Opinion
Wrong lesson
TBO.com
Published: June 9, 2012
The late poet, songwriter and musician Gil Scott-Heron declared "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." A lot has changed since 1970, when Scott-Heron penned those words. These days, it seems, nearly everything is either being recorded on video or still images that can be flashed around the globe in seconds and will endure in the public domain forever.Published: June 9, 2012
That reality is the reason the Pasco County School Board has been grappling with the question of how, if at all, to regulate the use smartphones and other mobile devices that can record images and audio, on school property. This week, the board voted to allow students to take pictures on school grounds, except in areas where there would be what court decisions have termed a "reasonable expectation of privacy," such as restrooms and locker rooms.
Board member Alison Crumbley said she still isn't happy with the idea of allowing students to take pictures in classrooms, noting the Hillsborough and Pinellas school districts bar in-class photography. We share concerns about students taking photos in the class, but not because of legal and privacy issues. We just think students are in class to learn — and if there is one thing most young people already know how to do well, it is taking photos and sharing them with the world.
For better or worse, we are pressing our schools to do a better job of teaching young people to handle more mundane tasks, such as multiplying and dividing and reading and writing. We don't see how taking photos in class contributes to that goal.