VOA教育报道2024--US Schools Use Surveillance to Catch Students Vaping

US Schools Use Surveillance to Catch Students Vaping

　　Schools around the United States are installing sensors² and cameras to identify possible use of vaping devices. Some administrators⁴ are also ordering serious punishments for use of the devices on school property.

　　Aaliyah Iglesias faced such punishment in her last year of high school in Texas. In February of 2023, school administrators caught her vaping in a bathroom.

　　Suddenly, so much of her high school experience was under threat: her student council presidency⁵, her position as debate team captain and her planned attendance at the graduation ceremony in May.

　　She even faced possible loss of her college scholarships as a result of violating the vaping rules. She was sent to the district's alternative school for 30 days and was told she could have faced criminal charges.

　　School observation equipment was used to catch Iglesias vaping. Many schools have installed the equipment without informing students.

　　Students found vaping can also be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $100. Students found with vapes containing THC, the chemical that makes marijuana users feel high, can be arrested on felony charges.

　　At least 90 students in the Tyler school system where Iglesias was a student have faced misdemeanor or felony charges.

　　School systems around the U.S. have invested millions of dollars in the observation, or surveillance, technology. Administrators have used federal COVID-19 emergency relief money to buy the equipment. Marketing⁶ materials have noted⁷ the sensors, at a cost of over $1,000 each, check air quality to help fight the virus.

　　Vapes are a major problem at many middle and high schools. The devices release vapor⁸ containing the highly addictive⁹ chemical, nicotine¹⁰. Millions of minors¹¹ report vaping despite efforts to limit sales to kids by raising the legal age to 21 and a ban on flavored products.

　　Some districts combine the sensors with surveillance cameras. When activated¹² by a vaping sensor¹, those cameras turn on so violators might be identified.

　　The Tyler, Texas, schools, among others in America, have what they call a zero-tolerance policy on vaping. The school system says that tracking vape usage deals with a problem that is hurting children's health. It would not comment on punishments of students.

　　A leading provider, HALO Smart Sensors, sells 90 percent to 95 percent of its sensors to schools. The sensors do not have cameras or record audio but can detect increases in noise in a school bathroom and inform school officials of that immediately, said Rick Cadiz. He is vice³ president of sales and marketing for IPVideo, the maker¹³ of HALO sensors.

　　The sensors are marketed mainly for detecting vape smoke or THC. But they also can detect sounds like gunshots or words that are signs of possible bullying¹⁴.

　　During the pandemic, HALO noted on its website that indoor air quality observation was an approved use for federal COVID relief money. Schools now also can use some of the almost $440 million vape maker Juul is paying to settle a legal action against it. The claim accused Juul of marketing its products to youth, Cadiz said.

　　"All it's doing is that something's going on," he said. "You need someone to physically¹⁵ investigate the alert that comes out."

　　At the Coppell Independent School District in Texas, sensors are part of a vaping prevention plan that includes educational videos and a tip line. Students can receive $50 for reporting on violators. Jennifer Villines, the district's director of student and staff services, said students "were turning each other in right and left."

　　Students can be sent to an alternative school or serve in-school suspensions but are not expelled for vaping, she said.

　　Iglesias' punishment included having to step down as student council president and debate captain and leaving the National Honor Society. At the alternative school where she spent a month, students do their studies without attending classes.

　　Iglesias was still able to attend her final school dance and graduation ceremony. Her college scholarship was not withdrawn¹⁶, either. She now attends Tyler Junior College.

　　For her, the punishments for vaping go too far.

　　"The people that make these policies and implement¹⁷ these things sit in a room and do not walk the campuses or see the results," Iglesias said.

　　Words in This Story

　　install — v. to make ready to be used in a certain place

　　vape — v. to inhale¹⁸ or exhale¹⁹ vapor produced by electronic cigarettes or similar devices

　　scholarship — n. an amount of money that is given by a school, an organization, etc., to a student to help pay for the student's education

　　alternative — adj. something that can be chosen instead of something else

　　felony — n. a serious crime

　　relief — n. things that are given to help people who are victims of a war, earthquake, flood, etc.

　　addictive — adj. causing a strong and harmful need to regularly have or do something

　　zero-tolerance — adj. a policy of giving the most severe punishment possible to every person who commits a crime or breaks a rule

　　implement — v. to begin to do or use

1 sensor   

n.传感器，探测设备，感觉器（官）

参考例句：

• The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。
• He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。

2 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 vapor   

n.蒸汽，雾气

参考例句：

• The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
• This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

9 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

10 nicotine   

n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。

11 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 activated   

adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。

13 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

14 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

16 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

17 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

18 inhale   

v.吸入(气体等)，吸(烟)

参考例句：

• Don't inhale dust into your lung.别把灰尘吸进肺里。
• They are pleased to not inhale second hand smoke.他们很高兴他们再也不会吸到二手烟了。

19 exhale   

v.呼气，散出，吐出，蒸发

参考例句：

• Sweet odours exhale from flowers.花儿散发出花香。
• Wade exhaled a cloud of smoke and coughed.韦德吐出一口烟，然后咳嗽起来。