Should schools use surveillance to curb school bullying

[ShyGuyInChicago]

I think that the best way to have irrefutable proof of bullying and the ability to adequately address it is through cameras and microphones. Cameras and microphones should be put everywhere on the school grounds, the hallways, cafeterias, gyms, and classrooms. Microphones should be put in bathrooms and locker rooms.

I think this because I think that school bullies should be sent to special schools to be rehabilitated. Since that is a drastic punishment, we must be certain that the child is not being falsely accused. This is the only way we can know for sure.

[Syvelocin]

There are a lot of schools that already have cameras. I don't think they use them for the right reasons though. There's no decrease of bullying in those schools. Faculty still doesn't care. That's what I think the problem is, teachers just not caring.

[ShyGuyInChicago]

There are a lot of schools that already have cameras. I don't think they use them for the right reasons though. There's no decrease of bullying in those schools. Faculty still doesn't care. That's what I think the problem is, teachers just not caring.

That is why schools need to be forced to deal with such a thing. A possibility could be to simply have a representative of the government periodically make sure that the school is dealing with these things correctly. If they school is not doing enough, then the government should take over.

[kenoloor]

That is why schools need to be forced to deal with such a thing. A possibility could be to simply have a representative of the government periodically make sure that the school is dealing with these things correctly. If they school is not doing enough, then the government should take over.

How the hell is that going to be enforced? Who decides if the school is "doing enough"? What if the school has minimal bullying issues? How do you force a school to do something?

[Amnesiac]

I think that the best way to have irrefutable proof of bullying and the ability to adequately address it is through cameras and microphones. Cameras and microphones should be put everywhere on the school grounds, the hallways, cafeterias, gyms, and classrooms. Microphones should be put in bathrooms and locker rooms.

There's a line between privacy and safety, and it's being crossed in your scenario. Students should have the right to not be stalked by school administrators 7 hours a day. Students should have the right to engage in private conversation when they're not in class. I think bugging the entire school is inappropriate.

I think this because I think that school bullies should be sent to special schools to be rehabilitated. Since that is a drastic punishment, we must be certain that the child is not being falsely accused. This is the only way we can know for sure.

Is it really acceptable for schools to take away every bit of privacy from students so that, in bullying cases, there is "irrefutable proof"? There are less extreme ways to solve such cases. There are a few major flaws in the way schools punish students:


Zero-tolerance policies are corrupt and indefensible.
Schools will attempt to downplay situations such as bullying or assault to protect their image.
Schools fail to comprehensively review such cases, resulting in unfair punishments.


The current bullying problem could be overcome by restructuring the way school administrations handle altercations, and by ensuring that they don't decide to cover their asses by ignoring it completely.

[ShyGuyInChicago]

How the hell is that going to be enforced? Who decides if the school is "doing enough"? What if the school has minimal bullying issues? How do you force a school to do something?

The school can be forced by law. I understand that deciding if the school is doing enough can be hard. That is why I feel mandatory rehabilitation of school bullies should be implemented. See my other thread for that topic.

EDIT

On the issue of privacy, I don't really think that anything you say or do in school is school is private

[kenoloor]

The school can be forced by law. I understand that deciding if the school is doing enough can be hard. That is why I feel mandatory rehabilitation of school bullies should be implemented. See my other thread for that topic.

Yes, laws can be made. But, historically, those haven't changed a whole lot. Sure, punishment is different, but it doesn't actually change the amount of attention that the school pays. If the administration isn't favorable, no law is going to change that. They always find ways to weasel their way out of legal shit.

[ShyGuyInChicago]

Yes, laws can be made. But, historically, those haven't changed a whole lot. Sure, punishment is different, but it doesn't actually change the amount of attention that the school pays. If the administration isn't favorable, no law is going to change that. They always find ways to weasel their way out of legal shit.

Then the surveillance can make up for the school slacking off. If there is proof of bullying happening, and the school does nothing about it, it would be impossible to do anything about it.

[aperson444]

Sounds a lot like fascism....

[Amnesiac]

On the issue of privacy, I don't really think that anything you say or do in school is school is private

That's the problem, it should be. If schooling is going to be compulsory, there should be a level of privacy and freedom of speech granted to students.

[TheMatrix]

It's not going to work. Staff at schools have one thing in mind: money. That branches off into 2 categories, those being salaries and raises. Oh, and if you've been there long enough, maybe a double pension too. That's not the worst part. The worst part is that as a result, they just slack off, because it's basically just free money: just do slightly less than the minimum work required.
As a result, they don't give a flying fuck about their students. Students, after all, are just irritating little douchebags in their eyes. What are they good for?

