School used student laptops to spy

[BOTWKNKTL85]

So I've been a lurker on here and the CS board for a few months but the following story made me so outraged that I registered just to post it.

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/17...Boing+Boing%29

From the article:
According to the filings in Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School District (PA) et al, the laptops issued to high-school students in the well-heeled Philly suburb have webcams that can be covertly activated by the schools' administrators, who have used this facility to spy on students and even their families. The issue came to light when the Robbins's child was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" and the Vice Principal used a photo taken by the webcam as evidence. The suit is a class action, brought on behalf of all students issued with these machines.

Who would think this was a GOOD idea?

[draggar]

So many laws broken, so little time. Did they even consult anyone with any kind of law education?

[elsporko]

Scoff if you will but the laptops given to the cheerleading squad paid for the school's new goalposts.

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

Scoff if you will but the laptops given to the cheerleading squad paid for the school's new goalposts.

That did make me chuckle but we are talking about a serious invasion of privacy here. What at student does at home is NO CONCERN of the school. Privacy is a constitutionally guaranteed right, you can't just stomp all over it and expect no repercussions.

[Nyoibo]

They turn that web cam on at the wrong moment while the laptop is in a kids room and voila, they are now guilty of producing child porn.

[PepperElf]

OH MY GOD

Yes this is a serious issue and a lawsuit from hell.

Many states have laws pertaining to video cameras and recording when there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Since there is EVERY possibility that the student will be using the laptop in the bedroom - and will be changing and getting naked in the bedroom, this falls into that category.



And that bring up another GIANT can of worms... Pedophiles.

Don't get me wrong - i harbor no belief that every teacher is a pedophile. But there are *some*. Therefore allowing adult teachers even the possibility of spying on underage children in a state of undress is ultimately ... well a fucked up idea.

[Rageaholic]

This is a new low for the public school system which is saying something! Unfortunately, it's so typical for the schools to want to control what goes on at home. Never mind that they have the students 35 hours a week, plus several more hours of homework, and extra ciricular stuff, they feel they should control their lives. From my experience, the public school system is nothing more than fucked up beaurocracy and totalitarianist attitude (everyone has to be the same). I'm sure there are good schools that don't fall into that category, but the one's I've dealt with and this particular school district can go straight to hell!

Now that I got that rant out of the way, I have to ask, what was the "improper behavior at home" they accused him of? Did they see him doing something probably every teenage boy (and girl) does when they hit puberty? I mean, he probably wouldn't have done it at school, and since he's not at school, it shouldn't matter. They were the ones spying on him without his knowledge so they should have expected that he'd do things he wouldn't be allowed to do in school.

Now let's say what they saw was something of concern (like violence), than they should get the police involved. But since they haven't, I can assume it was something not so serious. And even if that was the case, there are still lines you don't cross, especially since they don't really know what they'll find out about their students personal lives.

They need to stop acting all high and mighty, thinking they know what's best for everyone.

[Rageaholic]

And that bring up another GIANT can of worms... Pedophiles.

Don't get me wrong - i harbor no belief that every teacher is a pedophile. But there are *some*. Therefore allowing adult teachers even the possibility of spying on underage children in a state of undress is ultimately ... well a fucked up idea.

Even those who believe the School should keep tabs on children off school grounds should see the problem with that. Exposing children to pedophiles? Yeah, great idea! What benefit did they expect to gain from this? Or do they consider opening themselves up to class action lawsuits a benefit?

[elsporko]

They turn that web cam on at the wrong moment while the laptop is in a kids room and voila, they are now guilty of producing child porn.

Wrong time... or right time?

[Fryk]

This is an evil breach of security, to be sure, but I want to ask another question.

What kind of brain-diseased MORON would think to publicly state "Hey, we spied on you via your laptop and caught you doing something we think is improper. Here is a photo to prove that we did it. And here's your detention slip!"

What in the world would someone think gave them the right? And where is the "Improper Behavior at Home" violation stated in the school's policy? How the flying fuck did that ge on there??!

Ok, that's more than one question. Sorry.

[DrFaroohk]

Yeah, the school can dictate what me and my kids can do in my home as soon as they start forking out some $$$ for all our bills. Then they can have some say.

School administrators need to remember one thing: YOU WORK FOR ME. I am your boss. The money that gets taken out of my paycheck, the tax I pay on a candy bar, it all eventually winds up in the same place, which is your pocket. I pay your fucking salary. Watch yourself.

[Nyoibo]

They also pay their own salaries, their taxes pay them.

[the_std]

School administrators need to remember one thing: YOU WORK FOR ME. I am your boss. The money that gets taken out of my paycheck, the tax I pay on a candy bar, it all eventually winds up in the same place, which is your pocket. I pay your fucking salary. Watch yourself.

This is a very SC argument. You are not their boss, unless you are higher up the chain than them in the school board. Yes, the taxes you pay on things contribute to the funds from which they draw your salary, but you get no extra say over them. By your logic, everyone is their boss. Why should they listen to you?

I'm not saying what happened here is right, just pointing out a serious flaw in your argument.

[telecom_goddess]

Does anyone know what this "improper behavior at home" was? I can't believe that you can't behave the way you want at your own home...that the school thinks they have a right to dictate how you live. I don't believe in that philosophy for work or school...what I do at home is MY business not theirs.

[Rageaholic]

Yeah, the school can dictate what me and my kids can do in my home as soon as they start forking out some $$$ for all our bills. Then they can have some say.

School administrators need to remember one thing: YOU WORK FOR ME. I am your boss. The money that gets taken out of my paycheck, the tax I pay on a candy bar, it all eventually winds up in the same place, which is your pocket. I pay your fucking salary. Watch yourself.

EXACTLY.

That's not to say we are their bosses, but there is something wrong when we pay for some other entity and they try to dictate our lives. Even if they were paying me something, I would still have a hard time when them trying to control people they way they try to.

Does anyone know what this "improper behavior at home" was? I can't believe that you can't behave the way you want at your own home...that the school thinks they have a right to dictate how you live. I don't believe in that philosophy for work or school...what I do at home is MY business not theirs.

My guess would be "experimenting" with himself, something every teenager does. They weren't very specific so I can only fill in the blanks. And if they did catch it on tape, then that would not only be child pornography charges, but blackmail as well.

So yeah, I bet he was masturbating.