Surveillance cameras may soon be in place to protect special need students in Louisiana classrooms. Baton Rouge Senator Franklin Foil says he was approached by the Developmental Disabilities Council to sponsor Senate Bill 39 after the council placed a recorder on a child and they were able to document ongoing abuse of an autistic student attending Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy in 2018.
“They’ve come to me and asked for cameras to give this child or all these children with special needs an extra layer of safety,” says Foil
If enacted parents can request school systems install cameras in the classrooms to monitor interactions. Foil says stories of abuse are statewide and he believes cameras will clear up any questions parents have of what’s really going on in the classroom.
“These children can be challenging at times, but also very vulnerable and they cannot advocate for themselves. So, this will protect our kids from being abused by people that work at the schools as well at other students from bullying them,” says Foil.
A similar measure to protect nursing home patients passed in 2018 and Foil believes Senate Bill 39 to safeguard Special Need students will be enacted as well.
“I’ve talked to several of my colleagues already and they seem very interested in helping us. Once again these are our most vulnerable citizens, these kids, and they want to help protect them,” Foil expressed.
The estimated cost of installing the cameras is about $7 million with each camera costing around $5-thousand.
