AP: Pa. school spied on students via laptops

[MattFancy]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gdwlE3DpcMD9gNAnFMrQ7iNHCS6AD9DUNV2G1



PHILADELPHIA — A federal lawsuit accuses a suburban Philadelphia school district of spying on students at home through school-issued laptop webcams.

The suit says Lower Merion School District officials can activate the webcams remotely without students' knowledge. The lawsuit alleges the cameras captured images of Harriton High School students and their families as they undressed and in other compromising situations.
Families learned of the alleged webcam images when an assistant principal spoke to a student about inappropriate behavior at home.
Superintendent Christopher W. McGinley did not immediately return a message left by The Associated Press.


Uh, what?

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Wow...this won't end up well for that school district.

[DButz65]

They are just making sure young Eagles fans dont start making pipe bombs to bring into the Linc :ols:

On a serious note, thats efff'd up

[Popeman38]

What were the terms of use they signed when issued the laptop? If the terms of use clearly stated that the county could access the computer at anytime, I do not think any laws were broken. Of course, this still won't end well for the school district.

[Drop]

What were the terms of use they signed when issued the laptop? If the terms of use clearly stated that the county could access the computer at anytime, I do not think any laws were broken. Of course, this still won't end well for the school district.

accessing the computer at any time, and spying on you while you're in the confines of your own home are two completely different things. There's a line that gets crossed somewhere between "accessing content" and "watching you in your own home via webcam". I'm not sure how one can argue that using a webcam to watch you at home constitutes, "accessing a school issued laptop remotely".

[Johnny Punani]

What were the terms of use they signed when issued the laptop? If the terms of use clearly stated that the county could access the computer at anytime, I do not think any laws were broken. Of course, this still won't end well for the school district.

I'm sure those terms didn't include taking videos of those students and/or other people in their private homes. The people in the school district should be facing prison time for this...

[MattFancy]

accessing the computer at any time, and spying on you while you're in the confines of your own home are two completely different things. There's a line that gets crossed somewhere between "accessing content" and "watching you in your own home via webcam". I'm not sure how one can argue that using a webcam to watch you at home constitutes, "accessing a school issued laptop remotely".

I agree. I would understand if they were tracking the ip addresses to make sure you weren't going to certain websites. But turning on the webcam and spying on people is completely different.

[mcsluggo]

note to self:

get loaner laptop back from hot neighbors before they come home and get a chance to surf the web.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I agree. I would understand if they were tracking the ip addresses to make sure you weren't going to certain websites. But turning on the webcam and spying on people is completely different.

Exactly, the school district has every right to MONITOR what these people were doing on their computers. However, they have no right to invade anyone's privacy by literally watching the person (not the computer activity).

[Park City Skins]

Another article about this.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9158818/Pa._schools_spy_on_students_using_laptop_webcams_c laims_lawsuit?taxonomyId=84



An assistant principal at Harriton later confirmed that the district could remotely activate the webcam in students' laptops. "Michael Robbins thereafter verified, through [Assistant Principal] Ms. Matsko, that the school district in fact has the ability to remotely activate the webcam contained in a student's personal laptop computer issued by the school district at any time it chose and to view and capture whatever images were in front of the webcam, all without the knowledge, permission or authorization of any persons then and there using the laptop computer," the lawsuit stated.

The Robbins claimed that the district did not tell them beforehand that their son's laptop webcam could be activated remotely, and added that there was no mention of the functionality in any of the documentation they received or on the district's Web site.

[Prosperity]

child porn charges on the way probably

[aREDSKIN]

The school district is in deep doo doo.

[Park City Skins]

This would be known as one of those generous amounts of defecation striking the rotary arm moments.

[GibbsFactor]

accessing the computer at any time, and spying on you while you're in the confines of your own home are two completely different things. There's a line that gets crossed somewhere between "accessing content" and "watching you in your own home via webcam". I'm not sure how one can argue that using a webcam to watch you at home constitutes, "accessing a school issued laptop remotely".

So if you are on a company laptop in the confines of your own home and run a kiddie porn ring, the company has no recourse?

And I bet this was a lone perpatrator. No chance the school would have authorized anything like this. Some IT dude has issues is all.

But don't arrest him cause it might humiliate him.

