The use of video surveillance system in any school context raises legitimate privacy concerns. One key question is whether there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.
The legality of video security in 100% privately-funded private schools is, in general, subject to a different set of guidelines than might be the case in taxpayer-funded or supported public schools, which must also comply with constitutional protections that are not at issue in private school settings.
A general overview of privacy as it relates to video surveillance in schools is available here in this resource guide from the U.S. Department of Justice. https://www.ncjrs.gov/school/ch2a_18.html
Examples of How Schools Are Using Video Cameras for Security
In any event, it can be helpful to consider how schools, public and private, are using video surveillance cameras as a primary tool in the school’s security system.
A few years ago, Talk of the Nation, a news-talk show distributed through NPR, featured a segment to debate and discuss this question, with a focus on the use of cameras in public schools.
One part of the segment featured a conversation with Peter Pochowski, chief of security for the Milwaukee Public School system, who acknowledged that it’s hard to measure how much crime and bad behavior is prevented by the use of video security cameras because when something doesn’t happen, it’s not countable. That said, deterrence is one of the goals of video surveillance, so if the number of incidents goes down over time, the use of cameras may have something to do with that.
One caller to the show, a music teacher at a private school in Indiana, requested the installation of video surveillance cameras in his office and the music building, which is separate from the other administrative and staff office. He wanted the protection that can come from having video documentation of his interactions with students and in handling cash that comes in through fundraisers.
Contact Jason Maddox today to schedule a free walk-thru at your private school to find out whether video surveillance cameras might serve your organization’s security goals.
Links to Resources Mentioned
The full audio of this radio episode is here for streaming, along with a transcript for anyone who prefers to read vs. listen:
http://www.npr.org/2012/09/04/160551340/security-cameras-in-school-protective-or-invasive
Resource list prepared by the Department of Homeland Security relating to school safety: http://www.dhs.gov/school-safety
