Children have their uses

So, not only are we about to have an increase in talking CCTV cameras, but:

Competitions would also be held at schools in many of the areas for children to become the voice of the cameras, Mr Reid said.

The Register reports that:

Children will be recruited from schools to take part in the £0.5m scheme and shown round CCTV operating rooms on school trips.

The cynical might think that a spin-guru had come up with this cute idea, but, apparently not:

Louise Casey, the government’s “co-ordinator for respect”, said in a statement this morning: “We are encouraging children to send this clear message to grown ups – act anti-socially and face the shame of being publicly embarrassed.”

Did anyone ask children if they wanted to send this message? I mean, did they think of it themselves? Even if that were actually true, it’s odd that their opinion suddenly matters when, for example, nobody remembered to consult them on the plan to raise the school-leaving age.

Let’s hope that, in between auditions, recording sessions and CCTV-centre visits, children are also given plenty of opportunity to hear alternative views, in accordance with their UN Convention rights, such as:

Article 13 The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds

or

Article 17 States Parties recognize the important function performed by the mass media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources

After all, the government wouldn’t want to be accused of using the education system to brainwash children.