Image

Texas law will require many schools to have cameras in special-education classrooms

Aug. 3, 2015
Some districts are concerned about the cost of installing cameras to abide by the law, which goes into effect in 2016.

A new law enacted in Texas says school districts must install cameras in special-education classrooms if parents, teachers or school staffers request them

The law also requires that parents be allowed to view the videos.

The Dallas Morning News reports that district administrators are concerned that the law will require schools to spend millions with no additional resources from the state.

But proponents of the law say the need to protect special-education students, who are often unable to communicate clearly about what they have experienced, has gone unaddressed for too long.

The requirement takes effect in Texas in the 2016-17 school year.

An advocacy group, Cameras in Special Needs Classrooms, was among the proponents of the legislation. Its Facebook page has more than 22,000 "likes."

"It's for the safety of the children who can't go home and tell their parents how their day was," the group says. "It's for the teachers who are [wrongfully] accused of assault."

Video from Cameras in Special Needs Classrooms:

About the Author

Mike Kennedy | Senior Editor

Mike Kennedy, senior editor, has written for AS&U on a wide range of educational issues since 1999.

Sponsored Recommendations

Sponsored