School toilet CCTV removed

Published on 29 Feb 2008

A school that installed CCTV in the pupil's toilets has taken the cameras down after protests from parents and students.

Pupils at Lipson School in Plymouth were horrified to discover the cameras after returning from half-term.

Head Master Steve Barker said:

"Someone made an error. They had no authorisation from me or from the governors to install these cameras.
"There was quite rightly a perception that there could be an invasion of privacy, even though the cameras were not aimed at the cubicles.
"The students have used their voice effectively and maturely. We are grateful to the students who raised it with us in a mature way and to their parents."

He added that there was no particular problem with toilet bullying or vandalism that would have required surveillance.

"The students were telling us that if there had been a problem they could have understood it," he said.