Dean of Students at Herndon Middle School, Dr. John Bordenkecher, provides additional information about video monitoring during a parent information meeting held Jan. 13. Interested in learning more, only two community individuals attended. Photo by Mercia Hobson.
Strong opposing views about indoor surveillance cameras for Fairfax County Public Schools appear to have significantly shifted in the nine years since the county's School Board engaged in months-long-debate about whether such technology was appropriate and effective.
In mid-Dec. 2011, the board authorized interior high school surveillance cameras, given a demonstration of community support. In 2020, all high schools in Fairfax County have the video monitoring.
Currently, the public engagement process is in effect for Herndon Middle School as it considers installing exterior and interior video monitoring cameras as part of its safety and security plan. However, at the Jan. 16 parent information meeting, only two community members attended. Asked why, Lucy H. Caldwell, director of information for FCPS, said, "It's hard to say. The meeting was advertised on the website, school newsletter, news media, and social media.”
"Herndon is not the first (middle school)," Caldwell said. "There are several others (that already have cameras), including Glasgow and Sandburg, which were funded with grant funds. In addition to Herndon, Whitman and other schools are in the public engagement process to move forward with deployment," she said.
According to Caldwell, photographic evidence serves dual purposes. For instance, it helps identify individuals who are trespassing onto school property, thus greatly enhancing school safety. Looking at another side of the picture, "Camera evidence can help exonerate individuals accused of acts they did not commit," she said.
ADMINISTRATORS at Herndon Middle School announced via a communication viewed on the school's website, herndonms.fcps.edu, earlier that week, they were considering camera installation. The announcement displayed online read: "The Herndon Middle School administrative team believes that cameras will increase the ability to maintain the safety of all students, staff members and visitors within the building. During the next few weeks, the administration is gathering input from all stakeholders, including staff, students, and our parent community."
The website provided interested parties with a link to access the Video Monitoring Information guide and Community Input Form. Also, for individuals who wanted more information or an opportunity to provide feedback, the school programmed and announced the information meeting on Thurs., Jan. 16 at 5:30 p.m., "conveniently" scheduled one hour before the school's Curriculum Night.
The small attendance, though, did not deter Dean of Students, Dr. John Bordenkecher, who provided a PowerPoint presentation about video monitoring and offered additional information.
"We just had a meeting with one of the security people at FCPS. We will have exterior cameras that focus on the entrances (inside and outside)… All FCPS high schools already have cameras… We are going to be one of eight middle schools that gets them between now and the end of the year," he said.
Herndon Middle should have 44 interior and 17 exterior cameras installed to meet the needs for monitoring the school and campus, according to the information guide.
Bordenkecher said the interior cameras would be placed in high traffic areas, such as hallways and the cafeteria, not in the classrooms, restrooms or locker rooms. He confirmed no one would continuously monitor the video. "We will not be dedicating a staff member that sits in a small office and watches everything that happens," he said. "This is…an added layer of protection."
Bordenkecher said footage would be available for review as needed by given Fairfax County Public School personnel in the course of their official duties, typically security and administration. Officials would notify parents if a video had been reviewed of their students and such would be able for them to view too, but only images of their students. The footage would be available for up to 30 days to review.
According to Caldwell, the cost of the cameras and storage varied depending on the size of the school.
AN ENTIRE PACKAGE typically averaged, she said, "a one time cost of $85,000 per school."
Leah Brewster of the Town of Herndon attended the meeting as a community member. She shared her motivation for coming that evening.
"The whys and hows of security cameras are why I'm here. I'll share the information with my twins who will be attending next year," she said.