Anyone who had knowledge of the surveillance capabilities with the laptop giveaway to students at the PA Lower Merion School District should be fired. Pending criminal prosecution. Period. From the Washington Post
Lower Merion officials confirmed last week they had activated the webcams to find 42 missing or stolen laptops, without the knowledge or permission of students and their families. Both the FBI and local authorities are investigating whether the district broke any wiretap, computer-use or other laws.
The district has been asked by the FBI to not wipe any computers during the investigation.
There are boundaries folks.
The very reason we have constitutional protections like the 4th amendment is that there are glibly ignorant authoritative figures who really could give a rats ass about your personal privacy. For the good of the school, and loss of Laptops be damned. The sheer stupidity of anyone who was knowledgeable that the cameras could be turned on and broadcast back images where students are, is incredible.
And if it was not stupid… it was criminal intent, either by willful disregard for the constitutionality of the program, or a way to hide other illicit acts of perversion.
The investigation is extremely understated at this point. And whichever explanation follows, not a single school board member should remain when it is over. The participation in this program, either actively or passive is by any standard of decency, Unacceptable.
Could it happen here? ..maybe it has.
