Surveillance Cameras in Schools: An Ethical Analysis

In this essay, Bryan R. Warnick responds to the increasing use of surveillance cameras in public schools by examining the ethical questions raised by their use. He explores the extent of a student's right to privacy in schools, stipulates how video surveillance is similar to and different from commonly accepted in-person surveillance practices, and discusses the possible impact of surveillance technology on educational environments. In response to the ethical concerns he raises, Warnick offers five suggestions for how schools can use video surveillance technology in more ethically sensitive ways.