Friday, May 8, 2009

Students protest surveillance of two girls kissing


Students protest surveillance of two girls kissingDozens of Gig Harbor High School students demonstrated outside the school Monday to protest an official's decision to show parents surveillance video of their daughter kissing another girl.



The controversy arose after the school's dean of students, Keith Nelson, saw the two kissing and holding hands and found video of it on the surveillance system. He showed it to the parents of one of the girls because they had asked to be kept apprised of her behavior.

The parents moved the girl to a different school district after watching it.

One student reporting the demonstration for the school paper, Amber Critchley, said the protesters believe it was an improper use of the surveillance video, which is primarily a security feature.

Classes continued during the disruption, said Principal Greg Schellenberg. He said he congratulated the students on holding a peaceful demonstration. The protesters wore T-shirts that said "free love" and waved peace signs.

Schellenberg agreed that it was wrong to show the surveillance video to the parents, and said that from now on school officials may only use the surveillance for security monitoring and discipline for actions such as trespassing, vandalism and fighting.

via Students protest surveillance of two girls kissing | KOMO News - Seattle, Washington | Local & Regional.

1 comment:

Randy said...

So if "Schellenberg agreed that it was wrong", then what punitive actions have been taken against Nelson, for violating this girl's rights, invading her privacy, and ruining either a fleeting friendship, or perhaps the beginning of a life-long marriage? And what reparations have been made to the girl, for this humiliation of her? And why is an adult male spying on a teen girl kissing and holding hands with another girl? I think this guy has problems, and shouldn't be around kids.