[MattFancy]

So if you are on a company laptop in the confines of your own home and run a kiddie porn ring, the company has no recourse?

And I bet this was a lone perpatrator. No chance the school would have authorized anything like this. Some IT dude has issues is all.

But don't arrest him cause it might humiliate him.

They can track your ip address. They don't need to randomly turn on the webcam to see what you're doing in your own home.

[PokerPacker]

I support the ability to track usage of said laptops since they are the school's property, however I would expect a waiver need to be signed that specifies the school will monitor laptop activity. However, spying through the webcam or microphone is inexcusable and should carry heavy, heavy consequences.

[Popeman38]

They can track your ip address. They don't need to randomly turn on the webcam to see what you're doing in your own home.
They also have the right to remotely log in and go through your files. Sometimes, counties don't have enough manpower or budget to fund a proper cyber security taskforce and resort to randomly accessing and reviewing content. Which they have the right to do if you signed a terms of service/use (or possession of said electronics was consent to monitor/access).

[GibbsFactor]

They can track your ip address. They don't need to randomly turn on the webcam to see what you're doing in your own home.

Right. I'm sure the school has a laptop policy and I'm sure the school has the ability to scan files on the laptop. I'm sure the school in no way authorized an Assistant Principle moral authority to question what someone does at home, especially by activating a webcam and spying on them. Even if the kid was doing inappropriate stuff on the laptop at home and off the school's network, they'd have very little resources or authority to even know.

He's a peeping tom and should be dealt with accordingly.

[adam@section118]

So if you are on a company laptop in the confines of your own home and run a kiddie porn ring, the company has no recourse?

And I bet this was a lone perpatrator. No chance the school would have authorized anything like this. Some IT dude has issues is all.

But don't arrest him cause it might humiliate him.

Is he a 12 year old student as well?

[GibbsFactor]

Is he a 12 year old student as well?

Does it matter?

[adam@section118]

Does it matter?

I would treat a 12 year old student who wrote on a desk differently then I would treat a adult who was spying on people in the privacy on their own home.

That's just me, though....

[Bang]

There's no defense of this, there's no grey areas to be debated.
It's flat out wrong, it's criminal, it's perverse. It's not about security, it way way out of bounds. Slap anyone involved with every charge available that may apply.
If the school system wants to monitor computer activity, install a keystroke detector and check it once a week or so. Anyone accessing sites not deemed appropriate use for a school computer shows up, remove the computer privilege from the student.
Spying on anyone in their house is Big Brother out of control.

~Bang

[Larry Brown #43]

I'm trying to think what's more astonishing...that they were doing this, or that they (presumably) believed it was ok that they were doing it.

[GibbsFactor]

I would treat a 12 year old student who wrote on a desk differently then I would treat a adult who was spying on people in the privacy on their own home.

That's just me, though....

:doh:
Who wouldn't?

What does a 12 year old writing on a desk have to do with this? Was the principle spying on a 12 year old writing on a desk? I'm confused. Enlighten me.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

[Capt Rich Fla]

Eww, all I can picture is some greasy *** janitor down in some broom closet watching kids at home.

[JimboDaMan]

No excuse for this, none. It has virtually no usefulness in telling them what the computer is being used for. Any legitimate concerns can be adressed in a number of other ways that aren't likely to allow spying on children preparing for bed.

I'll bet we're going to find out that this is not illegal though, because that's just where this country is these days.

[Johnny Punani]

Eww, all I can picture is some greasy *** janitor down in some broom closet watching kids at home.

Why does it have to be someone employed in the Custodial Arts?

Bigot...

:pfft:

[Destino]

Note to all of you... don't get laptops with built in web cams. You've been warned. Anything that has a camera or a microphone can be potentially remotely activated. This school didn't write the software for this. Things that record, watch, and listen should always be purchased in a manner in which they can be packed up and moved away from the user.

Consider a free tip and think about how many weirdos are out there.

[adam@section118]

:doh:
Who wouldn't?

What does a 12 year old writing on a desk have to do with this? Was the principle spying on a 12 year old writing on a desk? I'm confused. Enlighten me.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I do not know weather to laugh or cry at how you missed the whole point of my post.

My reply was in response to the last line of your post which I will quote below

So if you are on a company laptop in the confines of your own home and run a kiddie porn ring, the company has no recourse?

