Pupils ‘disgusted’ by toilet cameras
AUCKLAND: A civil liberties campaigner says it ‘‘would be completely improper’’ if pupils at a Northland school have been filmed while using the toilet.
This would breach ‘‘the students’ right to privacy’’, lawyer Michael Bott said.
His comments follow revelations that two surveillance cameras were fitted in the year 911 girls’ and boys’ toilets at Tauraroa Area School, about 25km south of Whangarei, last week.
Principal Grant Burns said, in an email seen by NZME, the cameras were mistakenly fixed inside the toilets rather than at their entrances, where they would have overlooked a nearby area containing student lockers.
‘‘I have already let a number of staff, parents and students know this. Steps have already been put in place to remedy this,’’ he wrote.
A Privacy Commissioner spokesman did not wish to comment on the cameras at the school but agreed a school’s surveillance cameras should not ‘‘be collecting images of people half undressed sitting on a toilet’’.
However, schools might be able to fix cameras in toilets in areas where people were not getting undressed if they had ‘‘strong justification’’ to do so. This might include cases where there was concern about sexual or physical assaults or vandalism.
However, year 11 pupil Aart Lewis said his fellow pupils had felt ‘‘pretty disgusted because, in the boys’ toilets, [the camera] looks straight on to the urinal’’.
‘‘And the girls’ toilets, they all get changed for netball and afterschool sports in those toilets.’’
He said it was baffling how the mistake had occurred.
‘‘Surely the people installing it would question if it was meant to go in the bathrooms or not, because it is not really right.’’
He felt the school was then slow to respond to pupils’ concerns. While pupils quickly reported the cameras to teachers, Aart did not hear the school make a public statement about fixing the situation until Friday.
Pupils had been covering the camera in the boys’ toilet with paper, but this was removed at least three times by staff, he said.
He felt the situation should have been handled better, given the cameras were ‘‘pretty big news for a small school’’.
By Sunday, the school had posted a note on its website advising of the mistake.
‘‘Please be aware that security cameras have been installed incorrectly near the main senior toilets,’’ it said. ‘‘These are going to be relocated as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience.’’
In a 2013 Privacy Commission case, a pub agreed to remove surveillance cameras from its toilets after a man complained they interfered with his privacy.
Tauraroa Area School teaches pupils from year 1 to year 13. — NZME