Mount Michael has a long-standing tradition of academic excellence, attracting some of the best and brightest students in the Omaha area. For how intelligent the student body is, however, there are occassional moronic decisions made, particularly around the dorms.
The Mount Michael Administration knows very well that events like this occur, and one of the ways they try to prevent and work through these is with cameras covering all angles of campus. In previous years, the cameras have been used to look back on events that had already transpired to help the school administration to gain clarity and make necessary decisions. However, this year, Mount Michael’s security systems were upgraded, with the camera quality being improved, as well as motion-activated sensors and a night vision system being added as well. The most important feature of the new system is that the cameras can now be viewed via an app downloaded on the mobile phones of certain members of the administration.
This is the primary feature that has been problematic for students. There comes a point where the cameras are being used not so much to guarantee our safety but to violate the privacy of students who are doing nothing wrong. Though it is completely reasonable to have cameras present, it is another matter entirely for students to be monitored around the clock. For example, there have been multiple instances where students have taken an early morning trip to the bathroom and the next day are questioned on why they were out of bed and where they were going.
Many students, especially boarders, feel that this extensive camera usage is a violation of privacy, especially when you consider that the dorms are their home during the week. It is easy to understand why this level of surveillance can seem oppressive and stifling; indeed, students often compare the surveillance situation in the dorms to George Orwell’s classic novel “1984,” a dystopian thriller in which an oppressive government led by “Big Brother” watches every aspect of its citizens’ lives. Imagine going into your kitchen for a glass of water, and seeing the always-blinking red light, letting you know “Big Brother is watching.” This is the unsavory reality for the residents of the Mount Michael boarding program.
The students’ response has been, ironically, inspired by another classic piece of pop culture, the movie “Madagascar.” Many remember Kowalski the penguin’s famous line, “Just smile and wave, boys, smile and wave.” Indeed, the Mount Michael students make it a point to wave at the cameras every time they pass them. Though these small acts of defiance may assuage the students’ feelings about the situation, the heart of the issue remains: the Mount Michael Administration needs to strike a better balance between security and privacy for the benefit of its students.
