The Times Advocate, 2007-09-05, Page 3Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Times—Advocate
3
Go ahead given to video surveillance
By Stew Slater
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE
DUBLIN — Huron -Perth
Catholic District School
Board administrators now
have the authority to install
surveillance cameras in
schools as a result of a 4-1
vote at a regular meeting
Aug. 27.
Officially, the affirmative
vote approved a policy about
"video surveillance systems."
But the result is that educa-
tion superintendent Dan Parr
will now search for the most
suitable suppliers and start
the process of informing the
public about the installation
of cameras at the board's
two secondary schools.
There is nothing in the new
policy prohibiting the instal-
lation of cameras in elemen-
tary schools. But it does state
that approval of the systems
"shall be granted by the
superintendent responsible
for secondary schools."
North Perth/Perth
East/Huron East trustee
Vince McInnes cast the lone
dissenting vote. He chal-
lenged administration to jus-
tify the cost — estimated at a
total between $59,000 and
$70,000 for installation at
both St. Anne's in Clinton
and St. Michael in Stratford.
Business superintendent
Gerry Thuss explained each
secondary school will be fit-
ted with between 10-12 reg-
ular digital video cameras,
one or two "low -light cam-
eras to be placed at the
perimeters of the property,"
and a digital recording
device. The labour required
for installation will be fairly
intricate, Thuss added.
South Huron/Bluewater
trustee Mike Miller noted the
use of digital technology over
outdated videotape technolo-
gy will also add to the cost.
After the meeting McInnes
made clear in an interview
that the cost is less of a con-
cern than the precedent
being set regarding privacy.
"It's almost like Big Brother
looking over your shoulder,"
he said. McInnes also noted
during the meeting that
there's nothing prohibiting
the board from expanding
the use of cameras into ele-
mentary schools.
The decision to install cam-
eras did not come without
deliberation. Parr explained
a survey of students, con-
ducted in 2006, put surveil-
lance cameras in third spot
on a list of priorities for
boosting the effectiveness of
the board's anti -bullying ini-
tiatives. Ahead of cameras on
that list were having a trust-
ed staff member to whom
bullying victims can talk; and
increasing in-person surveil-
lance by authority figures in
the school.
Last spring, an ad hoc
meeting in response to those
surveys — with participation
from various community
stakeholders — addressed
the camera issue.
"School administrators,
parents and the police all
thought they were a good
idea. And the student
trustees, although they came
into the meeting thinking it
wasn't such a good idea, I
think they left the meeting
with a different viewpoint,"
Parr said.
Late last spring trustees
were presented with the
opportunity to give adminis-
trators the go-ahead to pur-
chase camera systems
over the summer
Instead, staff was direct-
ed to gather more infor-
mation, and that's why
the issue reappeared at
the Aug. 27 meeting.
Before the vote Parr
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told trustees that "from my
understanding, most of the
high schools in the province
have been using (cameras)."
And after the meeting, edu-
cation director Larry Langan
said in an interview that sur-
veillance cameras will "fur-
ther enhance what are
already two safe secondary
schools."
Included in the new Video
Surveillance Systems policy
are clauses setting out how
the public will be informed
about the installation, what
training will be required for
those operating the system,
who has access to the infor-
mation gathered, how long
the data is kept, and where
on the property cameras
must be located. There's also
a requirement for the board
to review the policy at regu-
lar intervals.
"We're defining very closely
... who is to be consulted,
who is to be informed, and
how that consultation will
take place. We're specific
about signage that is to
appear on schools which
have video surveillance cam-
eras," Parr explained.
"And I would make the
decision about where in the
school the cameras would be
installed. It would be outside
of board policy for someone
else to make a decision to
move (a camera) to another
place."
Langan said systems proba-
bly won't be installed until a
break in classes: either over
Christmas or between first
and second semester.
Plowing skills —The
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showing their skills in mod-
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Willis Wardell lowers his
plow during team plowing
competitions while below,
2007 Ontario Queen of
the FurrowVanessa Klages
and 2007/2008 Lambton
Queen of the Furrow Pat
Dickenson were also at the
match. (photos/Pat Bolen)
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