BIG TEACHER IS WATCHING YOU

[Katganistan]

Oy vey... Someone really, really, REALLY wasn't thinking.

Stop watching me, Mod!

*watches*

[Katganistan]

I'd say that the reason a bunch of high school (I gather that's what this is?) teachers would want to have cameras in their students houses and bedrooms is fairly obvious.

Do tell.

[Katganistan]

[the peanut gallery speaks]

"The laptop computers that will be issued to all Lower Merion and Harriton students are the property of Lower Merion School District. Students are responsible for the appropriate use of these laptops both at school and at home. The laptops are for the use of students for educational purposes. All commercial, illegal, unethical and inappropriate use of these laptops is expressly prohibited....

...shall not be used:
...
for gambling or commercial purposes or for any non-school related
purposes;"

[1] The laptop is school property, not personal property...
[2] Students are responsible for their use at home as well as school
[3] Commercial use is prohibited...
[4] non-school related purposes are also prohibited...

Perhaps I should come to your parents store, write my credit card info on a yellow sticky... and plaster it on the front their register, then turn around get a lawyer and sue them for violating my privacy... Because this makes about as much sense as what you're saying... Which is none what-so-ever... The laptop's are not for processing credit cards... they are not for checking facebook... they are not for playing games, they are not for tons of shit... so to claim a right to privacy in a case where you're illegally appropriating equipment (read stealing) is absurd... There is absolutely no expectation of privacy on the property of another...

I figured that there would be some sort of agreement like this in place, since we have the same sort of thing here.

As I said, parents and students often don't read the fine print, and then whinge when there are consequences for inappropriate use. That being said, the whole spying on the families thing was wrong. Who invented a camera that could do that, and who made it available for retail sale?

"Families were not informed of the possibility the webcams might be activated in their homes without their permission in the paperwork students sign when they get the computers, district spokesman Doug Young said."

[Axis Nova]

Katganistan, can you condense your posts, please? A triple post is both unneccesary and spammy, especially when two of them are just small quotes.

[Bazatia]

Katganistan, can you condense your posts, please? A triple post is both unneccesary and spammy, especially when two of them are just small quotes.

Hahahahaha, this is so ironic

[Katganistan]

Katganistan, can you condense your posts, please? A triple post is both unneccesary and spammy, especially when two of them are just small quotes.

Sorry, I answer as I read posts, and unlike the Jolt forum, there's no easy way to merge posts.

[West Floradia]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE

Now that that's over with, on to the (semi) coherent rant.

First off, who the FUCK thought this was a good idea? "I know, let's give students laptops with built-in webcams! and then we can use the webcams to spy on them even off campus! wheeee!"

Second off, does the school district REALLY FUCKING THINK anyone READS the shit they make the parents sign? no. You, here, dotted line, sign. Though, this is the parents' fault, they should have known what they were signing and BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THE ASSHOLE WHO DECIDED THIS.

Third- Okay, okay. I don't know if this has been brought up and I'm too lazy to read the rest of the thread right now, but apparently the webcams were set up that way so that if they were reported missing, the school could find them. Uh, children, can we say FUCKING BULLSHIT? IF the webcams are built in, the stolen/missing laptop would likely be closed, and the webcam wouldn't be able to see anything, unless the thief was actually using it. Wouldn't somebody have pointed this out?

Fourth- the kid got in trouble for something AT HOME. I don't know what it was, but the school has no business controlling what goes on at home. Home is the parents' responsibility, and school has no place there. Schools in general are trying to gain more control over students- drug testing, uniforms, zero-tolerance, longer school days- schools are turning into fucking prisons! And now they're sending out laptops with built-in webcams to SPY ON STUDENTS (even if they are trying to "locate missing items") and get them in trouble for shit they do at HOME?! OFF CAMPUS?!

I'm so glad I'm getting the fuck out of high school fascist hell in June.

[Blob-land]

Huh?

Because the webcam can capture anything happening in the room where the laptop is, district personnel could illicitly observe plenty more than a student's online activity, the lawsuit alleges.

I'm assuming the webcams were integrated into the laptops, so it would be pointing away from the screen. How would they be able to use the webcam itself to monitor the online activity in the first place?

