Ackerman defends school-camera costs

Superintendent Arlene Ackerman yesterday defended the district's decision to pay a hefty price to install security cameras at South Philadelphia High School.

Ackerman told City Council at a budget hearing Monday that the district spent roughly $1 million to install more than 100 cameras everywhere except the bathrooms at the school, where racial violence shook the school in December. The district said yesterday that the cameras actually cost $689,000.

Monday's announcement drew criticism from teacher's union president Jerry Jordan, who released a statement bashing the district for "transforming the school into a prison." He backed off after district lawyers assured him that no cameras had been installed inside classrooms.

A district spokesman confirmed yesterday that there are no cameras in classrooms.

Ackerman defended her decision during the second day of hearings yesterday, telling Council that the 126 cameras added to the 23 already at the school were "certainly needed."

"The building is 54 years old, more than 300,000 square feet with five floors, and 23 cameras was definitely not enough," she said. "So putting [126] cameras shouldn't get anybody upset."

The schools chief noted that roughly the same number of cameras have been installed in at least three other high schools.

Lincoln and Fels high schools, two of the district's newly built schools in the Northeast, got 160 cameras each, and 118 more cameras were installed at Sayre High School, she said.

The cost of the cameras and installations was not immediately available, said district spokesman Fernando Gallard.

The security cameras at South Philadelphia High were in response to a list of demands issued by members of an Asian community group. District officials also added security personnel and diversity-training programs at the school.

Despite their efforts, reports of violence against Asian students have continued. On Dec. 2 and 3, fights between mostly Asian and African-American students sent several students to the hospital, and dozens of students boycotted school in response to the district's response. A federal civil rights complaint is ongoing.

Officials also announced that teachers being forced out of low-performing district schools will get a chance to apply for open teaching positions before their peers.

Ackerman said she doesn't want instructors in the 14 so-called "Renaissance" schools to be stigmatized by future employers.

"We want to give those teachers a fair opportunity to interview for jobs that are open first . . . and then we can open it up."