Maypril Edition 2026: Cameras on Campus: What do They Mean?

The new installation of cameras around our campus on March 23 have raised concerns about exactly why they are there. Emails and information haven’t been sent out by either admin or school staff, all the more making this situation ambiguous.

The Limits of the Cameras:

To be blatant, the cameras were installed for the sole purpose of the safety of students. Footage from these cameras will only be reviewed after an incident occurs (for example, a fight between students or a security threat) and will not be monitored at all times. They will also be used to aid the school when there is a local emergency or when our school is contacted by the police. 

Footage that these cameras capture will only be accessible by the admin team which is currently undergoing training on how to use the cameras. 

How this can affect students:

“[Installing cameras at schools is] a pretty standard practice that has been [done] in other districts,” says Ms. Kuei. College campuses like Stanford, UCLA, and UC Berkeley already have cameras installed. According to a study from the University of Virginia, cameras have both positive and negative effects. 

Cameras that were used near the front of entrances, exits, and parking lots were found to make students feel safer. However, cameras that were installed inside schools, especially in places like hallways and cafeterias, showed to make students feel less safe. (Malafronte 2018) Installing cameras around campus has been shown to decrease violence.

In the 2021-2022 school year, public schools recorded “857,500 violent incidents and 479,500 nonviolent incidents.” However, according to a study made by Campus safety, surveillance cameras proved to be effective. The study “surveyed more than 700 school, university and hospital protection professionals on the effectiveness of video surveillance on their campuses…” 94% of respondents said that the cameras provided evidence for investigations at least once. 

The reactions of the students at Hopkin svaried, some feel like they are being watched, and some feel safer. Samantha Kao (8th grade) says that, “I think the cameras should not be here, because I feel like [I’m being] watched.” 

Why were we not notified of the camera installation?

The office was notified that cameras would be installed but they were not provided with a date and time. Families will be given updates on the cameras soon.

For now, signage has been posted around the pickup loop and office.