So was the computer monitoring keystrokes, and online usage? Were the webcams controlled remotely? So bizarre. I can't imagine how something like this would even pass the fantasy stage.

My school issued laptop does monitor key strokes... thankfully, it does not have a webcam.

I would not accept a laptop from my school in the first place.
Well... I don't suppose there's a choice. I would just search "puppies" everyday to seem good.

See, I'd freak them out by looking up anarchist websites and reading slash fiction

I'd freak em' out searching things like "Pipe Bombs, how to" or "kittens with shotguns". Just for fun.

[Katganistan]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE

Now that that's over with, on to the (semi) coherent rant.

First off, who the FUCK thought this was a good idea? "I know, let's give students laptops with built-in webcams! and then we can use the webcams to spy on them even off campus! wheeee!"

Second off, does the school district REALLY FUCKING THINK anyone READS the shit they make the parents sign? no. You, here, dotted line, sign. Though, this is the parents' fault, they should have known what they were signing and BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THE ASSHOLE WHO DECIDED THIS.

Third- Okay, okay. I don't know if this has been brought up and I'm too lazy to read the rest of the thread right now, but apparently the webcams were set up that way so that if they were reported missing, the school could find them. Uh, children, can we say FUCKING BULLSHIT? IF the webcams are built in, the stolen/missing laptop would likely be closed, and the webcam wouldn't be able to see anything, unless the thief was actually using it. Wouldn't somebody have pointed this out?

Fourth- the kid got in trouble for something AT HOME. I don't know what it was, but the school has no business controlling what goes on at home. Home is the parents' responsibility, and school has no place there. Schools in general are trying to gain more control over students- drug testing, uniforms, zero-tolerance, longer school days- schools are turning into fucking prisons! And now they're sending out laptops with built-in webcams to SPY ON STUDENTS (even if they are trying to "locate missing items") and get them in trouble for shit they do at HOME?! OFF CAMPUS?!

I'm so glad I'm getting the fuck out of high school fascist hell in June.

I think we're all in agreement that it was completely wrong of schools to monitor students at home by remotely turning on webcams, but if you think "I didn't read it," is a valid way to get out of a contract, you're sadly mistaken. There are plenty of people who didn't read the contract and were told by the courts, "It was your responsibility to read the fine print."

[West Floradia]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE

Now that that's over with, on to the (semi) coherent rant.

First off, who the FUCK thought this was a good idea? "I know, let's give students laptops with built-in webcams! and then we can use the webcams to spy on them even off campus! wheeee!"

Second off, does the school district REALLY FUCKING THINK anyone READS the shit they make the parents sign? no. You, here, dotted line, sign. Though, this is the parents' fault, they should have known what they were signing and BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THE ASSHOLE WHO DECIDED THIS.

Third- Okay, okay. I don't know if this has been brought up and I'm too lazy to read the rest of the thread right now, but apparently the webcams were set up that way so that if they were reported missing, the school could find them. Uh, children, can we say FUCKING BULLSHIT? IF the webcams are built in, the stolen/missing laptop would likely be closed, and the webcam wouldn't be able to see anything, unless the thief was actually using it. Wouldn't somebody have pointed this out?

Fourth- the kid got in trouble for something AT HOME. I don't know what it was, but the school has no business controlling what goes on at home. Home is the parents' responsibility, and school has no place there. Schools in general are trying to gain more control over students- drug testing, uniforms, zero-tolerance, longer school days- schools are turning into fucking prisons! And now they're sending out laptops with built-in webcams to SPY ON STUDENTS (even if they are trying to "locate missing items") and get them in trouble for shit they do at HOME?! OFF CAMPUS?!

I'm so glad I'm getting the fuck out of high school fascist hell in June.

I think we're all in agreement that it was completely wrong of schools to monitor students at home by remotely turning on webcams, but if you think "I didn't read it," is a valid way to get out of a contract, you're sadly mistaken. There are plenty of people who didn't read the contract and were told by the courts, "It was your responsibility to read the fine print."

I'm not saying that. I'm just saying, very few people read the fine print, and you'd think the ones who do would tell someone. The parents should have looked though, and then challenged the rule BEFORE this sort of thing happened. It's not a valid way, and it's going to be sticky for them in court.

