Teachers to wear police-style body cameras in schools

Two schools are planning to get teachers to wear body cameras in classrooms to control students' behaviour.
Teachers at two schools are to wear body camerasTeachers at two schools are to wear body cameras
Teachers at two schools are to wear body cameras

The two British state schools are at an early stage of implementing the technology, according to Tom Ellis, principal lecturer at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies at Portsmouth University.

The technology, which is already being used in a number of US schools, is worn on teachers’ clothing, allowing classroom behaviour to be recorded.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Teachers switch on the camera whenever they want to record a classroom incident.

Mr Ellis, told the Guardian, that all classroom teachers in two state secondary schools were wearing the devices during the three-month experiment.

He said: "Most schools now have some level of problems with low-level background disorder in classrooms and the teachers have become quite fed up with not being able to teach."

A Department of Education spokeswoman said the trial 'is a matter for the schools', which were not named in case it interfered with the pilot scheme.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Daniel Nesbitt, research director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, criticised the schools' pilot, said: "This sounds like an over the top response to an age old problem.

"These schools have to be very careful about how they use this intrusive technology as it risks turning teachers into snoopers.

"Parents and pupils must be kept fully informed about the trial and be given every opportunity to raise any concerns they may have."