My sons’ school is like ‘Big Brother’ – they’re putting CCTV cameras in the BATHROOMS… it’s a disgusting invasion

A DAD has compared his son’s school to “Big Brother” and accused them of a “gross invasion of privacy” after CCTV cameras were installed in the bathrooms.

Kevin Sexton, the head of Chesterfield High in Crosby, Merseyside, said the cameras had been installed to help prevent vandalism, anti-social behaviour and vaping.

Mr Sexton added that the cameras would only be used to monitor a bathroom area that was open out of school hours and used by members of the public.

But one parent, speaking to the Liverpool Echo, feels the decision represents a “gross invasion of privacy.”

The dad, who has two sons at the school, told the local paper: “I’m fuming because it has been done without any consultation with parents at all. You think they’d give people a reason why they’re doing it.

“The Information Commissioner’s Office is clear that CCTV in toilets shouldn’t be the norm. It’s a place of privacy.

“I just really think it’s a gross invasion of privacy. They don’t put CCTV in classrooms.

“It has got my back up because it has been done without any consultation at all. It’s just another Big Brother thing that people don’t like.”

The Echo said it has seen photographs which appeared to show cameras pointing toward cubicles inside the toilets.

Mr Sexton added: “All bathrooms in our school are continuously
monitored by a member of staff during break and lunchtimes and this has been in place for a number of years in order to ensure they remain safe spaces and further protected from vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

“Over the summer we spent a hugely considerable amount of money renovating and creating a brand new unisex bathroom provision for our students, which contains 20 fully private cubicles, wash basins and other toiletries.

“While this facility has yet to be opened, this will also be subject to in person monitoring by a teacher or member of staff during school hours.

“The bathroom will also be accessible to the public who use our facilities after hours and on weekends, especially for community and sporting events which take place on our grounds.

“Due to the size and layout of this particular bathroom, plus its intended use by the public after school hours, a decision was made to install CCTV to monitor what our staff cannot.

“The camera is only able to view the publicly accessible areas of the bathroom and is designed to act as a deterrent to any form of vandalism or anti-social behaviour.

“It also acts as a deterrent to the rise in vaping incidents, which is an issue seen across many schools in the UK.

“No student will have their privacy violated yet should anybody feel uncomfortable, they are able to use existing facilities which do not have this additional CCTV provision.”

Mr Sexton told the Echo that school had since spoken to the concerned parent “and they understood why we were doing it in the best interest of the school community”.

Some parents posted messages on social media supporting the school’s decision.

One said: “The stuff that happens in school toilets over the years has been horrendous. So much bullying. As long as there not over the toilets that’s fine with me.

“Kids who can’t go there may actually be able to use them without fear for their lives.”

Another parent added: “It is a good deterent on knife crime well done.”

However some parents objected. One mum said: “If they put a camera in my daughters school toilet I’d call the police what’s wrong with you people.”