But still, why do schools bother teaching us what the Bill of Rights is if they're going to violate it repeatedly and in as many ways as they can?

[Katganistan]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE

Now that that's over with, on to the (semi) coherent rant.

First off, who the FUCK thought this was a good idea? "I know, let's give students laptops with built-in webcams! and then we can use the webcams to spy on them even off campus! wheeee!"

Second off, does the school district REALLY FUCKING THINK anyone READS the shit they make the parents sign? no. You, here, dotted line, sign. Though, this is the parents' fault, they should have known what they were signing and BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THE ASSHOLE WHO DECIDED THIS.

Third- Okay, okay. I don't know if this has been brought up and I'm too lazy to read the rest of the thread right now, but apparently the webcams were set up that way so that if they were reported missing, the school could find them. Uh, children, can we say FUCKING BULLSHIT? IF the webcams are built in, the stolen/missing laptop would likely be closed, and the webcam wouldn't be able to see anything, unless the thief was actually using it. Wouldn't somebody have pointed this out?

Fourth- the kid got in trouble for something AT HOME. I don't know what it was, but the school has no business controlling what goes on at home. Home is the parents' responsibility, and school has no place there. Schools in general are trying to gain more control over students- drug testing, uniforms, zero-tolerance, longer school days- schools are turning into fucking prisons! And now they're sending out laptops with built-in webcams to SPY ON STUDENTS (even if they are trying to "locate missing items") and get them in trouble for shit they do at HOME?! OFF CAMPUS?!

I'm so glad I'm getting the fuck out of high school fascist hell in June.

I think we're all in agreement that it was completely wrong of schools to monitor students at home by remotely turning on webcams, but if you think "I didn't read it," is a valid way to get out of a contract, you're sadly mistaken. There are plenty of people who didn't read the contract and were told by the courts, "It was your responsibility to read the fine print."

I'm not saying that. I'm just saying, very few people read the fine print, and you'd think the ones who do would tell someone. The parents should have looked though, and then challenged the rule BEFORE this sort of thing happened. It's not a valid way, and it's going to be sticky for them in court.

But still, why do schools bother teaching us what the Bill of Rights is if they're going to violate it repeatedly and in as many ways as they can?

Please remember this is ONE school, and that you've had multiple teachers in this thread (myself included) express horror and disapproval that ANY school system would think this appropriate.

[West Floradia]

I'd say that the reason a bunch of high school (I gather that's what this is?) teachers would want to have cameras in their students houses and bedrooms is fairly obvious.

Not teachers. Administrators. teachers are, in general, quite caring, but fairly hands-off about what the students do at home, as long as it includes the night's homework. Administrators are soulless demonic bastards who only care about image, and really couldn't give a shit about the students at all. In general. Not many good administrators, nor too many bad teachers (in my experience).

[West Floradia]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE

Now that that's over with, on to the (semi) coherent rant.

First off, who the FUCK thought this was a good idea? "I know, let's give students laptops with built-in webcams! and then we can use the webcams to spy on them even off campus! wheeee!"

Second off, does the school district REALLY FUCKING THINK anyone READS the shit they make the parents sign? no. You, here, dotted line, sign. Though, this is the parents' fault, they should have known what they were signing and BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THE ASSHOLE WHO DECIDED THIS.

Third- Okay, okay. I don't know if this has been brought up and I'm too lazy to read the rest of the thread right now, but apparently the webcams were set up that way so that if they were reported missing, the school could find them. Uh, children, can we say FUCKING BULLSHIT? IF the webcams are built in, the stolen/missing laptop would likely be closed, and the webcam wouldn't be able to see anything, unless the thief was actually using it. Wouldn't somebody have pointed this out?

Fourth- the kid got in trouble for something AT HOME. I don't know what it was, but the school has no business controlling what goes on at home. Home is the parents' responsibility, and school has no place there. Schools in general are trying to gain more control over students- drug testing, uniforms, zero-tolerance, longer school days- schools are turning into fucking prisons! And now they're sending out laptops with built-in webcams to SPY ON STUDENTS (even if they are trying to "locate missing items") and get them in trouble for shit they do at HOME?! OFF CAMPUS?!

