Published: May 15, 2008 11:53 am      

Proposed video surveillance policy tabled till later date

CUMBERLAND - Valeria Arch said while the Allegany County Board of Education's proposed video surveillance policy is legal, she still believes any such proposal should include consent from teachers and students.

Arch, president of the Allegany County Teachers Association, told board members Tuesday she questioned the purpose of the video surveillance policy, who has access to the video, and the storage and destruction practices of any video.

After some discussion, the second reading of the policy was tabled and could possibly reappear on the agenda for the June meeting.

At the April meeting, Arch was told there were no security cameras at county schools. Since then, however, she said she's learned there is one at Eckhart Alternative School that records both video and audio.

Board attorney Gary Hanna asked Arch if the Maryland School Teachers Association counsel would be providing comment into the matter as Arch had indicated in April. No, Arch said, because the legality of video surveillance had been addressed. It is legal, as board member Karen Treber said last month.

"Karen's right, as long as there's no sound," Arch said, and "I still feel consent needs to be given."

Board member Jeff Metz said he fielded a number of phone calls from teachers questioning the scope and purpose of video surveillance.

"They were concerned with a surveillance tape (that) could be used as means of evil ... or (used) against them," Metz said. "I heard that concern enough ... that's not my intention."

Said Treber: "I don't disagree entirely."

She noted, however, that part of Arch's concerns related to procedure, not necessarily policy, and asked if a procedure had been designed to implement the new policy. She wanted to review that before approving any policy, she said. That procedure was provided in board members' packets Tuesday.

Treber then said she'd like another month to review Arch's concerns. Hanna said the only item he felt would be difficult to address is the issue of consent.

Arch said any time teachers have items they invite media to for reports and photos, consent is required. Treber said there's a distinction; that the video surveillance isn't intended for public use and, therefore, board members "don't need consent."

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.