QOTD: Should Schools Use Laptops to Watch Kids?
Over the last few weeks there's been a lot of controversy surrounding the issue of schools monitoring students using school-owned laptops.
Media coverage of the lawsuit filed by student Blake J. Robbins of Philadelphia has been extensive. Robbins was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" by the Vice Principal of his school and the VP provided a photo taken by the webcam as evidence.
The school has since said the monitoring software was installed to help identify thieves and maintains that the tracking-security feature was limited to taking a still image of the operator and the operator's screen. According to the school district, this feature has only been used for the limited purpose of locating a lost, stolen or missing laptop. A FAQ from the superintendent of the school district, Dr. Christopher McGinley, says the tracking feature or web cam isn't ussed for any other purpose or in any other manner whatsoever.
Today a new case has come to light in which a school in New York has been using monitoring software to keep an eye on students. Very different to the school in Philadelphia, Vice Principal of the Bronx-based school, Dan Ackerman, openly admits to monitoring the students; though it's unclear if they keep an eye on them outside of school hours.
Today's Question of the Day is: Do You Think Schools Should Be Allowed to Monitor Students Via School-owned Laptops?
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Simply NO
Not in school and certainly not outside of school.
Hell no.
To clarify;
Hell f**king NO.
yes
IMO if the school give the students the laptops for school work use, they should be able to do this, and have parents sign a consent, so all party's know what can be done if its needed.
Now I do not think they should do this with out consent and with out every one agreeing and knowing about it.
absolutely not, even with 'consent'.
madogre: Would you as a parent really agree to allow strangers to take pictures of your children in their bedrooms, at any time, day or night?
The Ian Huntley's of this world must love this system.
I am a parent and I would allow this, because the laptop is going to be used for school work, not chatting with your buds or playing games.
If ever one knows upfront what the rules are then no problem should accrue.
It's illegal for a reason - nail the bastards for child porn and ensure this never happens again.
Hey, Teacher, Leave them kids alone!
And kids, stick a peice of tape over the webcam, that'll stop the perving bastards.
I cant believe they even tried to get away with something like this in the first place.
what if he had been watching pr0n?
if they wanted to use the webcams to locate where lost or stolen laptops where why can't they use some sort of gps? and there are plenty of other options they could use to monitor how the kids were using the laptops instead of taking photos of them whack off
Should they use them to monitor kids: No.
Should they use them to track down stolen laptops: Yes.
Should they learn the difference between the two: Hell Yes.
Absolutely not. This is one step away from installing cameras in kids rooms and tapping their phones just to keep an eye on them. The parents should think how they would have felt at that age being watched 24/7 and not being able to use something without knowing someone is staring back at you, watching your every move.
As far as outside of school goes..absolutely not; that's the job of parents. Still image or not, the subject being captured isn't static.
I still don't fully understand the reasons for Robbins being filmed in the first instance, so it's easy to jump the gun. Due to the subject matter I'd rather not, least not until the full facts behind the case are known.
This action surely comes under 'peeping tom' laws and should be covered by the rules below
1.That the victim did not realize he or she was being viewed;
2.That the victim was fully or partially naked, and
3.That the viewing took place at a place where the victim had a reasonable expectation of privacy.
(a) Any person who shall peep secretly into any room occupied by another person shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
A Class 1 misemeanor can be punishable with a 12 month sentence depending on which state you are in in the US
Does this question even need to be asked?