Idea of the week: arming teachers in crime ridden schools with disposable cameras. Perhaps if there’s photographic proof of violence the perpetrator is much less likely to commit the act, right?

Unfortunately, this is just not the case. London, England leads the world in use of surveillance cameras in public with more than 2.5 million, is also, according to a recent United Nations crime report, the most dangerous city in the Western world. One is six times more likely to be mugged or robbed in London than in New York City. That’s showing us colonies how to do it, eh?

Privacy concerns aside, because most everyone wants blurry photographs of adolescents at their most vulnerable time in life, the proposal misses a key opportunity to complete Orwell’s 1984 prophecy. Why not just give everyone cameras? Students can take pictures of students, teachers of students, administrators of teachers. Janitors, who really know what’s going on and make more money than the teachers, can take snapshots of everyone.

A very special shout out to Philip Rumore, president of the Buffalo, N.Y., teachers union. He’s the father of this proposal. Don’t mind me in the bushes, Phil. I’m just taking pictures of you walking across the parking lot. It’s for your own safety.