Stay out of the 6Ui[Aing Wfien You 1Re Not Supposed to 6E in Here. It's P[Ain
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University High School Volume 71 1362 East 59th Street Number3 Chicago, Illinois 60637 a~e School uses video cameras to strengthen security but some U-Highers wonder if ethics are weakened any people don't even know they exist. Some have heard rumors. Still others have seen themselves Mthrough them. Hidden cameras exist here at the Laboratory Schools and have since last year. AFTER REPEATED thefts and vandalism of Laboratory School property, administrators ordered alarms and motion de tectors installed three years ago . This system alerted adminis trators when security was breached but no trespasser was ever identified and no culprit ever caught. After repeated late night phone calls to administrators from CE PHOTO from a third floor University police regarding breakins, Assistant Director David Stafford and Manager of Auxiliary Services Peter Brown de northea t U-High camera. ote the size of this cided to have hidden surveillance cameras installed as part of camera's len , the tiny obje(t the hand in of an experiment. "M.ike," a ecurit con ultant. "After getting calls at two in the ffiOi"ningabout four or five times throughout the year," recalled Lab Schools Director Lucinda Lee Katz, "I asked Mr. Stafford and Mr. Brown to in on." vestigate enhancing the security system ." Reluctant to release the times at which AFTER LOOKING AT numerous alternatives, including a the cameras are in operation, administra ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ keying system that reg- tors would say the surveillance system is isters who enters the only activated after school hours and on school, at what location weekends. ((Stay of out the 6ui[aing and what time, Mr. MIDWAY EDITORS LEARNED the 1 Brown and Mr. Stafford hours of camera operation from a faculty wfien you re not opted to explore surveil memo but decided that publishing them lance cameras. might aid people trying to circumvent the supposedto 6e in here. "Not even I knew about security system. them ," Mrs. Katz ex According to Mr. Brown, the cameras 11 plained. "Ms. Gold shoot in color and are small enough to be It's p[ain ani simpfe. within legal boundaries. Tapes are only reviewed when alarms schmidt (U-High princi portable . Mr. Brown also noted that the when taped over. pal) and I found out cameras change locations frequently and are tripped and the video is erased -Laboratory Schools "MIKE," A SECURITY expert at Discrete Electronics on the about them at the same only monitor public areas of the schools. small as a time. Actually I don't see He also noted they do not violate civil North Side, explained that camera lenses can be as Assistant Director pin head V16th of an inch in diameter and can be powered by David Stafford them as a bad thing. I rights and are never placed in locker rooms and restrooms. Administrators batteries for hours. According to security experts, cameras of -;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;.think that they're a great this kind cost approximately $600 and can be hidden anywhere • idea. I leave the school checked with the schools' lawyers regard many times as late as 11 p.m. and I feel better knowing they're ing hidden cameras and found them from vents to smoke alarms to holes in the ceiling. Other schools across the city and suburbs also use security systems, most of them including visible cameras and monitors in the halls . At suburban Oak Park-River Forest High School, cameras are turned on at all hours. Many U-Highers have expressed concern about the ethics of having secret cameras. "I THINK IT'S admirable that the school is interested in pro tecting it 's students and property ," said Senior Sam Meites. "But it bothers me that the administration didn't tell us about the cameras when they were installed. The fact that they're hidden suggests that the school may be trying to hide something." Informing people of the cameras, administrators say, would have defeated the purpose. "Once you tell your security plan, it's not secure," Mr. Stafford reasoned . "Stay out of the building when you're not supposed to be in here . It's plain and simple . Students were not told about the cameras because the cameras are not on during the schools business hours and are intended to catch night time trespassers. " · SOCRATES ONCE ASKED, "Who will watch the watchers?" Administrators say the answer to that question is easy. "I watch Peter and Peter watches me, " Mr. Stafford said. "And I watch them and the Board watches me, "Mrs. Katz added. "Although we are on a need-to-know basis, there are very few secrets in the Laboratory Schools. " ,u[ 6y BAXALL ECURITY CAMoRA model Andiew Gardner and ikki Meyer check ~rrmtpage. repartetf, written o proaucd '£Jlitors-in.