I'm so glad I'm getting the fuck out of high school fascist hell in June.

I think we're all in agreement that it was completely wrong of schools to monitor students at home by remotely turning on webcams, but if you think "I didn't read it," is a valid way to get out of a contract, you're sadly mistaken. There are plenty of people who didn't read the contract and were told by the courts, "It was your responsibility to read the fine print."

I'm not saying that. I'm just saying, very few people read the fine print, and you'd think the ones who do would tell someone. The parents should have looked though, and then challenged the rule BEFORE this sort of thing happened. It's not a valid way, and it's going to be sticky for them in court.

But still, why do schools bother teaching us what the Bill of Rights is if they're going to violate it repeatedly and in as many ways as they can?

Please remember this is ONE school, and that you've had multiple teachers in this thread (myself included) express horror and disapproval that ANY school system would think this appropriate.

Yeah, one school spies on its students with webcams. And yeah, it's definitely horrible. But I'm talkign what other schools have done recently too- in Havelock, NC, you can be suspended for having a cell phone, which is confiscated and turned over to law enforcement. And strip searches in Arizona? This is hardly "one school" anymore.

[Katganistan]

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE

Now that that's over with, on to the (semi) coherent rant.

First off, who the FUCK thought this was a good idea? "I know, let's give students laptops with built-in webcams! and then we can use the webcams to spy on them even off campus! wheeee!"

Second off, does the school district REALLY FUCKING THINK anyone READS the shit they make the parents sign? no. You, here, dotted line, sign. Though, this is the parents' fault, they should have known what they were signing and BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THE ASSHOLE WHO DECIDED THIS.

Third- Okay, okay. I don't know if this has been brought up and I'm too lazy to read the rest of the thread right now, but apparently the webcams were set up that way so that if they were reported missing, the school could find them. Uh, children, can we say FUCKING BULLSHIT? IF the webcams are built in, the stolen/missing laptop would likely be closed, and the webcam wouldn't be able to see anything, unless the thief was actually using it. Wouldn't somebody have pointed this out?

Fourth- the kid got in trouble for something AT HOME. I don't know what it was, but the school has no business controlling what goes on at home. Home is the parents' responsibility, and school has no place there. Schools in general are trying to gain more control over students- drug testing, uniforms, zero-tolerance, longer school days- schools are turning into fucking prisons! And now they're sending out laptops with built-in webcams to SPY ON STUDENTS (even if they are trying to "locate missing items") and get them in trouble for shit they do at HOME?! OFF CAMPUS?!

I'm so glad I'm getting the fuck out of high school fascist hell in June.

I think we're all in agreement that it was completely wrong of schools to monitor students at home by remotely turning on webcams, but if you think "I didn't read it," is a valid way to get out of a contract, you're sadly mistaken. There are plenty of people who didn't read the contract and were told by the courts, "It was your responsibility to read the fine print."

I'm not saying that. I'm just saying, very few people read the fine print, and you'd think the ones who do would tell someone. The parents should have looked though, and then challenged the rule BEFORE this sort of thing happened. It's not a valid way, and it's going to be sticky for them in court.

But still, why do schools bother teaching us what the Bill of Rights is if they're going to violate it repeatedly and in as many ways as they can?

Please remember this is ONE school, and that you've had multiple teachers in this thread (myself included) express horror and disapproval that ANY school system would think this appropriate.

Yeah, one school spies on its students with webcams. And yeah, it's definitely horrible. But I'm talkign what other schools have done recently too- in Havelock, NC, you can be suspended for having a cell phone, which is confiscated and turned over to law enforcement. And strip searches in Arizona? This is hardly "one school" anymore.

Cell phones can be incredibly disruptive, and have been used to text test answers and, in some places, to organize muggings and beatings. I think it's a bit much to suspend for having one, but having it confiscated and handed over to law enforcement does not seem particularly out of line. It keeps the school from being accused of theft, and I would imagine parents can go down and get the phones back.

Strip searches? For WHAT?

[Tekania]

But I'm talkign what other schools have done recently too- in Havelock, NC, you can be suspended for having a cell phone, which is confiscated and turned over to law enforcement.

