Comedian and film producer Mendy Pellin has shared the following with COLlive.com after posting it on his Facebook page and it generated wide interest:
Great news for our kids… bad news child molesters:
I just heard that a large Chabad sleepover camp is taking a great and creative step to help prevent camper abuse.
It’s simple. They’re installing a few video cameras in every bunk house and throughout camp. Every parent will have a password to log in at anytime to view the cameras in their child’s bunk and all shared camp areas. The cameras will also record whenever it senses motion.
Staff members will never know who can be watching them at any time If a child complains the director can always go to the video tape. I think this will be a major deterrent!
FACT: Physical abuse at most sleepover camps happen every summer and are swept under the rug or found out about years later.
We should demand every camp follow this model and not send our kids to a camp that doesn’t take this simple preventative measure.
‘Like’ this post to help spread the word! We must stand up to protect our children!
I know someone who was molested in camp and is dysfunctional today
many of you are complaining that this is to much or to ridiculous. but this camp extreame measure just shows how big this situation of abuse is. desperate times call for drastic measures
Even assuming it’s not too extreme to have video cameras in every bunk, it’s completely ludicrous to provide every parent with direct access to them. Camp would be become an unbearable environment for staff and campers alike. And just imagine a situation where any disgruntled parent can capture any video recording and upload it to youtube…
“7
lol
in the forest and tents and buses and overnights and hikes and on shabbos and during plays and”
If you think that cameras in your kids’ bunkhouses robs them of their childhoods, let me just remind you that abuse actually does rob children of their childhoods.
i cant speak for every school but benos menachem and beis chaya mushka have video camera in every hallway and classroom
Theyre totally right. A camp should be a camp, not a prison. What are camps going to do next? Put tiny cameras in the buttons of the campers shirts? I bet that if it wasn’t crazy expensive, they’d probably do that too! In school to do that it’s fine, even smart, to put cameras, because no one goes to school to have fun anyway. Camp is exciting because ur gettin away from ur parents monitoring ur every move! Sucks the fun from camp, like #2 said. Suckiest idea ever!
and in the mekvah in c. h.,
i think parents should not be able to see the bunks
FIND A DIFFERENT WAY!!! i would never EVER EVER EVER EVERRRR want to go back to camp if i knew my parents could watch me at any second of the day!!! oh my gosh thats so ridiculous!!! and what, my mothers bored “oooh, maybe ill go watch _____ at camp!!!” no wayyy the reason ppl like camp is bc they are awayyyyy from home!!
thank G-d my son’s camp checked all of their counselors with jewishcommunitywatch before camp last summer and didn’t end up taking 1 counselor. of course, that doesn’t make the situation 100% safe even in that camp because jcw only has names of people whose victims have come forward – many victims have not come forward yet which means that many, many abusers have not yet been named. jcw’s unpublished list has dozens of molesters who have not yet passed their rigorous screening to be publicized.
Yes, it makes sense to have video cameras in schools. No, it does not make sense to place video cameras in bunkhouses. In fact, it’s outright ridiculous. What’s the difference? Well, I don’t suppose children get dressed in their school’s hallway, correct me if I’m wrong. However, I wouldn’t give a second guess about whether or not kids change in the bunkhouse. With the bathroom:camper ratio approximately 3:12 (or 1:4 if you prefer it that way), some kids will get impatient and just settle for changing in the bunk room. The idea of parents being able to stream a live… Read more »
who wants to be watched all day?!
cameras are a good idea, but some parents abuse children and can use the footage as innapropriate viewing material. Parents should not have access to the cameras
•i feel this cause is extremely important, and i feel something should definitely be done about child molesters.
•but children got o camp to have a fun time and that is taking all the joy out of it. by having parents watch your every move it takes the fun out of camp
• also, it can be a tznius problem
• please do something about this, but find a different way to solve this problem
Will they get counselors to come tho their camp? I wouldn’t go and I am a mother! maybe just the office should have access, not every parent. Parents can be crazy.
abuse should never be swept under the rug. The famous Rav Eliezer Silver poskened, years ago, that a child abuser should be reported to the police, excommunicated and not allowed in any shul.
Ask the victims of abuse and they will agree cameras are a step in the right direction.
Maybe hire professional security to monitor cameras and make actual visits to bunks to check on kids. I think if we left out parental access to cameras, people would have less excuses to protect child abusers or fool themselves into thinking abuse is rare.
#16 has a very good point.
it also happens in places OTHER then the bunkhouse
not sure which schools you know of but all schools have cameras..
stay the way it was for 50 years or more? then you are not aware of the incidents of terrible abuse that has been rachma lezlan occuring at our camps by the hands of certain staff members
what a stupid thing to say.
maybe dont send to school rather? or dont let them walk on the street themselves….
the “Prevention” is not by imprisoning your child or making them deprived… rather to
1st of all have a LOT of SAYATA DISHMAYO.. that hashem protects especioly TINOKOIS, HEVEL SHEIN LOHEM CHEIT.
2nd educate them. the way the TOIRO what us to educate our children and not to stuff there pure minds with YOUR NARISHKAIT….
וד”ל
The only other option: dont send your kids to overnight camps! Prevention is the best cure…
wow! BH!
