A Russian gymnasium installed surveillance cameras in locker rooms: parents supported

A Russian gymnasium installed surveillance cameras in locker rooms: parents supported

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How will the trend of total visual control turn out?

There is a big scandal in Kuban – in one gymnasium they installed cameras in the rooms where children change clothes for physical education classes. Both boys and girls. They decided to make video surveillance “to protect against fights, thefts and vandalism.” Despite the indignation of parents, the local municipal administration is in no hurry to dismantle the cameras. Like, there will be a meeting at the school soon, at which surveillance cameras will probably be written into the school charter.

The general public learned about the possibility of such surveillance, if not spying on schoolchildren and schoolgirls in gymnasium No. 8 in Novorossiysk, from social networks. The mother of a schoolgirl with such news caused a stir on a channel with many thousands of people, where at first they didn’t even believe her. But the message turned out to be true. Moreover, parents of high school students refer to the “explanations” of the administration: only the school principal and security guards will have access to the cameras. And the gymnasium is guarded by private security company employees.

The innovation with cameras in the Black Sea gymnasium was made “to protect children from theft, fights and vandalism.” But people wondered who and why should spy on half-naked children. The most loyal ones write that the actions of the gymnasium administration are “unethical and violate privacy.” Others believe that such actions of the directorate in relation to children smack of articles of the Criminal Code.

“In our gymnasium there is a lot of all sorts of formalism: shows, competitions, competitions and so on,” the mother of a fifth-grader from gymnasium No. 8 shares with MK. – The director is very concerned about repairs, equipment and ratings. Teachers just yell and constantly demand some kind of testing, registration on platforms.

When the scandal with the cameras came to light, the Novorossiysk education department responded to it. Brief and quite unexpected. They reported that the cameras had not yet been connected. There will be a parent meeting on December 29, at which the issue of video surveillance will be “resolved.” If the meeting is in favor, cameras in the locker room will be included in the school charter.

Oddly enough, cameras in the school gym locker room are not a precedent. For example, in Ufa they also planned to hang video cameras for the same purpose in school No. 49. Children are outraged that they were going to be spied on in the locker room.

But the parents came out with support. And there was even a counter proposal to start broadcasting in real time from these cameras. The strange desire was explained by the fact that “in the locker rooms (children) do a lot of mean things: they beat them, they steal”…

“In accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, everyone has the right to privacy,” comments lawyer Stanislav Popov. – Broadcasting of such recordings falls under the storage, use and dissemination of information about the private life of a person without his consent, or without the consent of a legal representative. And, quite rightly, if we are talking about minors, such personnel will easily lead to criminal charges. If the cameras are nevertheless connected without the consent of at least one of the parents, they can and are even obliged to contact the prosecutor’s office.

The protection of property or concern for discipline should never take precedence over the legal protection of the individual. The placement of video surveillance systems is strictly prohibited in locker rooms, unless it is a wardrobe with outerwear. In showers, toilets, medical offices. Everything that concerns adult rights applies to children to an even greater extent. Minor citizens are more protected by law because children are legally the weaker party.

Meanwhile, most recently, MK wrote about no less scandalous attempts to install video cameras in a school toilet in Primorye. The administration also seemed to care about order, so that no one smoked or beat anyone in the toilet. But also about fresh renovations and brand new sinks and toilets.

After publicity, the cameras were dismantled. But it turned out that at least one other school in the region had cameras up and running and recording. And the parents are quite happy. Like, in the past there was such a thing going on in the toilets that “a normal child couldn’t go in.” And now peace and quiet, paper and liquid soap are always available…

Parents lose sight of the fact that show-off activities or the protection of school property should not come before the interests of the child. And the school cannot violate his rights. “Big Brother is watching you” is not just a quote, but a growing trend of neglect, or even denial, of the interests of a child’s personality for the sake of “higher goals.”

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 29188 dated December 28, 2023

Newspaper headline:
Schoolboy’s big brother

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