FORT MILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A South Carolina lawmaker has filed a bill that would require cameras in every public school classroom in the state.
State Rep. Mike Burns, a Republican from Greenville County, filed H 3216 in December, but it advanced to committee this week.
The bill would require all classroom instruction to be recorded on video and be available as public records, “subject to certain privacy limitations.” The bill’s language also gave insight into the reasoning, saying “that public access to classroom instruction recordings can enhance transparency, foster accountability, enable parental engagement, and ensure adherence to educational standards.”
The language of the bill does not mention anything in regards to safety and security, which is the main reason cameras are already in some schools, located in places such as hallways or building exteriors.
Burns has reportedly said the reason for the bill was to prevent what he referred to as “rogue” teachers from pushing differing ideologies on students.
Sherry East, a York County teacher and president of the South Carolina Education Association, said bill sends a message to all teachers that they cannot be trusted.
“The goal is to have good learners, to have good citizens come out of our schools, and we need to give teachers that professional courtesy to allow them to do their jobs,” East said.
East noted different groups and classes will learn different ways, and at different paces, and not always according to a specific lesson plan.
East said that if the bill became law, the videos, once made publicly available, would likely show the differing styles of teaching, which could face a greater amount of scrutiny and put extra pressure on teachers to stick to a lesson plan rather than rely on their professional training. She noted that any issues surrounding teacher conduct are largely addressed on the administrative level, and that parents are encouraged to come and observe the teaching their child is receiving.
The South Carolina Parent-Teacher Association released a statement to Queen City News on the bill. They noted that while they had not finalized a position on the bill, it will be discussed at an upcoming meeting to, “ensure that our stance reflects the best interests of students, families, and educators across the state.”
There are still some additional questions about cost, manpower, and the cybersecurity infrastructure, which were not addressed in the bill.
East noted the cost would likely be high– to a point where it could become prohibitive for some districts, and diverting money away from a need.
“If you want to help a teacher, to know what’s going on in the classroom, why don’t you put an aide in there with a teacher,” said East. “If you want an extra set of eyes and ears to make sure teachers are on task, then how about you hire me a second person to help me out? Or come in to visit?”
Queen City News reached out to State Rep. Burns on Wednesday, asking for comment or an interview on the bill. As of our deadline, we have not yet received a response.