No, phones are confiscated for 10 days (now, used to be 30), and it was for having cell phones turned on during instructional time; not merely for "having one"....

[Pope Joan]

I bet they also concealed upskirt cameras in the rest rooms.

[Katganistan]

I bet they also concealed upskirt cameras in the rest rooms.

All you need to do is look online to see what cellphone cameras and teenagers together do.

[Natapoc]

When theyt try to do stuff like shut off my internet, I just bypass them, our school's IT personnel are terrible at their jobs

Are you sure they are not good at their jobs but just hate oppressive IT policies so they open up lots of holes for the students?

[Kalibarr]

Huh?

Because the webcam can capture anything happening in the room where the laptop is, district personnel could illicitly observe plenty more than a student's online activity, the lawsuit alleges.

I'm assuming the webcams were integrated into the laptops, so it would be pointing away from the screen. How would they be able to use the webcam itself to monitor the online activity in the first place?

So was the computer monitoring keystrokes, and online usage? Were the webcams controlled remotely? So bizarre. I can't imagine how something like this would even pass the fantasy stage.

My school issued laptop does monitor key strokes... thankfully, it does not have a webcam.

I would not accept a laptop from my school in the first place.
Well... I don't suppose there's a choice. I would just search "puppies" everyday to seem good.

how does a school district even afford laptops for all their students in the first place?

[Saint Jade IV]

[the peanut gallery speaks]

"The laptop computers that will be issued to all Lower Merion and Harriton students are the property of Lower Merion School District. Students are responsible for the appropriate use of these laptops both at school and at home. The laptops are for the use of students for educational purposes. All commercial, illegal, unethical and inappropriate use of these laptops is expressly prohibited....

...shall not be used:
...
for gambling or commercial purposes or for any non-school related
purposes;"

[1] The laptop is school property, not personal property...
[2] Students are responsible for their use at home as well as school
[3] Commercial use is prohibited...
[4] non-school related purposes are also prohibited...

Perhaps I should come to your parents store, write my credit card info on a yellow sticky... and plaster it on the front their register, then turn around get a lawyer and sue them for violating my privacy... Because this makes about as much sense as what you're saying... Which is none what-so-ever... The laptop's are not for processing credit cards... they are not for checking facebook... they are not for playing games, they are not for tons of shit... so to claim a right to privacy in a case where you're illegally appropriating equipment (read stealing) is absurd... There is absolutely no expectation of privacy on the property of another...

I figured that there would be some sort of agreement like this in place, since we have the same sort of thing here.

As I said, parents and students often don't read the fine print, and then whinge when there are consequences for inappropriate use. That being said, the whole spying on the families thing was wrong. Who invented a camera that could do that, and who made it available for retail sale?

"Families were not informed of the possibility the webcams might be activated in their homes without their permission in the paperwork students sign when they get the computers, district spokesman Doug Young said."

I will never again show my ignorance of technology - the need to constantly restate that I was not aware of the technology capabilities to do this is wearing rather thin.

[Axis Nova]

Katganistan, can you condense your posts, please? A triple post is both unneccesary and spammy, especially when two of them are just small quotes.

Sorry, I answer as I read posts, and unlike the Jolt forum, there's no easy way to merge posts.

Open a quote window/tab for each post you wish to reply to, then c/p all the quoted material into a single reply window, and proceed from there. 'S what I usually do.

[Katganistan]

[the peanut gallery speaks]

"The laptop computers that will be issued to all Lower Merion and Harriton students are the property of Lower Merion School District. Students are responsible for the appropriate use of these laptops both at school and at home. The laptops are for the use of students for educational purposes. All commercial, illegal, unethical and inappropriate use of these laptops is expressly prohibited....

...shall not be used:
...
for gambling or commercial purposes or for any non-school related
purposes;"

[1] The laptop is school property, not personal property...
[2] Students are responsible for their use at home as well as school
[3] Commercial use is prohibited...
[4] non-school related purposes are also prohibited...

