Lawmaker wants notifications when cameras are used in schools

Published 10:29 pm Tuesday, January 20, 2009

An Everett lawmaker is pushing for a new law to ensure students, staff and teachers know when video surveillance cameras are monitoring them at schools.

The bill introduced by Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, is in response to the case of Kay Powers, a former Cascade High School teacher fired for her role in helping students produce an underground newspaper during school and using district equipment after being told not to do so.

During their investigation, district leaders had a hidden camera placed in Powers classroom. The district initially denied its use, but later confirmed that it was used.

As part of a settlement, the district later agreed to reinstate Powers to a teaching job for this school year with full backpay.

Sells said he does not want to outlaw use of cameras. He wants to require district officials notify those in the buildings where they will be used, in the same way they must let people know when they are being recorded on audio devices.

“The whole idea that we have to notify people when audio taping is going and not video cameras seems wrong,” he said.

Video cameras should be used as a preventive tool not a “gotcha” device, Sells said, and in the case at Cascade “it was kind of a gotcha thing.”