Says system will aid in discipline, safety Andrew Prince, a technician with the Boston School Department, installed a video camera in one of the school buses that will be used this fall. When Boston students board their school buses this fall, they may want to watch what they say and do.

Boston is equipping all of its 750 school buses with cameras and microphones, enabling school officials to more thoroughly investigate reports of bullying, other disciplinary issues, and even traffic accidents.

Each bus will be equipped with two cameras contained in a single unit mounted to the ceiling. One camera will point to the passenger area.

The other will be directed at the windshield and will record what the driver sees on the road, providing potentially useful information in case of an accident.

Carl Allen, the School Department’s transportation director, said no single incident prompted the high-tech monitoring.

“It’s just a recognition that there are incidents and accidents that occur every year,” Allen said. “And we have a strong desire to have more data so we can more quickly respond and ensure the safety of our kids and employees.”

Boston will join a growing number of school systems around the state and across the country that have been installing bus cameras to crack down on discipline issues and to ensure the safety of the students.