Education Under Watch: Introducing Our Research on Houston Schools and Digital Surveillance
Sophie ZermattenOur latest research in Texas’s largest city explores how digital technologies are increasing surveillance in schools, fostering punitive environments, and disproportionately impacting marginalized students.
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, is a microcosm of the challenges facing urban education today. The city’s public school system, known for its diversity and rapid growth, has lately turned into testing grounds for digital surveillance technologies. From AI-powered cameras to vape detectors and "aggression" analyzers, these tools are marketed as solutions to safety and efficiency. Yet, their adoption raises pressing questions about equity, privacy, and the very purpose of education.
In March 2023, the Texas Education Agency took control of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), a move that sparked controversy and community protests. This takeover coincided with the growing use of surveillance technologies in schools, particularly in underfunded and marginalized neighbourhoods. These tools often exacerbate existing inequities, disproportionately targeting students of color, LGBTQ+ youth, and students with disabilities.
In this context, the Edgelands Institute has chosen Houston as the focal point of our research on the impact of surveillance technologies in schools. By examining how these tools intersect with systemic inequality, governance, and the reshaping of the social contract between schools and their communities, we aim to uncover their broader implications. Our work delves into the ways these technologies are implemented, their unintended consequences, and the cultural and political factors driving their adoption. From expanding police surveillance in already over-policed neighborhoods to the reliance on virtual teaching platforms amid teacher shortages, these measures reveal a troubling trend: rather than addressing structural challenges, they often deepen them.
Stay tuned as we unpack how surveillance technologies are reshaping education in one of America’s most dynamic cities—and what this means for the future of public schools everywhere.
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