[Infowarrior] - Call it the No Child Left Unsurveilled Act

[Richard Forno]

Lawmakers Proposing Millions for Elementary School Surveillance Cams
By Ryan Singel EmailApril 15, 2008 | 6:06:07 PMCategories: Surveillance

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/04/lawmakers-propo.html

Call it the No Child Left Unsurveilled Act.

On Thursday, federal lawmakers will hold a hearing on a proposal to let
public schools use millions in federal grants to blanket the halls of
learning with surveillance cameras.

Those grants have typically been used to install metal detectors, lights and
locks, as well as paying for security training for students and employees.

The bill adds closed circuit surveillance cameras to the list of items
eligible for Justice Department Safe School grants, ups the funding to from
$30 million annually to $50 million and increases the feds share of any
outlays to 80%, up from the current 50-50 split.

In what seems a plain attempt to arise the ire of Bruce Schneier, the bill
would bar schools from using the money for actually assessing what the
threats and weaknesses to the school are.

That eligible item is replaced in the bill by tip lines for reporting
dangerous students. New Jersey congressman Steve Rothman (D) introduced the
School Safety Enhancements Act last May, and the measure has 53 co-sponsors.

The House Judiciary committee's Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security
subcommittee will hold a hearing on the school surveillance bill and two
other bills Thursday at 10 a.m. EST.

A spokeswoman for Rep. Rothman was not immediately available for comment.