In addition, like others have said, there is a fine line between security and privacy, and you've just crossed it with that. That power will be abused or completely neglected.
The cameras at my high school are probably decoys, anyways. And even if they aren't, nobody looks at them anyways.

That is why schools need to be forced to deal with such a thing. A possibility could be to simply have a representative of the government periodically make sure that the school is dealing with these things correctly. If they school is not doing enough, then the government should take over.
Is there a big corporation lobbying for this? If not, you may as well forget it.

[Genghis Khan]

Sounds a lot like fascism....

Welcome to the communist republic of school.

[Azunite]

My old school has cameras. There weren't many bullies anyway but the cameras didn't bring order or such.

Next thing you know is the pedo-principal displaying and watching the footage of couples who kiss.

Bullying is not a problem born by insufficent overseeing of students. It is something pshycological. Punishments can barely overcome bullying. If you want to curb bullying, get more pshycologists in schools and this time get real proffesionals, not regular people who act out like pshycologists.

What will happen when you have cameras? Someone will sit in front of the TV monitor and watch the live footages all day and when something happens, will rush to the "crime scene" and intervene?

[Swimmer93]

My school has surveillance cameras. They really do help - not only to limit bullying but also to stop theft. I dont think microphones will help much - with over a hundred kids screaming and running down the corridors, it will be kinda hard to pick up verbal abuse. We have armed guards around the school - so I think that helps aswell to narrow down bullying and general violence. We also have prefects on duty during break - this also helps to make sure nothing gets out of hand.

Fortunately, the teachers at my school are quite caring and supportive. I would like to think that they are not there just for the pay.

Regarding privacy - I would rather have a bunch of cameras in my face the whole day than having a few kids hating their lives due to one or two bullies. Besides the cameras are their to keep the kids safe :).

[Genghis Khan]

Regarding privacy - I would rather have a bunch of cameras in my face the whole day than having a few kids hating their lives due to one or two bullies. Besides the cameras are their to keep the kids safe :).

There is risk of misinterpretation though, something might appear to look like bullying but in actuality is just two people joking around, there's no real way to tell either. So someone could get a punishment for what was just perceived to be bullying.

[Wicked_Syn]

My school already has surveillance, but it doesn't help at all. Not one bit.

[Rawwwrr]

I shudder at the thought of being monitored 24 hours a day.

realises he lives in England

oh.

[huginnmuninn]

seems a bit extreme. i have no problem with cameras in public areas but not in bathrooms,changing rooms, nurses office, or any place where a students records are held. mics anywhere would be a bad idea for 2 reasons
1. if my school put in mics i would destroy every mic i find
2. theres no need for mics if a person is verbally assaulting a person do what any other person in society would be expected to do and ignore it
3. having a a bunch of cameras and mics everywhere would probably distract people from actually learning

haha i said 2 reasons and i put 3 lol

[Infidelitas]

The only reason my school has security cameras is to prevent vandalism. They do not work for bullying what so ever.

My old primary put a whole heap of fake ones there to make us think we were being watched, but they were no match for basket balls :P

[Taylorxbox]

Our school has lots of camera's. The main use is for safety and security, but if a bullying insident goes on, the camera's can be used for that. My school is really good about stopping bullying. It hardly goes on and if it does, teachers here stop it right away.
Microphones? No, I think that would just be weird knowing that people are listening to your conversations whenever you are talking. Teachers/resource officers should be enough to stop bullying, we don't need microphones sitting all over the place listening to what everybody is talking about.

[scott757]

Our school is new and was built with us in kund. In other words we have cameras. We have them in the hall areas. They really dont do much to prevent anything but what it does do is, if someone went to the depute heads to say "im being bulled, or attacked or whatever" then what they do is go back and review the footage. It has caught many a person setting off fire alarms , a regular occuralence. so yes they work to help punnishing but not prevent.

microphones? bugger off.

There is a line between protection and invasion of privacy and that passes it, this is school not some most wanted criminals house. besides byl the way ky school is we would all be in detention for swearing (sadistic rules) :wub: :yawn:

[tHe_Jester1080]

I don't think that bullys shoudl be sent away. Yes they should be punished, but if somebody pushes someone and laughs, you could tag them as a bully; but do they really deserve to be sent away no. Definately not oss, that would be what they want a reason to not be at school. Communty service and something of physical work would be an appropriate punishment. My school does a horrible job in punishment, but they do have a police officer patrol the halls all day long so I think that helps a little.