Security system produces measurable results for school

Nov 7, 2006 3:30 PM

The number of fights reported in the Pharr - San Juan - Alamo (PSJA) High School district in Texas for the first two months of the school year decreased 58 percent from the same period last year, according to district disciplinary records.

PSJA Superintendent Arturo Guajardo attributes the decrease to the school district's new digital surveillance system, which was installed at the district's three high schools last summer, The McAllen, Texas, Monitor reports.

"The cameras are effective. The little pushes and shoving aren't happening anymore," Guajardo told the newspaper. "The kids are noticing the fact they're not going to get away with it anymore."

The school board's decision to upgrade old cameras came after an increase in fighting and other gang activity last school year. While all three high schools felt the effects, none did more than PSJA Memorial High School, where a full scale brawl erupted in October 2005 and resulted in the arrests of 12 students.

The new surveillance system uses digital cameras, which provide a more detailed image. The resolution is such that security personnel are able to identify any student caught on camera.

Overall, disciplinary incidents -- the bulk of which constitute minor offenses like dress code violations and talking back to teachers -- are down from 5,350 over the first two months of the 2005-06 school year to 5,011 over the first two months of this school year.

Over those same periods, fighting was down from 169 incidents to 71 this year, the newspaper reports.

"We spent a good chunk of money, but now I think the community will understand why," Guajardo says.

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