Technology is advancing at an ever-increasing pace. While these advancements may make our lives easier in countless ways, they also raise several important questions about privacy and safety. This is especially true for the topic of school and school bus surveillance.
Audio and video recording on school buses has the potential to increase safety in numerous ways during the daily trips to and from school, but many parents are concerned these devices may cross the line.
Video recording has stirred mild controversy in the past, but years since have led to the widespread implementation of cameras on buses. However, these devices are becoming more advanced and recent years have opened the door for improving these cameras with the ability to efficiently and affordably record audio within the bus as well.
The most common concern for parents is that bus rides serve as one of the few opportunities for students to openly socialize within the academic setting. During class, students are supposed to stay on task and talking is obviously discouraged, but the daily bus trips provide the rare chance for these students to make new friends, open up, and feel comfortable to say their thoughts around their peers.
This open opportunity to socialize also gives troublemakers ample opportunity to bully other students, which is usually verbal – not physical.
School and transportation administrators believe implementing audio recording within buses could cut down on bullying and allow more effective discipline based on the events captured. The problem is, parents are afraid recording devices could also stifle their children’s perception of the bus as a safe space to be their selves.
It is a difficult issue to navigate as both sides of the debate have reasonably concerns, but Richard Brent, CEO of Louroe Electronics, recently made a strong argument for how these recording devices can do significantly more good than harm for school buses. If you are concerned about your child’s safety and comfort on-board a school bus, Brent’s opinions may help sway your opinion in favor of school bus surveillance.
