US school official defended
PHILADELPHIA - A SUBURBAN Philadelphia school district accused
of secretly switching on laptop computer webcams inside students'
homes says it never used webcam images to monitor or discipline
students and believes one of its administrators has been 'unfairly
portrayed and unjustly attacked.'
The Lower Merion School District, in response to a suit filed by
a student, has acknowledged that webcams were remotely activated 42
times in the past 14 months, but only to find missing, lost or
stolen laptops - which the district noted would include 'a loaner
computer that, against regulations, might be taken off campus.'
'Despite some reports to the contrary, be assured that the
security-tracking software has been completely disabled,'
Superintendent Christopher W. McGinley said in a statement on the
district's Web site late on Friday. Officials vowed a comprehensive
review that Mr McGinley said should result in stronger privacy
policies.
Harriton High School student Blake Robbins and his parents,
Michael and Holly Robbins, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on
Tuesday against the district, its board of directors and McGinley.
They accused the school of turning on the webcam in his computer
while it was inside their Penn Valley home, which they allege
violated wiretap laws and his right to privacy.
The suit, which seeks class-action status, alleges that Harriton
vice principal Lindy Matsko on Nov 11 cited a laptop photo in
telling Blake that the school thought he was engaging in improper
behavior. He and his family have told reporters that an official
mistook a piece of candy for a pill and thought he was selling
drugs. Neither the family nor their attorney, Mark Haltzman,
returned calls this week seeking comment. A listed number for
Matsko could not be found.
'We believe that the administrator at Harriton has been unfairly
portrayed and unjustly attacked in connection with her attempts to
be supportive of a student and his family,' the statement on the
Lower Merion School District site said. 'The district never did and
never would use such tactics as a basis for disciplinary action.' A
district spokesman declined further comment on the statement on
Saturday.
-- AP