FSLI and FSE "SPIRU HARET": surveillance cameras do not solve the problem of violence in schools

The solutions proposed by the authorities to solve the problem of violence in schools are not to the liking of education trade unionists. The Federation of Free Trade Unions in Education and the Federation of Trade Unions in Education "SPIRU HARET" announce that they do not support the initiative of the Ministry of Education regarding the introduction of the audio-video surveillance system in classrooms without the consent of teachers and parents and consider that they do not solve the problem of violence in the classroom school. According to the trade unionists: "We consider that the application of such a measure, without the consent of the supervised persons, represents an attack on the fundamental rights of Romanian citizens. Representatives of the National Supervisory Authority for the Processing of Personal Data also spoke in this sense. FSLI and FSE "Spiru Haret" believe that such a measure can be applied where there is a history of cases of violence, only after both the staff employed in the respective educational unit and the parents have expressed their written consent for the installation of the cameras of supervision. When we talk about audio-video surveillance, without the consent of those recorded, we are only throwing at everyone the accusation that they are disruptive factors and, if they are not now, they will certainly become, which is completely false." Trade unionists admit that the number of cases of violence of any type in schools is increasing, but they believe that we cannot say that all education employees and all students represent a risk. In the opinion of the education unions, the fight against acts of violence must be carried forward, but through the complete reformation of education on this topic, and the most important step would be the one through which the parent-teacher-student relationship will be a real, open one, at current with everything that happens in the child's life: "Increasing the number of school psychologists, who can detect problematic behaviors among teachers and students, is absolutely mandatory! The development of special programs to combat acts of aggression/abuse/bullying, to be implemented, not ticked off in leadership classes, would help in this fight. The rehabilitation of children who have such slips does not take place because the state institutions either do not get involved or do not have enough resources to come to support. There is no continuity of measures by which the victims receive the support they need, and the aggressors understand the consequences of their actions and then be "rehabilitated". The unions believe that acts of violence would also be deterred by the increase in the number of school guards, and a much stricter regulation regarding the punishment of those who make mistakes would have a much greater impact on the aggressors. The Minister of Education, Ligia Deca, stated, a week ago, that it was decided to change the legislative framework, so that schools can install surveillance systems, without the consent of parents, adult students or teaching staff. However, the recordings can only be used to investigate possible cases of violence, to find out the truth.