Fairfax Schools to Continue Cafeteria Surveillance Pilot

Fairfax (VA) Schools will retain the use of surveillance cameras in six school cafeteria pilot sites for at least another year before deciding whether to expand the program district-wide, the school board decided. The cameras were put in a year ago to see if they could be effective in deterring theft that costs the financially strapped district more than a million dollars a year. Fairfax projects a system-wide $176 milllion deficit this school year.

The cameras, which cost about $18,000 apiece, were installed in fall 2008 at half a dozen randomly chosen schools and have deterred an average of about $12,000 in losses at each site, according to a Washington Post report. Other actions to discourage theft, such as limiting the number of students in the lunch line and removing easily pilfered items, have saved an additional $100,000 at the 25 system high schools.