By Sheila Mckenzie
A South West London school in England is piloting the use of body-worn cameras for teachers in a bid to combat bad behaviour. Two are already vowing to deploy the cameras in the long term.
Southfields Academy in south-west London will be using the surveillance technology to keep indiscipline in check and be able to accurately hold offending individuals to account. Four of its teachers across the school have already been wearing the cameras since September. The highly academic school which arranges youth clubs and social activities for pupils in order to closely motivate and supervise the development of their pupils has had its fair share of pupil teacher confrontation, but is determined to effectively address the problem through the use of body worn cameras which tell the accurate of story.
CONFRONTATIONS
Deputy headteacher Larry Davis believes their presence has helped to “de-escalate” confrontations now that pupils realise their actions are going to be captured on film if they don’t stop the inappropriate behaviour.
“My aim is how best can we just focus on the teaching and learning rather than dealing with confrontations,” said Davis. “Since we have introduced [them] we have very few issues in regards to that, maybe once a month.” The school ran a consultation with parents about the plans and have so far not encountered a issues about their plans.
A second school in South Hampshire is also experimenting with the camera in order to protect staff and students in light of high levels of anti-social behaviour caused by unknown children coming on to the school site from outside. The school, which wants its name withheld to prevent a negative stigma, has six cameras in operation worn by staff in the school. The headteacher also wears the body camera.
Image: Southfields Academy