Mandate Cameras in All Maryland Classrooms
Mandate Cameras in All Maryland Classrooms
The Issue
Imagine sending your child off to school, trusting they are safe, only to have them return home bearing physical evidence of harm. Your child reports to you that the bruises were made by their teacher, but the teacher has a totally different story.
This is an agonizing reality for countless parents, which disproportionately affects disabled students.
Recently, I discovered unmistakable, tight finger-grip bruises on both of my daughter's biceps after coming home from school. The school did not notify me of an incident and did not have my daughter’s injuries evaluated by the school nurse. I didn’t receive an incident report until 2 days later, and they only sent it to me after I asked them for it. When the school was questioned, the response was a generic brush off, stating our daughter simply “scratched herself” and that’s how she got the bruises on her arms.
This is not an isolated incident; it is a terrifying systemic failure that puts our most defenseless children at risk behind closed doors.
Imagine the special education students who can’t speak. They can not advocate for themselves, report abuse, or tell their parents about the fear they experienced when unrecorded, improper restraints were used against them. Parents should never have to guess what happens inside a classroom, nor should they have to rely on fading bruises and emergency room visits to find out their child was hurt.
Transparency is safety. Accountability begins with visibility.
We urgently call upon the Maryland General Assembly and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to pass legislation requiring audio-recorded video cameras in all classrooms across the state.
These cameras will not only protect our vulnerable children from abuse and improper restraints, but they will also protect dedicated educators who follow the rules. Most importantly, they will give peace of mind to parents who trust the public school system with their most precious treasures.
Please sign this petition to be the voice for children who may not have the ability to speak for themselves. Demand accountability, demand transparency, and demand safety in every Maryland classroom.
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The Issue
Imagine sending your child off to school, trusting they are safe, only to have them return home bearing physical evidence of harm. Your child reports to you that the bruises were made by their teacher, but the teacher has a totally different story.
This is an agonizing reality for countless parents, which disproportionately affects disabled students.
Recently, I discovered unmistakable, tight finger-grip bruises on both of my daughter's biceps after coming home from school. The school did not notify me of an incident and did not have my daughter’s injuries evaluated by the school nurse. I didn’t receive an incident report until 2 days later, and they only sent it to me after I asked them for it. When the school was questioned, the response was a generic brush off, stating our daughter simply “scratched herself” and that’s how she got the bruises on her arms.
This is not an isolated incident; it is a terrifying systemic failure that puts our most defenseless children at risk behind closed doors.
Imagine the special education students who can’t speak. They can not advocate for themselves, report abuse, or tell their parents about the fear they experienced when unrecorded, improper restraints were used against them. Parents should never have to guess what happens inside a classroom, nor should they have to rely on fading bruises and emergency room visits to find out their child was hurt.
Transparency is safety. Accountability begins with visibility.
We urgently call upon the Maryland General Assembly and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to pass legislation requiring audio-recorded video cameras in all classrooms across the state.
These cameras will not only protect our vulnerable children from abuse and improper restraints, but they will also protect dedicated educators who follow the rules. Most importantly, they will give peace of mind to parents who trust the public school system with their most precious treasures.
Please sign this petition to be the voice for children who may not have the ability to speak for themselves. Demand accountability, demand transparency, and demand safety in every Maryland classroom.
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Petition created on September 6, 2026