Security cameras up for discussion at San Benito High School
Administrators at San Benito High School asked the school board
to approve the purchase of up to 25 security cameras last week.
Security cameras up for discussion at San Benito High School
Administrators at San Benito High School asked the school board to approve the purchase of up to 25 security cameras last week.
The cost for the cameras and associated equipment, would be $145,000, said Stan Rose, superintendent of San Benito High School. There would be a yearly maintenance fee of 10 percent, he said.
School officials could apply for a grant to put in the cameras, said Jim Koenig, director of finance and operations for San Benito High School. Officials would have to match the grant, he said.
Cameras would be mounted in courtyards and other public places, Rose said.
“We would respect all laws regarding privacy,” he said. “There is not an expectation of privacy in the places that we would place cameras.”
Various high schools in the area already have security cameras, including Gilroy High School and Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill.
“We could not find a school of our size that did not have them,” Rose said. “If we don’t do this, we are not providing all the tools we could to provide a safe campus.”
Students from San Andreas School and Santa Ana Opportunity School have started fights with students from San Benito High School on San Benito High School grounds in the past, administrators said.
“Increasingly, I think what we are seeing on our campus are the intrusion of people on our campus who don’t belong there,” Rose said at a board meeting.
Administrators did not return calls asking how frequent fights with outside students have been.
“It would be nice to see qualitative data rather than hear people’s impressions,” said William Tiffany, president of the board.
There is no data that proves cameras prevent crime in school, Rose said.
Although the right to privacy is an issue for board member Joseph Gardner, he said he thinks the cameras would be a deterrent to crime.
The point of cameras is not to invade the privacy of students, said Krystal Lomanto, principal of San Benito High School.
“I don’t want anyone to think we’re all Big Brother,” she said. “That’s not the point. It’s a deterrent.”
Other board members, including Steve DeLay and Evelyn Muro, remained unconvinced.
Connor Bray, 15, thought that cameras would help prevent fights at San Benito High School.
“I think it’s a good idea,” he said. “That way they could get to fights faster.”
Edith Cupa, 16, agreed that cameras would help with issues surrounding drugs and fights, but was concerned about being videotaped.
“I think it’s cool, but at the same time, you don’t have privacy for yourself,” she said.
Miriam Licona, 16, agreed that cameras would help with fights, as well as other issues, she said.
“I think that’s a good idea because there are lots of problems with vandalism,” she said.
Gilroy High School has had security cameras for five or six years, said Stefani Garino, the assistant principal of Gilroy High School.
“I honestly can’t imagine a school with a population this size, with a school this big, not having cameras,” Garino said. “It’s been a real asset, well worth the money the district spent to put them in.”
The cameras are useful for a variety of reasons, she said.
“We can see kids driving dangerously through the parking lot,” Garino said. “We can see all the fence lines in the event that there is an intruder. If there is a big crowd forming, we can focus on it.”
At Gilroy High School, a staff member monitors the cameras from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., she said.
At San Benito High School, no personnel would be dedicated to monitoring the cameras, administrators said.
“Why would you go to the expense of putting cameras up if nobody was going to monitor them?” Garino asked. “If nobody is monitoring the cameras, so what, the incidents are going to happen anyway.”
Students at Gilroy High School had a variety of opinions regarding the cameras.
Jonathan Hodge, 15, did not know there were cameras at the high school, he said.
If school officials and San Benito High school think cameras are necessary, they should install them, said Mitzi Sanchez, 15. The cameras help prevent crime at Gilroy High School, she said.
“Right now, things are going from bad to worse with the drugs and fighting,” Sanchez said.
Freddy Barrios, 16, disagreed.
“Kids just do what they want,” Barrios said.
Rich Brown, a deputy with the San Benito County Sheriff’s department, is the high school’s School Resource Officer.
Security cameras would be useful under a variety of circumstances, Brown said.
“They are the best tool there is,” he said.
San Benito High School budgeted $635,818 for security this year, Koenig said.
The bulk of the money pays for personnel, including part of the salary for three discipline managers, 11 noon duty supervisors and part of the salary for deputies, he said.
School officials spend $30,000 on theft and vandalism, Rose said. Cameras could cut that figure in half, he said.
“It prevents things from happening before they happen,” Rose said.
At the school board meeting in April, administrators intend to provide board members with more information about the security cameras, he said.
Board members requested information including capabilities of the cameras, areas they might be mounted and possible funding sources.