When kids go to camp they don’t want people peeking into their privacy. My opinion is that camp should stay the way it was for the past 50 years or more.
we are all crazy and we all deserve what we get if we dont change it … i have a few comments some were mentioned above and some maybe not. but to summarize we all want our kids to be safe . we all want to KNOW that our kids are safe. and we need to protect those in schools and camps educating and watching our children. therefore as parents we need to demand the following all schools and shuls should have cameras recording 24 hours a day 7 days a week evry corner of their moisad. these recording should… Read more »
Check it out in Pirkei Avos.
everyone should do it
If this was true they would name the camp obviously this is a idea to try and get the camps to do this. by telling each camp that the other is doing it
BH
Just plant a few cameras and don’t say where they are. (This will only work if footage is not accesible to the public).
its a joke. Satrical Humour. Google “Satire” if you dont know what it means
plzzz privacy?? this is against the law a child can be changing in the bunk and doesn’t want it on camera or especially another parent to see!!
Yes I agree that there are situations where there’s a bully, but a normal kid would go to the counsellor. As a camper, now I would never go to that camp cuz u never know when someone’s watching u and it would feel like a prison. Whoever thought up this wacky idea obviously only thought about making the parents happy and totally forgot about the actual campers. And yes, I was bullied in camp bad, so I’m not just saying this cuz I had an easy time. But this is a rotten idea.
If fact there IS a school in CH that has cameras EVERYWERE the school is”OHR MENACHEM” you might not agree with thre ideology of the school but from 25 feet outside the school you are on tape.
You are ALL TO PARINOYED
My first reaction was, about time, but some posters brought up very valid concerns. I really don’t know what the answer is, except extreme vigilance & warning your kids & telling them to scream loudly.
Molesters will still molest when no one is watching…the woods, the lake…we need to educate our kids. period. let them enjoy their summers. teach them to say if somethings wrong! make sure they are comfortable speeking to you and you will protect them! always.
For campers the bunk house is just like the bedroom at home if u walk around in Ur oun bedroom a little indecent u would do it in ur bunk house to it is a normal thing and think that streaming live is not a good idea if a situation happens u can always go back and check but to stream it live is not a good idea
Please open your eyes and beome aware. too many kids are suffering
Child abusers can become parents too. And then log on to their child’s bunk to check out his bunk mates when they get dressed etc.
If you think that cameras in your kids’ bunkhouses robs them of their childhoods, let me just remind you that abuse actually does rob children of their childhoods.
They aren’t putting cameras in bathrooms or showers. And if your kids are wandering around the bunkhouse inappropriately dressed then they need a lesson in dignity and self preservation.
as mentioned in comment #2, this takes the whole fun out of camp. plus that is gross! what if a boy is changing and his pants fall off. the kids want to have fun, not be watched by their parents all summer. REASONS WHY THIS IS A BAD IDEA: 1) alll parents can watch the kids 2) the kids need privacy 3) the kids want to have fun, not being watched 4) THINK ABOUT IT. WERE TALKING ABOUT BOYS. THEY WILL EVENTUALLY COVER THE CAMERAS WITH BLACK PAPER AND KNOCK THEM DOWN WITH A BASKETBALL. 5) let your kids have… Read more »
With Mendy, it’s hard to know when he’s doing comedy and when he’s being serious.
I’m too uncomfortable with “other” parents watching my kid,, also the healthy idea about camp, away, free, would go out the window!!!! I know some camps have rules about no counselor ever being alone in a bunk with a camper, that’s a great rule, but not a live video, that would ruin camp
Moshiach Now!!!!!!!!
Do not do that reputations are going to go around about other kids
With that in place, all the perverts out their get their very own kiddie camera where they can watch little boys all day. I would not want any person watching my son dress, walk around in his shorts, or sleep! Complete invasion of privacy! There should be cameras everywhere so perverts would not try anything but it should NOT be streamed live!
In the 80s, i was tormented by my counselor, who, years later, begged my apology. I think this is a good idea.
and way too much talk about abuse! by all means we should talk to our kids and educate them , but this is going way too far!
our kids need to be kids , let’s not rob them of their childhoods!
Schools should domsame, especially after getting millions from home land security for cameras, thae is no reason that there is no cameras in evrey class, halway, bathroom entrance, kitchen, dining room, AND YES EVEN THE PRINCIPALS OFFICES, there is no one out that u can trust!!!!!
big brother is watching
Video camera a great idea but parents should not have password to see the bunk it is not appropriate tznius also applys by boys this help the staff to from false accusation.
Maybe we need a camera in the staff lounge too, so the parents can make sure the counselors’ coversations are all appropriate. Counselors can not deal with kids with parents watching their every move.
No offense this sounds crazy
U can’t have in bunkhouse when kids sometimes r getting dressed completely inappropriate
i hope gi ny will do this!!!!!
in the forest and tents and buses and overnights and hikes and on shabbos and during plays and
In 5 words or less.
i wish they would have this in the schools too!
Which camp is doing this?
I think this canp is taking big measures on protecting the campers and being concerned about them while they are away from home and in the care of the counselors.
bs”d
aas a camper, i would nit want my parents to be able to see what i was and wasent doing in camp, this just takes the fun out of camp!
good for them!