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Big Brother fear over school CCTV Islington Gazette | March 23 2006 BIG Brother-style CCTV cameras could soon be keeping a closer eye on children in schools. Almost a third of Islington's schools already have CCTV at their main entrance - but proposals to extend the system have been met with fears about "spying" on kids in the classroom. Headteachers and education bosses are to meet with Islington's CCTV co-ordinator and community safety unit to discuss installing more cameras in the borough's schools. The meetings will take place once a new state-of-the-art CCTV control centre is up and running in Old Street, Finsbury, in June. The controversial idea came as Islington Council unveiled £1million plans to increase CCTV across the borough, installing an additional 43 cameras - meaning there will be 130 across the borough. In a review of CCTV, Dr Kirit Modi, assistant director of CEA@Islington, which runs the borough's schools, said CCTV was commonplace in schools but warned against schools being turned into "fortresses". Sue Seifert, headteacher of Montem Primary School, in Hornsey Road, Holloway, which already has CCTV at the main entrance, said: "If it's about keeping us safe I wouldn't say no but if it's about spying in the classroom I don't think I'd agree with that. "If it's one in every classroom it's too much of a Big Brother stance." Assistant secretary of Islington National Union of Teachers Ken Muller said: "There's an issue of privacy for teachers. I don't think anyone would like to be working with a CCTV camera pointing at them all the time." Trevor Averre-Beeson, headteacher of Islington Green Secondary School in Prebend Street, Islington, said: "We've got CCTV - in corridors, staircases and foyers. "Like in shopping centres or office blocks where you've got semi-public and communal areas where there isn't constant supervision it's an important tool in maintaining good behaviour and preventing intruders." But Mr Averre-Beeson added he would not be in favour of increasing the school's CCTV. He said: "There's no question of having it in classrooms - that would be an extraordinary suggestion." Islington's Labour politicians welcomed the increase in CCTV but branded the Liberal Democrat council's decision to install more CCTV as a "U-turn". Emily Thornberry, Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, said: "I'm glad the Lib-Dems are starting to shift position given their past opposition to CCTV." Councillor Jyoti Vaja, Islington's executive member for community safety, said: "Everyone appreciates the value of CCTV both as a deterrent and for providing evidence for successful criminal prosecutions. "CCTV is one of many tools that can be effective in tackling anti-social behaviour and crime, and individual schools should consider whether it is the most effective security measure for their students and staff. --------------------------------------------------- Please help our fight against the New World Order by giving a donation. As bandwidth costs increase, the only way we can stay online and expand is with your support. Please consider giving a monthly or one-off donation for whatever you can afford. You can pay securely by either credit card or Paypal. Click here to donate. |
