Got your attention? Yeah, just like this article on BoingBoing got mine.
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.
Hell yeah they should be suing. Schools should have no right to discipline or shame children for things that happen off school property.
As if this isn’t disturbing enough the high school in our neighborhood is paperless, doing all their school work on school issued Macs. Looks like in addition to checking for homework, notes and head lice I’ll be keeping a box of band aids to put over the laptop webcam every night. One more reson why you really need to stay involved with your child’s school.
