Here’s a weird little story out of suburban Philadelphia. School district buys laptops for students. School district secretly installs software that allows it to activate the webcam feature on the laptop. School official allegedly uses feature to spy on 15-year-old boy at home. Lawsuit ensues.
Is this a great country or what?
From the Philadelphia Inquirer:
“The suit says that in November, assistant principal Lynn Matsko called in sophomore Blake Robbins and told him that he had “engaged in improper behavior in his home,” and cited as evidence a photograph from the webcam in his school-issued laptop.
Matsko later told Robbins’ father, Michael, that the district “could remotely activate the webcam contained in a student’s personal laptop . . . at any time it chose and to view and capture whatever images were in front of the webcam” without the knowledge or approval of the laptop’s users, the suit says.
It does not say what improper activity Robbins was accused of or what, if any, discipline resulted. Reached at home yesterday, his mother, Holly, said she could not comment on advice of the family’s lawyers.”
167 comments Add your comment
Mick
February 19th, 2010
2:11 pm
I’m mad as hell and I don’t have to take it anymore!
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:13 pm
Oh good…the Nanny State not only feels it should provide laptops but also arrest its customers.
Why is a school district purchasing laptops for students? More taxpayer dollars being wasted.
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:13 pm
Oh good…the Nanny State not only feels it should provide laptops but also arrest its customers.
Why is a school district purchasing laptops for students? More taxpayer dollars being wasted.
Buzz
February 19th, 2010
2:14 pm
I am sure this is covered in the Patriot Act.
If the kid is not doing anything wrong, why should he care if people watch?
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:15 pm
Someone needs to straighten Mr Woods out. He did nothing wrong, has nothing for which to be apologizing. It pains me to see himself allow these continued attacks on his person. All the media and these womens groups with their typical beeeatching, whining etc.
Takes two for the dirty deed and these fem fatales are the truely guilty ones.
Tiger, give em all the finger!
HG3
February 19th, 2010
2:20 pm
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
Sam
February 19th, 2010
2:21 pm
man i hope this is not true…craziness
Mick
February 19th, 2010
2:22 pm
Outhouse
But he needs therapy, don’t you see? He made it to the top – king of the world, and we all know its good to be the king. It’s the PC thing to do and bide his time before the tiger will be on the hunt…….its just his nature…buddha only knows.
professional skeptic
February 19th, 2010
2:22 pm
Unbelieveble. And gross. There’d be hell to pay if some middle-aged school administrator ever cyber-spied on any teenager of mine. The schools need to leave spying on kids to the parents.
(But yes, issue computers to students, who will certainly fail in life without computer skills. A state should be able to negotiate a volume discount.)
Sam
February 19th, 2010
2:22 pm
he got caught outhouse….
Icarus
February 19th, 2010
2:22 pm
For the love of God.
Philly schools just did something so stupid that it makes the preventive anti-microchipping law the GA Senate passed look like wise legislation.
Sam
February 19th, 2010
2:23 pm
they woul’ve puked if they had a cam on me..
Normal
February 19th, 2010
2:24 pm
Big brother, big sister, big momma, big daddy, fat uncle, nosey aunt,
nagging grandpa and grandma are all watching you….
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
February 19th, 2010
2:24 pm
Well, now you see exackly why I won’t take my laptop to the bathroom with me. Guvmint is out to get all of us. If you’re anywhere near a laptop smile real nice and make sure you got your clothes on.
I watched part of that Tiger thing when I stopped down at the warehouse. He acted like he was the biggest Sinner in the world. Heck, if I’d been romping with 14 hot babes you wouldn’t see me acting like I just eat a dill pickle. Course, with my luck I’d draw somebody that looked like Sister Dusty and was as nasty as @@.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
2:25 pm
OGK: He did nothing wrong, has nothing for which to be apologizing. It pains me to see himself allow these continued attacks on his person. All the media and these womens groups with their typical beeeatching, whining etc.
No, he only cheated his wife, various girlfriends and HIMSELF by marrying in the first place. He could’ve just remained single and became a single sl**t instead of a married one. What’s the point in getting married in the first place? He didn’t need the tax write off. I hope he wore a con dom every time….if not, we’ll be seeing a LOT MORE public apologies.
PS: I’m not even going to touch that last “women’s groups” comments. Like the only thing a women’s group has to do is to police some stooopid man’s zipper……..
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
2:26 pm
That should be “have to do”….
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2010
2:30 pm
Don’t you know that by now EVERY student with one of those laptops has disabled the webcam via the cheap and easy method of putting apiece of tape over it?
Sam
February 19th, 2010
2:30 pm
debbie, is that wrong?
Normal
February 19th, 2010
2:31 pm
Who cares what Tiger Woods did? That’s between him, G-d, his wife and her lawyers.
