In a recent study performed across the UK, Wales, and Scotland, and in England, it was discovered that in more than 200 school toilets the facilities were under surveillance from CCTV. The actual study also went on to include changing rooms. At present, it has been reported that there are more than 800 CCTV systems located in more than 200 various schools which are located in their changing rooms or bathrooms. The study, which was conducted with the more active participation of more than 2000 schools delivered these results.
This would suggest that just over 10% of all schools employed some type of surveillance CCTV system in these different areas. There are even schools that go about employing a set ratio of 15 students as per actual surveillance unit of cameras.
There are groups that have voiced their alarm over these statistics and findings, including the Big Brother Watch. They voiced their concern that this practice is a serious violation and infringement on the actual privacy of school children. The director of Big Brother Watch, Nick Pickles, said he would like to be informed why there are certain schools across the UK that are employing the use of CCTV systems in these extremely private areas. He also questioned what happened with the footage which was gathered.
According to Pickles, the use of these systems in schools across the UK was far more extensive than his organization realized or even estimated. The BBW also recently staged a very alarming request against the Freedom of Info Act with over 2000 different schools to gather more information about this. The other studies went on to reveal that more than 26 000 people were employed in school buildings.
These schools housed over 250 000 pupils. This would equal about 1 surveillance unit per 40 students. Further compounding these findings is the fact that more than 90 per cent of education institutions across the UK make use of surveillance CCTV systems. He expressed his alarm at these statistics.