IT'S AN INVASION OF PRIVACY and the outrage is palpable. School administrators distribute free computer laptops to all of its 2,300 students at Harriton High School in Ardmore, PA., a well-heeled Philly suburb. And then they use the laptops' webcams to spy on the teenagers when the students are at home.
It's hard to believe -- your school principal is a Peeping Tom, maybe breaking child pornography laws. And, it looks as if the Superintendent of the school district is lying to cover his own sorry ass along with the heinies of the high school's administrators.
AMERICAN EDUCATION IS A MESS
The American educational system slides lower and lower with each passing day and each news story of abuse by teachers, coaches, counselors, principals -- even school secretaries. I am truly amazed that parents haven't stormed the schools and school board meetings with baseball bats in hand.
If your kid is a student in the Lower Merion School District, you may want to have a one-on-one with Superintendent Dr. Christopher W. McGinley (pictured right). Advise him that parents -- actually no one -- believes his attempt at subterfuge. It's as if he shouted "I do not have a receding hairline."
First, more explanation of what happened, drawing attention that a problem existed.
SECRET, REMOTE ACTIVATION
Remember, the school district gave all of the high school students laptops (MacBooks) with webcams that can be secretly activated by the schools' administrators, who use the ability to spy on students and even their families. That's what the class action suit, brought on behalf of all students, claimed in the filings in Blake J. Robbins v Lower Merion School District et al.
BIG BROTHER CREEPY
This is really "Big Brother" creepy -- the Robbins' 15 year-old-boy was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" and the Vice Principal used a photo taken by the webcam as evidence. The photo was obtained by remotely activating the MacBook without the user's knowledge. We don't know what was the alleged 'improper behavior.' But, of course, it doesn't make any difference -- the school has no right to spy on the student in his own home.
The school district admits that student laptops were shipped with software for covertly activating their webcams. However, it denies any wrongdoing.
WE BELIEVE IN PRIVACY RIGHTS
"Privacy is a basic right in our society and a matter we take very seriously," says He With the Receding Hairline, Superintendent McGinley, in an e-mail to parents and guardians.
"The security feature (accessing laptop's webcam remotely), 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."
WHAT CLASS-ACTION SUIT?
The ICMA (I'm covering my ass) superintendent, did not recognize any wrongdoing and colored the whole incident and privacy invasion issue as a "security feature." Oh, Brother. He didn't even mention the class- action suit.
Students are telling the media that they are using black tape to cover the lenses of their webcams -- just in case they're next to be secretly watched, and the school system calls it "a technical glitch" next time.
There are numerous measures that could have been implemented to avoid all of this, according to ZDNet, including: respecting a student's privacy when at home, informing parents of the remote control feature, signatures on waivers, discussions at school board meetings.
It's amazing that the school district ignored all. Just how many millions can it afford to lose in law suits?
by Sharon McEachern
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