Texas has decided to allow cameras in self-contained classrooms for children with special needs. Any parent,student or teacher can request the cameras be installed. The bigger question is why only in self-contained rooms. Let's face it a child with special needs is much more likely to be abused in a general education classroom where plain kids an frequently see a ready target. The other issue is why assume that special education teachers in self-contained classrooms are more likely to abuse kids than are special education teachers who are co-teaching with general education teachers.
There is also the issue of the privacy of the rest of the students in the classroom. Suppose I request a camera in my child's classroom because I am concerned that my child is being bullied. How does that camera only watch my child and the child that I believe is bullying my child. Now all the other students no longer have the privacy of their classroom.
Teachers should have the expectation of privacy too.
Perhaps we are carrying this voyeurism too far. The next thing you know students and teachers may be spending so much time videoing each other with cell phones there will be little time to learn. It is about time we had some level of trust in the people who are in our classrooms because there aren't enough cameras or time in the day to watch all that video
Texas has always been a state with its sights firmly set to the rear. Looks like they are at it again.
Interesting that it's Texas, where they are so concerned about government overreach and privacy.
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