Students of Ursula Franklin Academy were promised a safe space that was informed by Dr. Ursula Franklin's views surrounding democracy, student voice, and the integration of technology in schools. However, recent plans to install cameras inside our school threaten both our sense of security and the foundational values of the school. We understand that safety is a priority but there are other ways to ensure it that do not threaten student privacy or create a harmful, negative environment.

According to a study by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), school surveillance cameras can create a chilling effect on students' freedom of expression and association. This action has the potential to adversely affect our learning environment by undermining a fundamental tenet of democracy, which is a cornerstone of our foundational philosophies. It introduces a peculiar and detrimental idea that the students of the school may be perceived as a threat, particularly following Ursula Franklin Academy's recent efforts to promote diversity. Moreover, Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) emphasizes that organizations should only collect personal information for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

We believe that installing cameras inside schools goes beyond what is considered reasonable for ensuring safety. It infringes on our rights as students to learn in an environment where we feel comfortable expressing ourselves freely. We, as students of Ursula Franklin Academy, want to make it known that we DO NOT stand with the administrators who are involved with the process of installing cameras inside our school. Neither do we stand with the upheaval of the values that informed the creation of our school in 1995! 

We urge the school administration to reconsider their decision and explore alternative methods for maintaining safety within our educational institution without violating student privacy rights.

Parents, educators, and students: please sign this petition if you do not support the installation of cameras in our school!