UK teachers are spied in classrooms

Teachers protest against the installation of 50 CCTV systems with
microphones in UK schools, used as surveillance measures by the school
management.

While observation in class was supposed to help teachers in improving their
performances, the headmasters, who have also used two-way mirrors to survey
the teachers, grade them according to the way they perform in class under
observation.

TES (The Times Educational Supplement) reported on 7 April that teachers
were being “observed to death” and that surveillance was being used more
like a punishment. Observed lessons are often graded on a scale of
outstanding to poor.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT),
the largest teachers’ union in UK, has proposed a conference motion to use
“all means necessary” to stop the “yet another example of management
bullying”. NASUWT survey has found out that one in five teachers was
observed more than six times last year. The union also expressed
disagreement on the short notice given to some teachers on the installation
of surveillance devices.

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers
(ATL), said she had met an Oxford graduate having quitted teaching after
only a year for having been officially observed at least once every
three weeks,”.

Heads spy on teachers (10.04.2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/10/cctv_teachers/

Teachers revolt against spy in the classroom (7.04.2006)
http://www.tes.co.uk/2216214