Patrons chime in on KCKPS plans for cameras in the classroom
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - The KCK Public Schools District has been considering the idea of adding cameras within their classrooms.
On Saturday, the public got a chance to voice their opinions on the topic.
KCK schoolteachers, parents, and community voiced their feelings on the possibility of cameras being installed within classrooms.
A survey conducted by the National Education Association for KCK shows there is some concern.
“We had about 1,500 responses and about 80 percent are against,” said Dom DeRosa, the President of the NEA for KCK.
DeRosa claims there are some positives to them.
“We can livestream to other classrooms to help the teacher shortage which is out there,” he said.
DeRosa says that’s outweighed by the concerns, which include privacy.
“How do we ensure this isn’t going to be used as an evaluation tool? We are concerned about privacy issues for when we are not in class and on our personal time,” says DeRosa.
KCTV5′s Morgan Mobley spoke with a parent who has children in the district and they worry the cameras might impact students, especially her kids that have special learning needs.
“I’m afraid being on a camera, if other kids see him that that might lead to some sort of bullying or laughter or negative behaviors. I have my other children that have other needs, one I’m afraid she’ll shut down in class, if she sees herself on camera, she will not speak,” says parent Patricia Hodison.
KCKPS Superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield said Saturday if they were to get cameras in every classroom within the district, it would cost roughly $6.7 million.
She says they are still in the early stages of the process to make a decision and right now they are just trying to get .
Stubblefield stressed the cameras will only be used to help elevate the educational learning experience for students.
“This is about academics and providing equitable, highly qualified teachers for all of our students and not about surveillance or invading anyone’s privacy. While those are absolute concerns, we’ll continue to explore and address those if the decision is made to move forward,” says Dr. Stubblefield.
The Superintendent says at the end of January or the start of February of next year they will gather all the data and and take it to the board, for them to make a final decision.
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