Principal wades into controversy over classroom surveillance cameras

A school principal who outfitted classrooms with surveillance cameras has been criticised by teachers but praised by social media users.

The teachers at an elementary school in Sarat Ubaida in the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia said that the principal did not consult with them or with the local education district before deciding to install the cameras.

They argued that the cameras were a breach of their privacy and damaged their status in front of their students, and called for their immediate removal.

However, the principal turned down the request and insisted on keeping the cameras, prompting the teachers to formally address the authorities to step into the issue and revoke the “arbitrary measure that disrupted the educational and learning processes,” Saudi news site Sabq reported on Tuesday.

Most social media users sided with the principal, calling for spreading the concept of cameras inside classrooms to other schools.

“We should have surveillance cameras in all schools and only teachers who have something to hide refuse cameras,” Munattaf, a user, posted. “Teachers cannot talk about privacy when they are referring to classrooms since they are public. If they privacy, they should stay home and enjoy it. At the same time, cameras can be used by teachers themselves in case there is an issue with rowdy students or physical assault on them by aggressive students.”

Al Dossary said that she welcomed the presence of cameras in classrooms as the best motivator for teachers to excel in their work and for students to behave normally.

This is a difficult one… Which side are you on ? Can cameras actually help in the classroom ?  I think they can , especially in monitoring student behavior .. What say you ?