November 26, 2006
Teacher's angry outburst filmed and posted on YouTube
Gatineau (Canada) school officials are considering banning the use of cameras and cellphones in all classrooms after two students secretly recorded their teacher's angry outburst and posted three clips on YouTube, reports Canada.com.
..."The teachers' union, the Syndicat des enseignants de l'Outaouais, has asked the board to ban cameras and camera-equipped cellphones in all classrooms within its jurisdiction because they can can be used to invade the privacy of teachers and students.
Union vice-president Louis Belcourt said the students caused a disturbance throughout one class and recorded the teacher's reaction on a tiny digital camera when he ordered them to leave. School board officials said the camera was small enough to escape the teacher's notice for about 50 minutes.
"The classroom is a private place owned by the school board, not a public space where you can photograph someone. It is very serious for the teacher because his privacy was violated and I don't know how long it will be before he can work again."
Related Incidents from around the world:
-- Student films teacher berating classmate (2003) - In a junior college in Singapore, a student reportedly used a camera phone to film a teacher berating a classmate for a poorly written paper, and tearing up the student's work.
-- Video of teacher's outburst is on Web (2005) - A videotape showing a US High School teacher screaming at his students to show respect for the national anthem — and then pulling the chair from underneath one student who refused to stand — was posted on several independent Web sites.
-- Teachers shun phone-photo pupil (2006) - Teachers in Newcastle (UK) have voted to boycott a pupil who secretly took a photo of a female member of staff's cleavage.
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