And I bet this was a lone perpatrator. No chance the school would have authorized anything like this. Some IT dude has issues is all.

But don't arrest him cause it might humiliate him.

I was assuming that line was in response to the reaction of the 12 yr old girl getting arrested. If I was incorrect I apologize

[Ned Flanders]

Note to all of you... don't get laptops with built in web cams. You've been warned. Anything that has a camera or a microphone can be potentially remotely activated.



Webcams can be defeated with a simple piece of tape......or uninstalling the drivers, or flat out disconnecting the camera from the MB......

Most don't have built in mics....

What a effed up situation though

[LaxBuddy21]

Yea I dont see how the school could justify doing something like this at all. How would you feel if you were an attractive female mother walking past the administration and not knowing who was checking you out in the privacy of your own home. This is just creepy creepy stuff and is the definition of over extending your authority. Just wait till the government decides to use peoples web cams. We already know they can activate your cell phone remotely and listen to whats going on around you.

[Dan T.]

A couple things.

As to the question of why in the world would that feature be part of the laptops, the school superintendent claims the remote activation of the webcam was to be used only in the case of lost, stolen, or missing laptops.

One parent is quoted as saying that every high school student in the district was issued a lap top. That's a hell of a nice perk for a students, aside from the whole spying on them while they dress thing. The students are now taping over the webcam lens.

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/education/021810_School_District_Accused_Of_Spying_On_Studen ts_At_Home_Over_Laptops

[Capt Rich Fla]

Why does it have to be someone employed in the Custodial Arts?

Bigot...

:pfft:

Aww come on now. I didn't mean to insult the Costdodial Engineers among us. They just always gave me the creeps in school.

[TheGreatBuzz]

When I saw the title I was assuming it was the school monitoring what the kids use the computers for or something and some parent was blowing it way out of proportion. I guess I am just so used to seeing that kind of stuff. But once I read that they were using the webcams, that is pretty screwed up. I would like some more details though. Proof they were actually using the webcam and did not get the info from something the student did on the computer, was the kid using the webcam so the computer automatically started monitoring it, etc?

I usually give the school officials a innocent until PROVEN guilty but this is hard to see how it could be innocent.

[Dan T.]

But once I read that they were using the webcams, that is pretty screwed up. I would like some more details though. Proof they were actually using the webcam and did not get the info from something the student did on the computer, was the kid using the webcam so the computer automatically started monitoring it, etc?

I usually give the school officials a innocent until PROVEN guilty but this is hard to see how it could be innocent.

From the article:

[The parents] claim Lindy Matsko, an assistant principal at Harriton High School, spied on their son, Blake, at home by remotely activating the webcam on his laptop.

The suit alleges that Matsko informed the boy that he was engaged in inappropriate behavior in his home, and cited as evidence a photograph from the webcam embedded in his laptop.

The student told his parents about the incident, the suit claims, and the boy's father confronted Matsko.

The suit claims Matsko acknowledged the school could start the webcam and take pictures whenever it wanted to.
--


So the assistant principal had a photo of the kid snapped by the webcam. That's pretty damning evidence.

[TheGreatBuzz]

From the article:


So the assistant principal had a photo of the kid snapped by the webcam. That's pretty damning evidence.

And that is part of the parents CLAIM. I did say I had a hard time believing this was innocent though.

the only way I can see this being justified is if it was made aware to the parents that ALL activity was subject to monitoring, the school didn't turn on the camera but the kid did and the computer recorded it, and the kid was doing something "unsafe" ie, taking inappropriate video. Note there is no evidence of this. However, there is no evidence, other then the parents claim, that this is not the case either. Again, I usually give school officials the benifiet of the doubt but in this case, the school needs some evidence that they didn't do anything wrong, and until I see that, I'm going to assume the school was WAY out of line.

Edit: "The suit claims Matsko acknowledged the school could start the webcam and take pictures whenever it wanted to."

Because I have little faith in any news agency these days, I would not be surprised if the above quote was twisted. It is possible that Matsko acknowledged it could be done with saying it was being done. I just would like more of the story.

[Koolblue13]

Well, there is more lazy parents than ever trying to tell teachers they are not raising their kids right, so they had to do something, when they were out of school.

Seriously though, wow is that ****ed up and wrong.

