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Friday, February 03, 2012 By Sabrina Cartagena
 Security camera currently installed outside the school. - Shane Africa
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The
board of trustees has approved the installation of security cameras in
the school in partnership with New Jersey City University. Dean Erie
Lugo said he would be happy to have the cameras installed by spring, but
he is still waiting for an actual quote and project timeline from the
vendor.
According
to Lugo, he wants to monitor “common areas” of the school, never in a
“reasonably private space.” The eight cameras may monitor the center
lounges, multi-purpose room, rear entrance of the school and the school
yard. Lugo said there is already a camera at the front entrance of the
school.
“Never in a classroom, unless it’s a [large] population,” Lugo said. “And not in the bathrooms.”
Sophomore Federico Gonzalez said the cameras would be helpful because “a lot of things happen that people get away with.”
“[The cameras will] definitely reduce the chaos,” Gonzalez said. “[Students] will think twice about doing things.”
Junior Jean Ortiz said that the cameras are a good idea, but students won’t change because of them.
“I don’t think the students will behave better,” Ortiz said. “The students will complain at first but then not care about it.”
Senior Jose Guerra said that the surveillance cameras are unnecessary.
“That’s why we got [hall monitors] Cheryl [Morrison] and David [Sanchez],” Guerra said “That’s what they’re getting paid for.”
Assistant Dean Sean Sawyer said the cameras are for things the hall monitors can’t see.
“The
cameras are on 24 hours a day,” Sawyer said. “[They’re] mostly for
protection of the school on things [Morrison] and [Sanchez] wouldn’t
see.”
The
school was looking into installing cameras a few years ago, but Lugo
said the plan included too many cameras and would have cost too much.
Now the school plans to do it through NJCU’s contractor, but Lugo said
he still doesn’t know how much the cameras are going to cost.
Lugo
said the school doesn’t need permission to record the students, but
parents will be sent a letter informing them about the cameras.
“There won’t be a problem unless we publish what we’re recording.”
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