Student Thoughts Of News Coverage Of Waukesha West Basketball Team Surveillance Video
On February 7th, 2023 the night of the Arrowhead Boys’ Varsity Basketball game against Waukesha West, there was an incident regarding supposed surveillance of the Waukesha West Basketball Team in a locker room.
According to The Waukesha Freeman, “Believing there was a video camera in an Arrowhead locker room, someone from Waukesha West contacted law enforcement.”
Laura Myrah, Arrowhead District Superintendent said, “If you have been in that study hall room the space is clearly not a locker room or changing room. One cannot have any expectation of privacy given the bubble camera on the ceiling when one walks in, as well as the several doors and windows, label of study hall, 100 desks present, etc.”
Unlike visiting students who are new to Arrowhead’s campus, a student athlete who’s had study hall in the North Campus shared how they feel about the situation.
Arianna Daugherty, an Arrowhead junior said, “No, not at all, it should be taught and known that the junior study hall room is a ¨common area¨. By law all common areas need cameras to ensure safety. But you know what rooms don’t have cameras? Bathrooms… Bathrooms are made to ensure privacy for all intimate and personal settings. The bathrooms are always open and it should be common sense that if you need to change you walk the short walk to the bathroom right around the corner for privacy.”
Daugherty has had multiple experiences as a visiting team. Daugherty said, “When I attend cheer competitions we are put into classrooms for team gatherings and to put our stuff down, we are mature enough to understand that a classroom is NOT a place of privacy due to cameras. So we searched the school for a restroom to change in to insure privacy.”
The visiting team is not provided a locker room for changing, the bathrooms are strictly for that use.
Arrowhead senior Nikki Seaton said, “Arrowhead should not be in trouble because they provided a space for the team to put their stuff. It was not intended to be a changing room. It’s a classroom, it’s very distinguishable that it’s a classroom. There is also a bathroom right next door. So it’s not 100% Arrowhead’s fault, it’s clear that it’s a classroom and there’s a camera in there due to the size.”
After this incident, Myrah made changes to the policy of students when visiting Arrowhead for sporting events.
Myrah said, “To prevent similar misunderstandings in the future, visiting teams are now being provided a regular classroom (with no surveillance camera) for their team meeting room. While it is a smaller and likely less comfortable space, it remains near the gym and just a bit more distant from the bathrooms that are still intended for clothes-changing.”
Students had similar opinions of how Myrah dealt with the situation.
Kasia Lecaire, Arrowhead senior said, “I think that it’s a good response, but the other school still wasn’t thinking when their kids were changing outside the bathrooms, anyway because to me it seems illogical.”
Gabby Slowinski, an Arrowhead freshman said, “If they were told to change in the bathrooms then they shouldn’t have assumed to use the study hall with a camera to change. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Daugherty said, “I think the area of gathering was perfectly fine for all visiting teams, clearly not everyone can realize the importance of cameras in common areas so it should be stated that you are to enter the restroom if you need privacy.”
The situation has had no further updates since the 15th of February, Waukesha West or the Waukesha County Police Department has said nothing more after the email from Myrah, and the police report from the Police Department.
