Yesterday, 03:28 pm
SkyNews
Outraged parents have hit out at a school in Birmingham after pupils discovered CCTV cameras in the school's toilets.
Youngsters at Grace Academy in Chelmsley Wood claim they returned from half-term to find staff had installed the cameras without notifying them or their parents.
Some parents are furious at what they say is a "total invasion of privacy" and claim some pupils are so anxious about being watched they are refusing to use the facilities.
One mother whose teenage daughter attends the school is concerned the footage could fall into the wrong hands.
She told the Sunday Mercury: "She came home from school and told me security cameras had been installed in the girl's toilets but we didn't know anything about it.
"You would expect the school to have consulted parents first yet we received no information and no letters have been sent home explaining this decision."
Grace Academy claims the cameras only cover the sink areas and have not yet been activated.
School principal Terry Wales told Sky News: "It's to safeguard our youngsters, many schools are using cameras now.
"We had a parents' forum last night, we explained the arrangements and the parents were satisfied.
"We've found that when it comes to health and safety, children want to feel secure."
But privacy campaigners warned about the psychological effects of the feeling of being watched, even if cameras are not switched on.
Dylan Sharpe from Big Brother Watch told Sky News: "Children are entitled to privacy like anyone else.
"We're raising a generation of children accustomed to being constantly watched and monitored, whether cameras are switched on or not."
Grace Academy already has 26 CCTV cameras watching other parts of the school.
The incident is the latest row to erupt between schools and parents who are concerned about safeguarding their children's privacy.
Last year police were called to a school in Salford after parents were horrified to discover children had been filmed changing into their PE kit.
Although the footage was not misused, police seized the film after negotiating with the school.
In 2007 it was revealed schools had fingerprinted thousands of primary school children without their parent's consent.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families later ruled that if schools want to obtain and store biometric data from children, consent is not required from parents.
10 comments:
Video: French patriots protest about Halal only restaurant
In the sort of society I want, there would be hardly any cctv cameras and while I agree the death penalty ought to be available to judges it would hardly ever be used.
The reason we have so much crime is because the state wants it, it justifies the state interfering in our lives.
This is why we have 4ft PCSO's on the beat while real policemen are back at the station filling in forms, the Govt wants these PCSO's to be attacked.
I certainly wouldn't want cctv in schools, If we need cctv and armed police hen that is proof positive the Govt has failed.
I know in my heart what type of society we could have, its the same one every British citizen knows we can create, we are being destroyed by design.
There is no need for armed police, a ring of steel round our schools, round westminster, and no need for CCTV in our childrens toilets.
We ae being taken down by design.
Ron Paul on CNN
CCTV cameras hate balaclavas and baseball bats.
Fucking disgusting .
The dirty filthy commie scum who has done this need nothing less than a rope.
I am waiting for the top job and I promise I will do it for free.
BASTARDS.
THE LIGHT, IT IS SOOOO BEAUTIFULL..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8fI-dGWT74
Having worked in schools, it is highly likely that cameras are in places like toilets, corridors or entrances to catch out vandalism. This is a very common problem.
Staff no longer have the 'confidence' to enter toilets, changing rooms etc for fear of being called nonces - which no doubt parents would support their little brats for such accusations. Children tend to do as they please now.
Schools need to revert to being tightly drilled places - supervised dinner times, staff presence in corridors and on school grounds and with the nous to give a bollocking to wayward brats when needed, children having to stand up when staff walks in, etc.
Schools now have far too many women teachers or soft blokes in them, bit like the police force. Kids will continue to do as please - Lord of the Flies anyone?
Ross
I agree with Mr Pierson, having rotted and outlaws the authority of parents and respect for authority etc over many decades, the left have created a crime ridden disrespectful and broken down society that allows them to create what ever they want in terms of laws, intrusion and control of our lives whilst all the time making sure criminality is not dealt with so as to stop it in its tracks.. but rather labour foster it...
cctv in toilets (but no cane allowed in schools for discipline) well that goes along with the teaching of sex and homosexuality to under 12s in schools and Harman going soft on paedos
I thought this one was common knowledge but as no one else has linked to it.
SS set up CCTV in Couples bedroom
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1257333/In-ditch-Dorset-country-road-skulls-bones-51-Viking-invaders-beheaded-1-000-years-ago.html
this is how Britons used to deal with invaders, now they give them houses, land, money and a chance to pervert history and culture, oh how times have changed
The BNP need to get their priorities right if they are to win seats in Westminster.
The key issues of this election are,
errrr dog licencing.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/162899/Dog-tax-to-become-key-election-issue-
Life in Britain today is like a Monty Python sketch, the key elction issue is Dog Taxation.
Back then of course a sketch like that would be hilarious.
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