Perhaps I should come to your parents store, write my credit card info on a yellow sticky... and plaster it on the front their register, then turn around get a lawyer and sue them for violating my privacy... Because this makes about as much sense as what you're saying... Which is none what-so-ever... The laptop's are not for processing credit cards... they are not for checking facebook... they are not for playing games, they are not for tons of shit... so to claim a right to privacy in a case where you're illegally appropriating equipment (read stealing) is absurd... There is absolutely no expectation of privacy on the property of another...

I figured that there would be some sort of agreement like this in place, since we have the same sort of thing here.

As I said, parents and students often don't read the fine print, and then whinge when there are consequences for inappropriate use. That being said, the whole spying on the families thing was wrong. Who invented a camera that could do that, and who made it available for retail sale?

"Families were not informed of the possibility the webcams might be activated in their homes without their permission in the paperwork students sign when they get the computers, district spokesman Doug Young said."

I will never again show my ignorance of technology - the need to constantly restate that I was not aware of the technology capabilities to do this is wearing rather thin.

You were not aware of the technological capabilities of an agreement that failed to inform parents that their homes might be remotely viewed?

I should think that ink and paper is not that technologically advanced.

[Katganistan]

Katganistan, can you condense your posts, please? A triple post is both unneccesary and spammy, especially when two of them are just small quotes.

Sorry, I answer as I read posts, and unlike the Jolt forum, there's no easy way to merge posts.

Open a quote window/tab for each post you wish to reply to, then c/p all the quoted material into a single reply window, and proceed from there. 'S what I usually do.

I've got plenty of tabs open already, thanks.

[Lacadaemon]

I think we're all in agreement that it was completely wrong of schools to monitor students at home by remotely turning on webcams, but if you think "I didn't read it," is a valid way to get out of a contract, you're sadly mistaken. There are plenty of people who didn't read the contract and were told by the courts, "It was your responsibility to read the fine print."

I think it is a perfectly valid defense. How can there be a contract if there is no 'meeting of the minds'? Further, how can one enter into a contract other that with the expectation that the counter party will show full faith and honest dealings? Moreover, since this kind of arrangement does not fall under the statute of frauds, the mere memorialization of the contract can only ever be evidentiary, not dispositive.

So, in this case, claiming 'I didn't read it' is neither here nor there.

(Don't blame me, I had Perillo as a contracts Prof.)

[Saint Jade IV]

[the peanut gallery speaks]

"The laptop computers that will be issued to all Lower Merion and Harriton students are the property of Lower Merion School District. Students are responsible for the appropriate use of these laptops both at school and at home. The laptops are for the use of students for educational purposes. All commercial, illegal, unethical and inappropriate use of these laptops is expressly prohibited....

...shall not be used:
...
for gambling or commercial purposes or for any non-school related
purposes;"

[1] The laptop is school property, not personal property...
[2] Students are responsible for their use at home as well as school
[3] Commercial use is prohibited...
[4] non-school related purposes are also prohibited...

Perhaps I should come to your parents store, write my credit card info on a yellow sticky... and plaster it on the front their register, then turn around get a lawyer and sue them for violating my privacy... Because this makes about as much sense as what you're saying... Which is none what-so-ever... The laptop's are not for processing credit cards... they are not for checking facebook... they are not for playing games, they are not for tons of shit... so to claim a right to privacy in a case where you're illegally appropriating equipment (read stealing) is absurd... There is absolutely no expectation of privacy on the property of another...

I figured that there would be some sort of agreement like this in place, since we have the same sort of thing here.

As I said, parents and students often don't read the fine print, and then whinge when there are consequences for inappropriate use. That being said, the whole spying on the families thing was wrong. Who invented a camera that could do that, and who made it available for retail sale?

"Families were not informed of the possibility the webcams might be activated in their homes without their permission in the paperwork students sign when they get the computers, district spokesman Doug Young said."

I will never again show my ignorance of technology - the need to constantly restate that I was not aware of the technology capabilities to do this is wearing rather thin.

You were not aware of the technological capabilities of an agreement that failed to inform parents that their homes might be remotely viewed?

I should think that ink and paper is not that technologically advanced.

No I wasn't aware that the technology to remotely activate webcams was actually available widely. I thought the article referred to the school checking what was recorded on the webcams or something - not being able to remotely turn them on from outside the home.