Fears over Big Brother CCTV tactics in North Staffordshire schools
CONCERNS have been raised over the monitoring of CCTV cameras which have been installed in school toilets and changing rooms.
It comes after a report published by Big Brother Watch found more than 100,000 surveillance cameras are now monitoring secondary school pupils across Britain.
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CONTROVERSIAL: Some school changing rooms are being monitored by cameras.
And The Sentinel revealed yesterday that at least eight high schools in Staffordshire, one in Cheshire East, and two in Stoke-on-Trent have CCTV in toilets or changing rooms.
These include Madeley High, Painsley Catholic College in Cheadle, Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy in Blurton, Thistley Hough High in Penkhull, King Edward VI High, in Stafford, and Alleyne's High in Stone.
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The Sentinel approached all schools but they declined to comment.
Staffordshire County Councillor Frank Chapman said he was wary of the use of cameras in schools.
The Conservative councillor, below, whose ward includes Madeley High School, said: "If there's the case for them with regards to safety, then I can understand why they are being used.
"My concern is that use of it is properly monitored."
It is understood that the cameras are positioned to show the comings and goings to the toilet and changing room areas, rather than individual cubicles.
The Department for Education said the use of CCTV was down to individual headteachers.
A total of 825 cameras were located in the toilets or changing rooms of 207 schools across England, Scotland and Wales, according to the figures provided by more than 2,000 schools to Big Brother Watch.
Peter Marenghi, a security officer from Greenway Avenue, Stone, believes it is an infringement for cameras to go up in the toilet areas.
Both his sons Andrew, aged 22, and James, aged 25, used Alleyne's High for its sporting facilities when they were teens.
The 53-year-old said: "I hope that this 'Big Brother is watching you' syndrome hasn't gone too far because people can get paranoid.
"I work in the security industry and we rely quite heavily on CCTV so I can understand that it does have its benefits and there can be a real need for it.
"I accept that a lot of bullying may take place in these key areas like changing rooms and toilets but the methods of security have to be appropriate."
Alisha Wood, who has two children at Thistley Hough, defended the use of CCTV.
The 43-year-old from Penkhull said: "The cameras in the toilets aren't intrusive at all. They focus on the sinks and help the school monitor who's been in there, in case there's behavioural problems or vandalism.
"It doesn't concern me as a parent because I know they don't overlook the cubicles."
A spokesman for Big Brother Watch said: "This report highlights an issue that has not been subject to any real public debate and we hope by highlighting the scale of the situation a proper debate can now take place."
Comments
by getagrip1970
Friday, September 14 2012, 1:03AM
“Thistley Hough again.... well done for getting the school name in the sentinel twice in one night... 1st for abusing pupils education and 2nd for abusing their right to privacey!!!!!!! and you're hoping to achieve academy status by January 2013!!! I bet your potential sponsors will be so proud to put their company name to this mess!”
by stevenweiss
Thursday, September 13 2012, 11:07PM
“Just like the police, the schools are using cameras to get things done on the cheap. Employ people to prevent horseplay in school?? Nah..use a camera to catch the perpetrator....after the crime has been committed. The police are the same. There's more points on offer if crimes are solved, less if they're prevented.”
by truestokie
Thursday, September 13 2012, 7:19PM
“This is another right (privacy) invaded.
How long before this state wants cameras in our homes?
This is beyond outrageous, it is criminal, and disgusting.
Who are they letting see these pictures, and how long will it be before they are up for sale?
Who thought of putting cameras in toilets and changing rooms?”
by graham44d
Thursday, September 13 2012, 4:33PM
“A camera outside in the corridor would be great but inside a big no no.”
by warren-lloyd
Thursday, September 13 2012, 11:37AM
“Cover the doors, not the toilets and the changing rooms. Its fine anywhere other then there.”
by pensioner46
Thursday, September 13 2012, 11:33AM
“situations that seem to be funny or embarrassing to people have a way of appearing on web sites like face book and the like . I think this is definitely a none starter, monitor who goes in and how long before they come out .If there has been a problem committed in the toilets at least it will give you an idea of the culprit but to actually take photo's inside the toilet area is an intrusion of privacy.You would also need the permission for any child that was in care to take any sort of photo choose where it was to be taken.”
by Havark
Thursday, September 13 2012, 11:20AM
“@scfcscfc08 - "When will the initiative catch on and be extended to adult changing rooms and toilets? Or is it already in use?"
It already is in many places i have seen cameras pointing at the doors of changing rooms and toilets”
by scfcscfc08
Thursday, September 13 2012, 11:03AM
“I don't usually have a hang-up about CCTV and if I feel that I'm being observed will at times deliberately scratch my backside but what's going on in our schools is wrong and can be open to all kinds of abuse.
When will the initiative catch on and be extended to adult changing rooms and toilets? Or is it already in use?
I would hope that anyone trying such a thing would end up on a sex offenders' register, so what about applying that to those who've sanctioned such obtrusiveness on our children. Where can a camera in changing rooms be pointed without causing offence and where are the teachers because we were always supervised? Would I have liked it at school being watched by camera inside the toilets or changing rooms – NO!”
by Havark
Thursday, September 13 2012, 10:28AM
“i really dont see the problem, just point them at doors so you can see who goes in and out. Personally think that its a good thing considering all kids do these days is destroy stuff”
by graham44d
Thursday, September 13 2012, 10:18AM
“This as to be a BIG NO no. Outside in the corridor yes but in area's where pupils are in state of undress and toilets should remain private. If there is a incident in an area where there isn't cctv coverage then the camera ouside could determine whom went into the area prior to any incident..........Common sense.”