Schools
Board could open door to in-school cameras
* Another policy being mulled by Worthington board members would disallow staff from driving students in private vehicles.
By PAMELA WILLIS
Published: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 12:48 PM EST
Proposed policy changes for the Worthington City School District could pave the way for security cameras inside and outside each school building and may prohibit staff members and coaches from transporting students to after-school or extracurricular events in their own cars.

Assistant Superintendent Paul Cynkar gave a first reading of the proposed policy changes to school board members Monday, Nov. 24.

"Administrators in our high schools feel it is important to start looking into surveillance cameras in hallways," he said, "and in some of our elementary buildings, you can't see the front doors from the school office.

"We want to keep the good guys coming in and the bad guys out," he said.

Cynkar said the new policy doesn't mandate placement of cameras in the buildings, but "opens the doors for cameras."

Board member Marc Schare said he was "interested in getting feedback from the public about the use of security cameras in the schools."

Cynkar said the Worthington community once protested the use of security cameras in school buses.

"Some people don't like the idea that Big Brother is watching," he said. "About 10 or 12 years ago, we put security cameras on our buses, and that lasted about three days because of the public outcry of invasion of privacy."

Superintendent Melissa Conrath said a few security cameras already are in use in Worthington schools.

"We have one camera that watches Wilson Hill's front door, and at the end of last year, had a camera in use at Thomas Worthington High School after some suspicious notes were left," she said. "We also have one camera that we rotate and use on a couple of buses where there have been some problems."

Another proposed policy strengthens a policy that "discouraged" school staff members from privately transporting students in private vehicles.

The new policy states: "Staff should not transport students in private vehicles except in cases of emergency or last resort and only if the staff member is duly licensed, covered by a policy of automobile liability insurance and has a completed authorization form (Form B-12) on file ... "

Treasurer Jeff McCuen said the school has no insurance coverage for private transportation.

"The insurance company has very rigid rules for our fleet insurance," he said. "The new policy will protect the students by putting them in safe vehicles."

Board member Charlie Wilson said the policy "would be a dramatic change from past practice."

Wilson said it was "common practice" for the cross country track coach to transport students privately to places such as Highbanks Metro Park for summer practice.

"If staff members do get involved in transporting students privately, then (the school district) will be a partner in the liability," Cynkar said.

Board member Julie Keegan said the new policy makes sense.

"It seems like common sense for our staff members to only engage in activities in which we are covered by insurance," she said.

Cynkar said the proposed policies are in the "first-reading stage" and can be revised as needed before the Dec. 8 board meeting, at which board members are expected to vote on the policies.

The next school board meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 in the Worthington Education Building, 200 E. Wilson Bridge Road.




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