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Safety and Surveillance: What Students Experience in High-Security Schools

Over the past couple of decades, violence has become more common in schools, causing the American public to label educational institutions as unsafe. Because of this, school administrators are choosing to amp up security with various methods. While many of these methods aim to contribute to a safe learning environment, they may actually create the impression of a correctional facility, providing a means of surveillance for administrators to find misbehaving students. Although students may feel safer in these high-security schools, it may not provide a positive learning environment for them if they always feel like they are being watched by "Big Brother." These methods not only detract from the learning atmosphere, but also jeopardize some of the rights of students.

In his novel, Little Brother, Doctorow also perceives these security measures as a way for schools to survey and control their students, leading students like Marcus to resist authority and find ways to break the rules.

While it is important to impose safety in schools, it is also important for students to feel trusted and respected. When students feel respected, they in turn show consideration for the administrators and school rules. This mutual respect is a huge factor that contributes to the safety of the school, revealing that school security may not be the appropriate method to achieve a safe environment.


Violence in Schools
Methods of School Security
Surveying Students