-aiie. CD9000, photo from top left, i ju tone of to ee if any one's watching. The photo at XpreernSa~ 'DaviaSafinas rnuf !if.k{Zamiar. many kind of camera used for urveil right wa taken from a econd-fl or, ea t PFwtos6g Jeremiah Sdiatt. JilJt6g feo'IJ Pofydiro11.opouws. lance in chool . Cameras can be hidden wing surveillance camera.The camera was Camera..cfwts courte..r:yof Pe.tu 'Brown. (jrapliicsprovitfea 6y in vent , lights and trophy case . Seniors .recently moved. 2(prumSak/1- Previews U-High Midway• Tuesday, November 12, 1996 proposal approved by the faculty last of-year retreats. Who would participate in what month to have all class retreats take retreat would depend in part on what retreat a A place during the first week of school, has faculty member preferred and if a faculty member some teachers and student concerned. had to go home each evening for family obligations Freshman and sophomore retreats would take or stay in the city because of other school obligations, place Monday through Wednesday of the first week such as coaching sports teams. of school. Freshman retreat would consist of an Though the plan received a welcome reception at orientation to the school. Sophomores would explore the faculty meeting, not all teachers are happy with the Community Learning program in which they the proposal. all participate, including visiting some community "I AM CONCERNED that this plan was created sites. with the convenience of the faculty in mind," JUNIOR AND SENIOR retreats would take explained History Teacher Susan Shapiro. place Sunday through Wednesday. "This plan is not best for students, especially the Juniors would participate in what formerly was seniors. The Resurrection retreat needs to take place Sophomore Retreat, caving and rock-climbing in in February of junior year; that's when it's right group-trust-building activities at the Touch of developmentally." Nature Center on the grounds of Southern Illinois Some students have also voiced concern over the University in Carbondale. retreats being rescheduled for the start of the year. Seniors would participate in what was formerly MANY OF THEM feel the whole point ofretreats Junior Retreat at Resurrection Center in far has been to provide a welcome break in the school northwest suburban Woodstock, joining in routine and to get students away from the school to discussions, games and ceremonies intended to deal with each other in new settings. encourage class members to know each other better Last month, Sophomore Political Representative Video 'disco' as people away from school and then bring their Mike Zabel circulated a petition for administrators draws dancers closer relationships back to school. signed by nearly the entire class to maintain DISCO LIGHTS turned, SENIORS COULD STILL have their traditional Sophomore Retreat as a fall-quarter, away-from videos flashed on a huge weekend getaway, in recent years at Eagle Ridge school event. Resort near Galena, later in the year if they wished. "Sophomores are really getting screen and about 200 U the short end of Faculty Retreat Committee Chairperson Suzanne the stick," Mike explained. "The Touch of Nature Highers danced to the beat at Buckwalter, math teacher, said committee members retreat has always been an important part of Cultural Union's "Video felt a start-of-the-year coordinated plan would sophomore year. It's not fair that we don't get to Dance Parti" Oct. 25 in Sunny eliminate the interruption of classwork retreats experience it." Gym. Though invited, only have created to considerable faculty discontent. The petition was forwarded to Dean of Students about 50 students from Latin, The Committee offered the faculty two proposals Jewel Thomas. Parker and Morgan Park for retreat schedules, the other involving retreats ONE PROBLEM the new schedule would Academy showed up. scheduled at varying times during the year. At their eliminate is retreat conflicts with other scheduled GROOVING TO the Oct. 1 faculty meeting teachers present approved school activities. Macarena (photos from top), the start-of-the-year plan with only one teacher This year Junior Retreat and Senior Getaway, dissenting. from left, are Juniors Faith scheduled for the same weekend in January, are UNDER THE PLAN, which administrators . taking place the same time a Model United Nations Baxter, Tiffany Harper, ultimately must approve, all faculty members would trip to a University of Michigan conference has also Angela Keene, Emily Varlet, participate in one of the four class level beginning- been planned. Marie Geffrard and Arou ssiak Gabrielian. Photos by Michael Hoy GOING SOLO, Freshman favorite decade, said Senior Alex Brady shows off her --·Jason Boulware, C.U. Midway, staff get top honor moves. president. As D .J., Jason Dressing in fashions from plans to play music a variety Individual staff members of the the scorebook," said Midway Ad Midway's 4 7th consecutive in the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s on of oldies and current hits.