Going to the toilet during class is a normal situation. However, it may surprise you to learn that going to the toilet is now monitored.
According to New York Post, More than 150 New York City public schools have adopted the SmartPass system. The app records how much time a student spends outside of class. This includes time in the restroom. Teachers see it in real time. Some set timers. One student wrote in a review on the App Store that he only got 30 seconds of «his own stuff.».
The city Department of Education spent $368,000 on SmartPass in 2025 and $120,000 the year before. That's about $2,200 per school. At the same time, the city needs to close a $535 million budget hole.
What students and advocates are saying
Students reacted without enthusiasm. «It's creepy,» said Nairobi, 17, of Union Square Academy. She said the realization of surveillance makes you rush where you don't want to rush. Another high school student, Shohjahon Samiev, called the system next-level micromanagement and added that schools are spending thousands on iPads instead of hiring teachers.
Human rights advocates at the New York Civil Liberties Union called SmartPass a tool that will «inevitably turn a child's behavior into a long-term record that can be hacked and used against them.».
Company and departmental position
The company itself describes the product as a safety tool: in emergency situations it is important to know who is in the hallway. The Department of Education has stated that no school is obliged to use the system and all data is protected as required.
Malfunctions
Judging by the reviews in the App Store, the system is not without glitches. One student wrote that he almost peed his pants because SmartPass blocked him from leaving the classroom. Another noted that you can sign in under a false name, and then the real owner of the account can't log out.
