/WillRadle1