Semester Essay #4

(Many schools employ security guards and have installed security equipment such as video cameras and metal detectors in the building. In your opinion, how should security in public schools be handled? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.)

            Many schools have implemented a strict security system on their campuses. They have

installed things such as video cameras, metal detectors, and have added several more security

guards on their campus. The reason many schools want to implement this is because they feel it

is necessary for all the students that bring weapons, drugs, or any other illegal substances into the

school. They want to interfere and search them before they step foot on the campus. In my

opinion I do not believe that schools should have these installations in their school campuses.

         Installing security cameras and placing them in various sections around the school is a

controversial topic among students, parents, and law enforcement officials. Installing security

cameras is a form of invasion of privacy. This will make not only students but teachers as well

feel uncomfortable while they are on the school campus. Also the security cameras do not have

restrictions where they are placed. At times they are placed in an area where they are not suppose

to be allowed. For example they are placed at an entrance of a bathroom or maybe even in a

locker room. By placing these video cameras on school campuses privacy rights will be

restricted. Students will no longer feel safe and might not even want to attend the school after

security cameras have been implemented.

       Another security equipment being installed in schools are metal detectors. They have

been implemented in especially large schools, they are usually located at the main entrance of the

school campus. When they arrive to the metal detector they are asked to empty their pockets, and

their backpacks have to be searched. By checking all students in this procedure may cause them

to be late for class and omit then from a lesson. Not only students go through this procedure,

teachers  also  have to go through the procedure. Teachers will have also lost time out of their

lesson because in the mornings it is when they prepare their day and lessons for the school day.

Also everyone that steps foot in the campus like parents have to go through the metal detector

procedure and might feel it is an invasion of their privacy and even might file a complaint toward

the school because they shouldn’t be allowed to invade someone privacy in that way.

        Installing these types of security equipments in school grounds should not be allowed. It

is an invasion of privacy students, teachers, and parents will feel uncomfortable and feel it is not

right. Students and teachers spend a majority of their day on school grounds and installing

security cameras and metal detectors will cause tension among everyone. Since teachers and

students do spend most of their day at school, schools are seen as a second home to them and

they should have a right that school feels like a home to them. There should be other ways of

resolving vandalism in schools.