S.20.2-17: Keeping Our Schools Safe from the Surveillance State Act (Passed)

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As someone who has been in a situation where I was assaulted by bullies on school grounds, and successfully took them to court with the help of surveillance footage on the school's camera system, I fail to see how this bill is even remotely necessary other than the Governor memeing about "muhhh all surveillance is bad and violates privacy".

Surveillance cameras can also be helpful in school districts facing problems with violence and gang activity in schools.

There is no real need for this bill to exist.

[fhtagn]

As someone who has been in a situation where I was assaulted by bullies on school grounds, and successfully took them to court with the help of surveillance footage on the school's camera system, I fail to see how this bill is even remotely necessary other than the Governor memeing about "muhhh all surveillance is bad and violates privacy".

Surveillance cameras can also be helpful in school districts facing problems with violence and gang activity in schools.

There is no real need for this bill to exist.

Cameras can help in that situation, I'll admit that. But so can planting mics on every student or ankle-braceleting them to see what location they were in or bugging every hallway. It's a slippery slope.

Every student should have the right to a good education and a good education means one where they're not being constantly recorded by the school administration, with metal detectors at the gate and cameras in every hallway making it like the inside of a prison. "Crime prevention" is just an excuse to introduce a new step in the rapidly expanding surveillance state.

Show me an instance where there has been a widespread push to put a mic or ankle bracelet on every student.

Students are not living in fear over surveillance cameras in their schools, and it does not in any way harm their ability to get a good education.

This bill isn't even talking about metal detectors, but from my experience entering schools that have them or knowing people who went to those schools: there's usually a very good reason for it.

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Worth noting as well at if the chamber limits the number of outdoor cameras to 2, it also poses a safety risk in schools that have multiple entrances and exits, especially in situations like a school shooting, where anything collected by surveillance footage at entrances/exits would be necessary and valuable.

Might also be better to just say that surveillance cameras may not be installed in classrooms, bathrooms, and locker rooms, as that is a bit more clear of where is acceptable to put cameras and there is less confusion on what is considered a common area.

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Your amended version still opens the door for lack of clarity on what is considered a "common area". 

A suggestion if anyone is willing to sponsor this version:

AN ACT
to improve privacy rights

Section 1 (Title)
i. The title of this Act shall be the "Keeping Our Schools Safe from the Surveillance State Act."

Section 2 (Provisions)
a. Schools may not install cameras in classrooms, school counselor offices, bathrooms, locker rooms, or any other designated changing or privacy area. Cameras may only be installed in common areas, which include, but are not limited to hallways, auditoriums, the main office, entrances and exits of the building, gymnasiums, and the cafeteria.
b. Surveillance cameras may be installed in outdoor common areas such as playgrounds, parking lots, athletic fields, and at exits and entrances to the schools.
c. All surveillance cameras currently installed in Southern schools must be removed by July 1, 2021.
d. Any school district found to be in violation of this Act may be fined $5,000 for every violation.