[aREDSKIN]

The school responds-

Dear LMSD Parents/Guardians,

Our history has been to go to great lengths to protect the privacy of our students, whether it comes to student health, academic or other records. In fact, many of you may remember the heated debate over whether to have security cameras monitor some of our food vending machines. Privacy is a basic right in our society and a matter we take very seriously. We believe that a good job can always be done better.

Recent publicity regarding the District's one-to-one high school laptop initiative, and questions about the security of student laptops prompted our administration to revisit security procedures.

Laptops are a frequent target for theft in schools and off school property. District laptops do contain a security feature intended to track lost, stolen and missing laptops. The security feature, which was disabled today, was installed to help locate a laptop in the event it was reported lost, missing or stolen so that the laptop could be returned to the student.

Upon a report of a suspected lost, stolen or missing laptop, the feature would be activated by the District's security and technology departments. The security feature's capabilities were limited to taking a still image of the operator and the operator's screen. This feature was only used for the narrow purpose of locating a lost, stolen or missing laptop. The District never activated the security feature for any other purpose or in any other manner whatsoever.

As a result of our preliminary review of security procedures today, I directed the following actions:

* Immediate disabling of the security-tracking program.
* A thorough review of the existing policies for student laptop use.
* A review of security procedures to help safeguard the protection of privacy, including a review of the instances in which the security software was activated. We want to ensure that any affected students and families are made aware of the outcome of laptop recovery investigations.
* A review of any other technology areas in which the intersection of privacy and security may come into play.

We are proud of the fact that we are a leader in providing laptops to every high school student as part of our instructional program. But we need to be equally as proud of the safeguards we have in place to protect the privacy of the users, as well as to safeguard district-owned property while being used by students.

We regret if this situation has caused any concern or inconvenience among our students and families. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at info@lmsd.org. Additional information has been posted on our website, www.lmsd.org.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Dr. Christopher W. McGinley
Superintendent of Schools
Lower Merion School District


http://www.lmsd.org/sections/news/default.php?t=today&p=lmsd_anno&id=1138

[TheGreatBuzz]

The school responds-

Dear LMSD Parents/Guardians,

Our history has been to go to great lengths to protect the privacy of our ....

http://www.lmsd.org/sections/news/default.php?t=today&p=lmsd_anno&id=1138


Sounds to me like having that feature makes sense. Now as to how that feature got turned on in this case, I'd like to see them address that. Or if it even happened and the kid made up/embellished the whole thing.

[TMK9973]

The school response is lacking on one BIG gap.

The asst principal approached a student about behavior he was doing at HOME!

That is a contradiction of saying the security feature was ONLY used for lost laptops.

[Dan T.]

The school response is lacking on one BIG gap.

The asst principal approached a student about behavior he was doing at HOME!

That is a contradiction of saying the security feature was ONLY used for lost laptops.

Exactly. Busted! .. and I mean the asst. principal, not the kid.

[Koolblue13]

Thank you school for being so concerned about my attractive 16 year old daughter, while she sits in here bedroom, in her pajamas.

That was very thoughtful.

[aREDSKIN]

The school response is lacking on one BIG gap.

The asst principal approached a student about behavior he was doing at HOME!

That is a contradiction of saying the security feature was ONLY used for lost laptops.



Legal mitigation strategy perhaps.

From another source-

"While high school rumor mills are famously productive, the tech blog Gizmodo reported on Thursday that another student in the district claimed that some students had noticed the camera lights on their school-issued Apple laptops apparently turning on at random before the lawsuit was filed. According to the unnamed student:

Frequently, the green lights next to our iSight webcams will turn on. The school district claims that this is just a glitch. We are all doubting this now."


http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/school-accused-of-using-webcam-to-photograph-student-at-home/?hp

[Rocky21]

The school system threw the Asst. principle under the bus with that press release. Hellllooooo lawsuit.

Seriously how ****ed up is Philthydelphia?

[Dan T.]

Somewhat lost in all this is that, apparently, every fricking high school kid in that district gets a laptop to use from the school. That is an amazing perk to me. I assume that is extremely rare for a public school system to do - or maybe I am out of touch.

[LaxBuddy21]

Somewhat lost in all this is that, apparently, every fricking high school kid in that district gets a laptop to use from the school. That is an amazing perk to me. I assume that is extremely rare for a public school system to do - or maybe I am out of touch.

