How government legislation is effecting security on campuses

Bullying, fighting and aggression, shooting and bomb threats - practically every night our newscasts reflect the chaos of our schools. We have to do better at protecting our children from threats within the school's walls  and outsiders who trespass on our campuses. Some state governments, like those in Texas and Ohio, are stepping in to make security and surveillance a priority for their school's agendas.

 

Texas: Video surveillance for special needs students

In Texas, issues regarding how special needs students are treated and taught are coming to the forefront with the proposed SB 507 legislation. SB 507 stipulates that video surveillance cameras will be installed in all classrooms where special needs students are being taught. These cameras are to be monitored to make sure that teachers are instructing the students appropriately and they are being treated with respect.

 

Of course, this kind of regulation effects both administrators and parents. Administrators are finding that their budgets are being stretched tighter, since they have to purchase, install and monitor video surveillance cameras into the classrooms. Texas parents have many questions about the legal mandate of the camera installation since they are not being given a choice on whether their children will be filmed during the school day. 

 

Ohio and the Midwest: Integrated technologies to strengthen school options

The face of security is also changing in the Midwest. In a study of threats across the country, Ohio is the top state for receiving shooting or bomb threats at schools. A proposed Ohio state law, Senate Bill 297, will strengthen school options to deal with students who are making threats. And in Indiana, Lighthouse Charter Schools use their video surveillance to have clear records of bullying and fighting in the classrooms and halls. They also check to make sure that teachers are at their assigned stations, monitoring student's behavior.

 

Educators and administrators need to be asking themselves:

1)  Does the overall security solution that we have on our campus allow us the ability to maintain a reasonable level of safety and security?

2)  Does the company administrating your security system provide complete and proactive information to manage the facilities?

 

No solution is perfect, but if we can integrate technologies like access control, intrusion and video surveillance, then we have an effective solution for our internal use and for local law enforcement.

 

ITech Digital will evaluate your current system and design a relevant solution to help you create the healthy learning environment that every educator desires. We also have several different financing options that will allow you to get what you need within your budget. Contact us at 866-733-6673 or email us at marketing@ITechDigital.com to set up a convenient time for this survey.

Doug Jones
ITech Digital offers experienced security professionals who partner with organizations across the nation to design custom security solutions for industries like retail, restaurants, and commercial properties.
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