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State of New Jersey

YMCA MODEL
GRIGGS LEGISLATURE

  Bill Number 90  
SENATE SPONSOR
Amy Palen*
  ASSEMBLY SPONSOR
Matthew Coe

     
     
Delegation: Paul VI
     
An act relating to improving security in schools.

Be it enacted by the Youth Model Legislature of the State of New Jersey that all public schools will install a security camera in each classroom.

Section I:

Section I: A security camera is hereby defined as a device that records the actions in its immediate area, using both video and audio recording, for security purposes.

Section II:

Section II: Each classroom must provide a camera that provides a full view of the room, and sufficient audio capabilities.

Section III:

Section III: At least once per school year, each teacher's classroom will undergo a random inspection via camera for one thirty minute time period, regardless of tenure, by the school administration. For non-tenured teachers, this would occur in addition to standard observations. Teachers would not be notified of the date and time that this inspection was taking place; however, teachers would be notified of this after the inspection.

Section IV:

Section IV: If any complaint is made by a teacher/school faculty member, parent/guardian, student, or administrator in regards to activities in the classroom, video footage would be viewed by all involved parties to determine the validity of the claim. If the claim is proven accurate, appropriate action would be taken by whosoever has the authority to take it in that specific scenario.

Section V:

Section V: If a teacher or student is discovered on camera in the act of inappropriate behavior as defined by the school, appropriate action will take place as defined by the school. If a student or teacher is discovered on camera in an act of illegal behavior, the appropriate authorities would be informed, and the video footage would act as proof that this action took place. Appropriate action would be taken. Upon a second offense of any kind, the teacher would be fired regardless of tenure, and prohibited from acquiring a teaching position in the district for five years.

Section VI:

Section VI: Video footage would be permitted for use as evidence in a court of law, if it pertained to the case in question.

Section VII:

Section VII: All teachers or parent/guardians of students currently enrolled in the school would be allowed immediate viewing of video footage upon request.

Section VIII:

Section VIII: Upon malfunctioning/damage/etc. that prevents the function of one, some or all cameras, replacement would be required to occur within six to twelve weeks, depending on the extent of the damage and cost of repairs, unless extenuating circumastances prevent this.

Section IX:

Section IX: All schools currently enrolled in the ABBOTT program would receive state-sponsored financial assistance in addition to standard funding to partially cover the cost of the camera program.

Section X:

Section X: This law only applies to cameras in classrooms. Any other cameras that a school may or may not have near entrances/exits, in hallways, etc. will not be affected.

     
Statement of Intent: The purpose of this Bill is to increase the efficiency of disciplinary procedures in schools, motivate teachers and students to perform, and provide a method of teacher evaluation based on teacher performance, in addition to student performance (on state tests, etc.).

Effective Date: This Bill shall take effect in its entirety on August 1st, 2025.

Financial Statement: Since this bill allows for a decade and a half of changing economic factors over which money can be saved/used to pay for the program, and every school has a different number of classrooms, the cost or this bill is difficult to define; however, the amount of time allowed to accumulate money will effectively prevent a large amount of revenue from being expended at any one time. With the exception of schools in the ABBOTT program, the cost of this program would be allocated from normal school funding over a period of time, as determined by the indivdual schools.


* Primary Sponsor
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