Nah they usually give out cars to drive when you are a junior and senior as well :silly:

[Bang]

Somewhat lost in all this is that, apparently, every fricking high school kid in that district gets a laptop to use from the school. That is an amazing perk to me. I assume that is extremely rare for a public school system to do - or maybe I am out of touch.

It is an amazing perk. Unfortunately it came with a gigantic string attached. An unneccesary string, at that. There are better ways to track unauthorized use of the computer without spying with a camera. There are much better security devices in case of theft than a camera.

~Bang

[Larry Brown #43]

It is an amazing perk. Unfortunately it came with a gigantic string attached. An unneccesary string, at that. There are better ways to track unauthorized use of the computer without spying with a camera. There are much better security devices in case of theft than a camera.


Yeah, it's kind of like giving someone a free car to drive around in. Oh but by the way, there just happens to be a venemous snake under your seat.

[Dan T.]

It is an amazing perk. Unfortunately it came with a gigantic string attached. An unneccesary string, at that. There are better ways to track unauthorized use of the computer without spying with a camera. There are much better security devices in case of theft than a camera.

~Bang

No argument at all. The potential for abuse is astounding. But I just thought it an amazing sidebar that the school district equips all their students with laptops.

[Larry Brown #43]

By the way, that school district--Lower Merion--is where Kobe Bryant went to high school. He went to Lower Merion High School--not the exact school in question, but definitely that school district that's being discussed.

I recall him coming out of Lower Merion High School when he entered the NBA draft.

[Bang]

No argument at all. The potential for abuse is astounding. But I just thought it an amazing sidebar that the school district equips all their students with laptops.

I totally agree. the fact that they gave students laptops gives me hope for our future.

On a sidebar.. my son will be a HS freshman next year, so last night we went to orientation. Now, they won't give him a laptop, but they do have some really amazing programs in place now. Each student is to choose a career path, which creates a program designed for that. They are encouraged to prepare for their future, and the programs that they have in place are pretty impressive.
The engineering pathway was unbelievably good. I sat there listening to them lay it out and my jaw was hanging open. (My son is interested, and I couldn't be happier.) It's hands on, problem solving oriented. By the time they reach 11th grade they'll actually be earning college credit, going to UofMD to work side by side with scientists. There are financial perks to encourage them through college like tuition assistance. The only request being that after they leave college they put four years in to public service in their field. The beauty is they enter that field at the salary level of a 3rd tier engineer instead of entry level.
One hell of an incentive, in my mind.

The biggest impression I got is that they are not interested in just passing kids along anymore. They are truly preparing them for the future, and they are offering outstanding incentives based on the needs of our society.

~Bang

[Koolblue13]

Bang, that's amazing. That is at a public school?

[Bang]

Bang, that's amazing. That is at a public school?

Yes, Patuxent High School in southern Calvert County Maryland.
Like I said, I was blown away. I don't know if this is an offshoot of the No Child Left Behind incentives, but in my mind, this is a prime example of how government can work for us. The future is of paramount importance, and it shows that they recognize it.

~Bang

[Veretax]

so wonderful find the laptop camera and cover it with felt and tape or something... problem solved :D

[Bang]

so wonderful find the laptop camera and cover it with felt and tape or something... problem solved :D

Sort of.
That's like saying in order to stop the pervert who's spying on your daughter, have her change in the other room.
The solution is simple. Find whoever turned on the cameras and slap every charge in the book on them.

~bang

[Koolblue13]

Yes, Patuxent High School in southern Calvert County Maryland.
Like I said, I was blown away. I don't know if this is an offshoot of the No Child Left Behind incentives, but in my mind, this is a prime example of how government can work for us. The future is of paramount importance, and it shows that they recognize it.

~Bang

That's great. That could really "move kids along" in the right way.

I wish I had some kid of program like that, when I went to school.

[PokerPacker]

On a side note, this business of giving out laptops is an example of money in education being wasted. We don't need a laptop for every student, we don't need smart boards and projectors in every classroom... so much wasted money in education that could be either removed from the budget or put towards teacher salaries.

[Dan T.]

