Schools Increasingly Turn to Video Surveillance to Protect Students and School Property

School boards and school systems are increasingly turning to video surveillance to protect students and school property. Typical on college campuses and more and more common in high schools, video cameras are now finding their way into middle and elementary schools. Safety is the most cited reason for video surveillance, with the reduction of school property vandalism and prevention of illegal activities on or near school yards running close seconds.

 

Video surveillance certainly helps to protect students and facilities on a daily basis. In crisis situations it can provide valuable information to first responders and police investigators; however, storing security video can present school administrators and systems with an added and unexpected expense. As legislation starts catching up with technology, video surveillance within educational environments is receiving closer scrutiny and increased regulation. Privacy issues, regulatory compliance, and video storage costs will surely increase school administrator stress levels as educators face tightening budgets.