Split opinions arise over newly installed cameras in renovated bathrooms at Solanco high school in Quarryville, PA.
In February, the school approved adding cameras and vape detectors to the bathrooms, with the cameras specifically only filming the sinks, not the bathroom stalls. After the summer, students at Solanco high school returned to renovated bathrooms, with the stalls having floor-to-ceiling walls and doors, and no cameras inside the stalls. Handwashing stations are located outside of the restroom area, and are completely viewable and open to a public corridor, with one camera observing the sinks in this area.
Following the return to school, students have been split about the setup of the bathrooms, and the camera within them. Since the start of the school year two petitions have been posted to Change.org
Junior Mikayla Sheets created one petition calling for the district to reevaluate this decision.
“As a student at Solanco High School in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, I am deeply concerned about the recent implementation of surveillance cameras in our bathrooms,” wrote Sheets in the petition. “This decision invades our privacy to the maximum extent possible and causes significant distress among students. Many of us, particularly female students, feel exposed and vulnerable in a space where privacy should be paramount.”
Throughout the petition Sheets raises a variety of concerns. She emphasizes that the design of the stalls can actually be a safety issue in an emergency, especially if the student cannot reach the button to call for help, with it possibly hindering emergency responses effectiveness. She also raised concerns over who has access to the footage captured by the cameras.
“We urge the administration to reevaluate this decision immediately and consider safer and more respectful alternatives. Solutions like motion sensors, better staff training, peer patrols, or panic buttons in more accessible locations could provide safety without breaching privacy,” Sheets said. “Another option is enhancing security and supervision outside the bathrooms, which addresses the main issues without violating personal space.”
The opposing petition, created by freshman Ali Smith, has asked for the cameras to remain, along with calling for the school to expand surveillance.
“Growing up as a student at Solanco High School, I’ve seen firsthand the adverse effects of vaping among my peers. What once seemed like a minor issue has spiraled into a significant problem, with an increasing number of students feeling pressured into vaping within school premises,” Smith said. “Our school’s recent initiative to install cameras and vape detectors in some of the bathrooms is proving to be a pivotal step in addressing this concern.”
Smith highlights that increased monitoring will discourage students from vaping, bullying, and other inappropriate activities.
“I urge the school administration not only to maintain the current installations but to expand them to every bathroom,” Smith said. “This is an investment in the health and safety of students, ensuring that our school prioritizes an environment conducive to learning and wellbeing.”
As of the writing of this article Sheets’ petition currently has over 800 signatures, with a goal of 1,000 signatures, while Smith’s has a little over 200 signatures, with a goal of 500 signatures.