Now the FBI is looking into the case:

Official: FBI probing Pa. school webcam spy case
By MARYCLAIRE DALE, Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA – The FBI is investigating a Pennsylvania school district accused of secretly activating webcams inside students' homes, a law enforcement official with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press on Friday.

The FBI will explore whether Lower Merion School District officials broke any federal wiretap or computer-intrusion laws, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Days after a student filed suit over the practice, Lower Merion officials acknowledged Friday that they remotely activated webcams 42 times in the past 14 months, but only to find missing student laptops. They insist they never did so to spy on students, as the student's family claimed in the federal lawsuit.

Families were not informed of the possibility the webcams might be activated in their homes without their permission in the paperwork students sign when they get the computers, district spokesman Doug Young said.

"It's clear what was in place was insufficient, and that's unacceptable," Young said.

The district has suspended the practice amid the lawsuit and the accompanying uproar from students, the community and privacy advocates. District officials hired outside counsel to review the past webcam activations and advise the district on related issues, Young said.

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_laptops_spying_on_students

[Vilandil Tasardur]

Yes, Patuxent High School in southern Calvert County Maryland.
Like I said, I was blown away. I don't know if this is an offshoot of the No Child Left Behind incentives, but in my mind, this is a prime example of how government can work for us. The future is of paramount importance, and it shows that they recognize it.

~Bang
Not to hijack the thread, but I'm wondering how much flexibility those sort of programs have. I'm a sophmore in college, I've changed my major once and know people who have more than that.

In high school I thought I wanted to be a writer until 11th grade, when I became very much a history buff. As I graduated and spent my senior year's summer I developed an interest in biology as well.

What's going to happen to your son if, when in his 11th grade year, he goes "Man, this math is really hard and I'm not enjoying engineering. I really enjoyed that forensics class I took though..."

Do these programs bear that flexibility? Would your son be behind of he does switch because he wouldn't be in the new program since freshman year?


Again, I didn't mean to hijack the thread. I just thought that program sounded amazing and wanted to know how it addresses these things.


On topic...I hope the entire school district goes down. If the story had broken with a teenage girl being caught doing something in her room instead of a teenage boy, the backlash would be all the worse. This is flatly WRONG.

[Veretax]

With as much money as we spend on education, you'd think a computer every four years to do work on would be included LOL

[KAOSkins]

I have a laptop from work with webcams and I put tape over them because I was parry about this exact thing. Not that I do anything I'd have to worry about...:paranoid:. Seems awful close to unreasonable search IMO, at least in the case of the student.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0219/Teen-says-school-spied-on-him-at-home-via-school-issued-laptop

"A Pennsylvania high-schooler has accused school officials of spying on him at home by remotely activating his laptop webcam. The case has sparked a new flurry of attention to the legal and ethical issues swirling around technology and education."

-continued at link

edit: missed it my bad

[THEREALTOR1]

http://www.extremeskins.com/showthread.php?t=317568

[Dan T.]

The family's lawyer said in a clip on NBC news last night that the assistant principal had a webcam shot of their son with pills in his hand. That was the "inappropriate behavior" he was called out on, with the webcam photo as evidence, and he was brought in to see if he was dealing drugs. Except, according to the lawyer, the "pills" were actually Mike and Ike candy which, according to the lawyer, the kid eats a lot of.

[Bang]

The family's lawyer said in a clip on NBC news last night that the assistant principal had a webcam shot of their son with pills in his hand. That was the "inappropriate behavior" he was called out on, with the webcam photo as evidence, and he was brought in to see if he was dealing drugs. Except, according to the lawyer, the "pills" were actually Mike and Ike candy which, according to the lawyer, the kid eats a lot of.

Wow.

http://ericatwitts.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/big-brother-is-watching-you1.jpeg

This assistant principal needs to be making license plates in prison.

~Bang

[Vilandil Tasardur]

I've never understood why the school system has the power to punish the students for illegal activity outside of school anyways.

If the kid WAS dealing pills out of his room and never brought any to school, it isn't their business. I knew girls who got suspended because they got caught drinking in their own home; how is it the schools right to knock them educationally for a bad decision they made miles away off school property.

[Bang]

I've never understood why the school system has the power to punish the students for illegal activity outside of school anyways.

If the kid WAS dealing pills out of his room and never brought any to school, it isn't their business. I knew girls who got suspended because they got caught drinking in their own home; how is it the schools right to knock them educationally for a bad decision they made miles away off school property.

