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With a growing number of incidents in the classroom and concerns over the amount of time taken to investigate allegations against teachers there are renewed calls to install closed-circuit television in classrooms.

While the idea horrifies some who argue that teachers deserve to be trusted and that surveillance would alter the character of schools which are fundamentally happy, safe places where children are treated well. Others argue the fact that we need to protect teachers, students and parents.

David Roy, an academic and disability rights advocate at the University of Newcastle, said video evidence would protect teachers, students and parents. “We need to protect our teachers as well as our kids,” he said.

He argues that many allegations were only effectively proven with hard evidence, and the present NSW Department of Education system of using in-house investigators was slow, and lacked transparency and independence.

Linda Graham, a professor of education at the University of Technology, Queensland, argued that cameras would tell teachers the community did not trust them. “We don’t want to go there, because by and large, the majority of teachers can be trusted,” she said.

“I think it would further erode the trust we have, and the morale and wellbeing of teachers.”

A discussion on the TODAY Facebook page saw people all for the idea.

“Yes and playground for protection of both students and teachers.”

“Very very much needed to protect teachers and children.”

“Yes as there are just as bad teachers as there are students & I’m a strong believer theres always 2 sides to a story.Bring on the cameras !!!!!!!”

“Absolutely and and around the outside I know my kids school has installed a video camera to catch anyone breaking into the tuckshop”

“Unfortunately in today’s world we need cameras in schools, aged care homes and hospitals, way too much violence and false accusations”

“Definitely I agree it would solve many issues between teachers and students plus students and students”

Do you think there needs to be CCTV in the classroom?

Share your comments below

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  • Its such a sad world we live in but not everyone can be trusted. Thankfully I have not had any issues re my kids and teachers and now my youngest is a teacher and it would be handy for her to have cameras as she has some very violent children in her class….so for her protection not the childrens.

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  • Sadly people do tend to behave better when they are being watched.

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  • I don’t think it’ll hurt having them installed. It’s not that teachers aren’t trusted, it’s more about keeping everyone safe

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  • I remember when my daughter was in high school, she was doing an essay on the computer for English, she had permission from her English teacher to stay behind and do the work. Along comes her maths teacher, tells her to get out because she shouldn’t be there. My daughter tried to explain, he just shut down her computer, all her work was lost. But no one believed her, they believed the maths teacher and teacher said he never touched the computer. A security camera would have come in very handy in this situation

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  • I know a lot of people don’t think they’re necessary but it will protect the children and the teachers so to me it’s a great idea.

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  • This is a tricky one. It could make people feel anxious knowing they’re being watched, even if they don’t have a reason to worry. I would hope that the footage is only viewed if there is a report made against a student or teacher, for evidence.

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  • Um… what they might surveil is how many students are on their phones during class and some teachers online shopping habits during class time.

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  • What a terrible world this is becoming! I guess that once respect for authority ie teachers, police, older neighbours, etc. was lost then this is the result. How hurtful for both children and teachers that CCTV cameras are thought necessary for the next generation. I am dumbfounded.

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  • As a teacher, I am horrified at this idea. I like to think I am a good teacher. I also think that I have never and will never do or say anything inappropriate. I think students would play up more with cameras there. As it is, students will often say silly remarks like ‘I will sue you’ or ‘I know my rights’, when in actual fact they have no idea what they are talking about.

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  • I know a family who have cameras in their home because of the behaviour of one of their children. They safeguard the younger children…..the parents and visitors

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  • As long as they are not abused it is fine; during the day with a class of kids what can go wrong?…. but imagine a rogue individual with a kid or two after hours. he or she could get them to do anything in front of the camera, in all ‘innocence’, without them necessarily realizing a camera was even on, capture ‘images’ etc. then ‘erase’ the disc so no one would be any the wiser… how would they be policed, especially after hours?

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  • I think it may be a good idea, sad that it has had to come to this but

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  • If there is nothing to hide why be concerned re cameras. Best way to get the right picture

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  • I think this should be decided by teachers and there should definitely be rules around it. I can imagine parents demanding to see the footage which may create more problems with privacy of children who aren’t their own.

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  • I think from parents view, its great

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