NL teachers to raise AGM concerns over CCTV in classrooms

Teachers have raised fears that CCTV cameras in classrooms could be used to spy on their performance.

Surveillance cameras have been installed in schools across Scotland to monitor public areas and prevent crime.

However some local authorities are considering installing them in classrooms with the stated aim of protecting staff and pupils by recording any violent incidents or false allegations.

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Teachers have raised ‘Big Brother’ concerns that the footage may be used by bosses to judge how well they are doing their job.

The issue will be discussed by members of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) at its annual congress on Friday.

A motion to the congress from the union’s North Lanarkshire branch states: “The association accepts that surveillance CCTV improves the safety and security of the school building.

“The use of it, however, throws up other issues pertaining to the use of surveillance CCTV within the classroom. The association calls on all local authorities to ensure that such technologies are not to be used to gather data for performance management purposes or capability procedures.”

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Data provided by more than 2000 schools responding to freedom of information requests revealed a total of 47,806 cameras overall, including 26,887 inside school buildings - a camera for every 38 children.

In all, 90 per cent of schools had CCTV cameras, with an average of 24 cameras in each.