Cleveland Advocacy Group Calls on CMSD to End $600,000 Flock Safety Camera Contract
A local advocacy group, 'Flock No,' is urging the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) to end its contract with Flock Safety, a company providing license plate reader cameras. The group organized a protest outside Newton D. Baker School, demanding the removal of hundreds of surveillance cameras. According to Bryn Addams, an organizer with Flock No, the district has spent over $600,000 on these cameras, which the group considers a waste of taxpayer money, especially given recent staff layoffs and school consolidations. They argue these funds could be better utilized for educational resources and staff retention. While some residents and CMSD employees believe the cameras help deter and track crimes, parents express concerns about the psychological impact of constant surveillance on children. Molly Marcinkevicius, a mother, voiced worries about raising her child in a society with mass surveillance and emphasized that school funds should prioritize children's education. 