Same right your company has to fire you if you get arrested for doing something away from the workplace.
If a kid is dealing drugs, regardless of where he is, as a parent I don't want him in my kid's school. The school has a responsibility to protect it's students.

And, for an even further reason, here in America we treat the courts like a giant ATM machine. we sue at the drop of a hat. If a kid ODs, well, sue the school for not keeping the dealers off the premises.

When you break the law, you lose certain rights. Like it or not.

Now, that still doesn't excuse the school from spying like this, but that is why they can extend their policies beyond school grounds.

~Bang

[DeaconBlue]

Same right your company has to fire you if you get arrested for doing something away from the workplace.
If a kid is dealing drugs, regardless of where he is, as a parent I don't want him in my kid's school. The school has a responsibility to protect it's students.

And, for an even further reason, here in America we treat the courts like a giant ATM machine. we sue at the drop of a hat. If a kid ODs, well, sue the school for not keeping the dealers off the premises.

When you break the law, you lose certain rights. Like it or not.

Now, that still doesn't excuse the school from spying like this, but that is why they can extend their policies beyond school grounds.

~Bang

Again I have to disagree with you Bang. The relationship is different entirely. At work you were hired and serve at the behest of and as a representative of that company/business. Not so with the public school system. It's more like a business and its customers, with the students as the children of the taxpaying parents being the customer. Its a problem with public school system that Ive always had. The administrators have always seemed to be under the delusion that the parents and students served them rather than the other way round. An attitude that has always set my teeth on edge. So NO. The school is not entitled to enforce anything off school premises or not as part of a school function. And yes when you commit a d=crime you do lose certian rights , to the criminal justice system. Not the public school system.

[HighOnHendrix]

Wow.

http://ericatwitts.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/big-brother-is-watching-you1.jpeg


~Bang

Sigh. We're getting closer to that reality all the time. :( With a little Cameron Bergeron on the side.

[HighOnHendrix]

Update:

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/school-allegedly-spied-via-web-cams-19196035#video=19196035

[China]

Even more detail:


PHILADELPHIA - A suburban school district secretly captured at least 56,000 webcam photographs and screen shots from laptops issued to high school students, its lawyer acknowledged Monda.

"It's clear there were students likely captured in their homes," said lawyer Henry Hockeimer, who represents the Lower Merion School District.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/article/pa-district-took-56000-images-on-student/912040/

56,000 is a little bit more than what you would expect from the 42 times the laptops were accessed as originally claimed.

Click on the link for the full article

[sideshow24]

Even more detail:



http://www.dailyfinance.com/article/pa-district-took-56000-images-on-student/912040/

56,000 is a little bit more than what you would expect from the 42 times the laptops were accessed as originally claimed.

Click on the link for the full article

Fox news says they were programmed to take a picture every fifteen minutes.

[Thiebear]

The one student Blake Robbins was said to have a "couple' pictures taken of him per previous remarks.

couple now = over 400

[Johnny Punani]

That school system and county are so screwed it is not even funny. I wouldn't be surprised if the county had to file for bankruptcy because of all the civil cases against the school system. Those people who authorized this better get used to the fact some of them will be doing some jail time and their careers are over.

[JimboDaMan]

The one student Blake Robbins was said to have a "couple' pictures taken of him per previous remarks.

couple now = over 400The school is saying since he didn't pay the required insurance fee he wasn't allowed to take the laptop home. He took it home without authorization, so they turned on the "lost-computer" function.

But...if they knew where the computer was - at his home - why would they need to take pictures? Why not just tell him to bring it back?

Especially since the computer apparently has a GPS device so they can locate it easily.

And if for some reason they absolutely had to have a picture, why did they need 400?

There are emails chuckling about how turning the cameras on is like watching a soap opera. Somebody goin' to jail over this.

[MattFancy]

There is no way the school system gets away with this. Like I said before, they can monitor what the students were doing on the computers at their homes, but there is no need to take pictures and record videos of them in their homes.

[Drop]

There is no way the school system gets away with this. Like I said before, they can monitor what the students were doing on the computers at their homes, but there is no need to take pictures and record videos of them in their homes.


completely agree with you like i did a couple months ago. This is ridiculous. There was a MAJOR line crossed between here.