To the honorable principals and superintendent of the Passaic County Technical-Vocational School District, Board of Education, and Board of Chosen Freeholders:

On behalf of the students, parents, and guardians of the Passaic County Technical Institute and the Diana C. Lobosco STEM Academy, many of whom have displayed deep concern regarding the recent Webex camera policy, I am writing this open letter to address some of the many concerns that have been brought up by members of our school community who see issues with this policy.

In a recent email to the PCTI student body, principal Mr. Garcia cited reasons of “[supporting] effective teaching and learning, [increasing] accountability, and [increasing] participation” to back up the new policy, which would require all students to turn their cameras on during the entirety of the school day.

Many of the members of our student body and extended school community see this policy as unfair, disruptive, and detrimental to the ongoing learning and wellbeing of our student body, and with good reason. I bring up the following reasons for concerns regarding the camera-on policy:

Socioeconomic Factors - Passaic County is home to roughly 501,000 residents in 16 municipalities, all with vastly different economic landscapes that make many of our students subject to wealth inequality. As such, it is not in the best interest of many low-income students to put their living conditions on display for classes as large as twenty or more students. While school uniforms alleviated much of the concern over economically-based bullying in an in-person environment, forcing students to display their living conditions can and will lead to bullying regarding students’ homes, a form of bullying that was rarer prior to the era of virtual learning. With some regions of Passaic County experiencing poverty rates upwards of thirty percent, this is a major source of concern for students who already have to worry about bullying due to where or how they live. Simply put, not every student has access to the “Mindful Background” and “Quiet Learning Environment” that Mr. Garcia mentions very considerately in his email. Not everyone has access to the six-figure salary he enjoys each year.

Violations of Privacy - Being on camera throughout the duration of classes can result in another concern over bullying. Students can very easily take screenshots or pictures of their peers on Webex without alerting anyone in the call, allowing them practical immunity from the repercussions of the inappropriate use of technology to which they would have been previously subject. This has already been a concerning phenomenon during the limited camera use in classes already, and requiring all students to have their cameras on will only exacerbate the issue to unprecedented levels. Instead of only having to worry about what is being taught in their respective classes, students now have to carry additional anxiety over how they appear on camera to limit the possibility that they will be harassed due to their peers taking photos or videos of them without consent. A scroll through Tiktok will reveal overwhelming empirical evidence of students being recorded without permission in the virtual classroom.

Physical Wellbeing - There is no doubt that sitting in front of a computer for extended periods of time will result in many health issues over time. Doing so can lead to abnormal cholesterol levels, increased blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Studies cited by the Mayo Clinic have shown that “those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking.” For reference, students are expected to sit in front of a computer for nearly seven hours during the school day and typically spend another two to three hours per day on homework, projects, and other school-related tasks, not to mention the time spent on afterschool activities and clubs. Virtual learning has given students the unique opportunity to engage in physical activity, whether that be stretching or taking a quick walk, during their classes without posing a disruption to the class, students, or teachers. With a camera-on policy, students will no longer have access to this opportunity. Even before this pandemic, students were able to walk from class to class to improve their physical activity levels. Even this opportunity is gone now. Combined with the added stress of having to sit up straight for the entire virtual school day (which is already considerably longer than those of neighboring school districts) to appear presentable, the eye strain associated with prolonged screen time will only make the virtual classroom more unbearable than it already is.

Religious Obligations - The vast cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity of Passaic County is one of the many things that make us, us. Numerous religious identities are associated with a belief in modesty and articles of faith. For the purposes of this argument, I will take the hijab as an example. For those who choose to wear the hijab as an article of faith, many do not have to do so at home. With the camera-on policy, family members who choose to wear the hijab may be exposed to the accidental showing of their hair in the backgrounds of students’ Webex calls. This will lead to an uncomfortable and insensitive situation at home for this portion of our school community.

Technical Difficulties - Webex often has very little tolerance for poor Wi-Fi connections. No matter how strong the Wi-Fi supposedly is on-campus, many students physically cannot turn their cameras on until they have a strong connection. They do not deserve to be penalized for an issue over which they have no control. Additionally, logging out of a Webex call on a student’s laptop and logging back in on their phone is a quick fix for when technical difficulties arise. This would not be possible with the new no-mobile camera policy. Of course, students can contact technology when these issues occur, but the valuable time wasted on doing so can lead to students easily missing out on important details mentioned in class during their attempts to fix the issue without resorting to mobile phone use.

Disciplinary Action - The school administration made no mention of any disciplinary action or repercussions that may arise from failing to abide by this policy. Students should be worried about being written up for causing harm to other students or other serious violations of the values of our school. No student deserves to stain their disciplinary record simply because they feel uncomfortable with being on camera and recorded.

Mental Wellbeing - All of the aforementioned concerns culminate in the concern over students’ mental wellbeing. From anxiety over the possibility of being bullied, harassed, and/or recorded due to what students may have to show on-camera, to the added pressures of virtual learning, the new camera-on policy presents an uncomfortable mental health state for all students. This is especially true for those experiencing ADHD, gender dysphoria, social anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues or concerns. Nevertheless, these students are not the only ones who may risk their mental wellbeing due to this policy. No student, regardless of mental health, should have to worry more about how they look on camera instead of simply being able to focus on their classes. Our school claims to prioritize students’ mental health and wellbeing, but we can judge how truly concerned they are for this based on their actions and not their words alone.

These are simply a fraction of the numerous concerns that students and parents have regarding the camera-on policy that the school recently established. I trust that the school will make haste to correct this damaging policy for the wellbeing of its students. I thank all the readers, signers, parents/guardians, and the school faculty and administration for their continued support of students’ best interests and learning.

With utmost respect,

Subhan Roy

12th grader, PCTI

subhanroy12@gmail.com

Note: the use of PCTVS or PCTVS-related logos, images, names, or titles does not imply endorsement or affiliation with any members or bodies of the Passaic County Technical-Vocational School District.