Loretta Paraguassu
February 19th, 2010
2:37 pm
What a fun way for stuffy administrators to get a little excitement into their lives — to get
really CLOSE to their students in a very PERSONAL way. The kicker is that they admit
to doing it. How stupid is that? Yes, theyy should definitely be taken to task for being
morons. But then, the law that shelters the disabled might kick in.
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:37 pm
It was those sorry women who beguiled Tiger and lured him made him stray. Then seeing them on TV crying “Tiger loved me, we had special relationship…LOL”.
HA HA!!
I also hope he wore a condom so he didnt catch anything from these diseased women.
Tiger is the real victim here.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
2:38 pm
Sam – if you’re gonna cheat, stay single. If you even DREAM that you’re gonna cheat, wake up and get a divorce. Why waste everyone’s time and effort on stupid tricks? He knew the consequences of cheating, he got caught, and now he wants someone to feel sorry for him…..well, I admit I kinda felt a little sorrow for him when his wife whipped his azz with that 9 iron (ouch!); but other than that……
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:41 pm
Those tarts used Tiger, figured if they had wild crazy sex they could pull him away from his family. Well Tiger has a much stronger constitution than that and he should feel no shame whatsoever.
Tigers only crime, much like Richard Nixon, was in getting caught.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
2:43 pm
OGK: It was those sorry women who beguiled Tiger and lured him made him stray. Then seeing them on TV crying “Tiger loved me, we had special relationship…LOL”.
Yes, it was the evil women who attacked him, threw him on the bed and MADE him drop his drawers for a blow and plow. Yep, he had absolutely NOTHING to do with it; as a matter of fact, it wasn’t even really him….it was his evil twin from the 9th dimension.
I just HOPE you’re not really Dudley posting on this board trying to drop hints ’cause if you are, remember, my OTHER best friend is one of the best divorce attorneys in Georgia, hell the SOUTHEAST.
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:44 pm
It was those “watery tarts” that caused all these problems for Tiger and the Woods family. I hope he and/or his wife bring a lawsuit against them for emotional pain and suffering.
Had the tarts not approached Tiger Im sure something like this would never have happened.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
2:45 pm
OGK: Those tarts used Tiger, figured if they had wild crazy sex they could pull him away from his family.
If they’re tarts, Tiger is a tramp. So the two halves belong together.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
2:45 pm
OGK who ARE you? Tiger’s publicists?
David S
February 19th, 2010
2:46 pm
Government at work. You should expect nothing more and nothing less from government. That’s why the founders of this country attempted to strictly limit what government could do. I am certain that they never envisioned the government running schools, stealing trillions in tax dollars or buying students laptop computers. But this is what we have come to, and yet folks like Bookman still honestly believe that it only takes the “right” person to get elected to fix the problems that are inherent in the evil that is government itself.
Spying on the kids is nothing. You don’t think those cameras all over the roads and the freeways are for monitoring traffic do you? Sucker.
Normal
February 19th, 2010
2:47 pm
If you even DREAM that you’re gonna cheat, wake up and get a divorce.
DDR,
I respectfully disagree. My Granny always said “Don’t matter where you get your appetite, so long as you eat at home”.
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:47 pm
Stop trying to change the subject. What Dudley and I discuss is between Dudley and I.
Tiger is a great golfer and women constantly throw themselves at him. WE can only hope next time Tiger chooses a woman that knows how to keep her mouth shut.
Mick
February 19th, 2010
2:50 pm
Outhouse is dudley? Great caesars ghost!!
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:50 pm
Tigers mother and father are very proud of there son and for him taking responsbility, even though WE ALL KNOW he is responsible for none of this.
Tiger was just like an innocent kid out playing golf, MINDING HIS OWN BUSINESS, and along comes a group of strumpets who want something from him and to spoil his fun. So typical.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
2:52 pm
Normal, I would’ve “normally” agreed with you, however, these days a lot of thoughts become actions; and men, SPECIFICALLY, can not separate an errant thought from an action. They’re just not made well in that area.
OGK: ARRGGGHHHH!! I hope you are joking ’cause you’re making me so mad right now!!! A woman who can keep her mouth shut!?!?!?? What about a man who can keep his pants up? Or his johnson in?; or his finger to himself?; or if he can’t do any of those things at least keep it in his WIFE, where it belongs.
PS: You’d better PRAY you’re not Dudley……
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:54 pm
Dudley told me to tell you that concerning Tiger, I am right and you are wrong.
danjonglee
February 19th, 2010
2:56 pm
Stomp yer feet…Clap yer hands……..Everyone do the barnyard dance…
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
2:57 pm
The Woods family has suffered a great injustice here and I personally feel a financial damage award is in order. Tiger spent so much money on hotel rooms and….well…uh….WELL on hotel rooms and this gaggle of female geese should be forced, at the least to, reimburse the Woods family.
Perhaps them also contributing to a trust fund for the Woods family children is also in order.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
2:59 pm
OK OGK you had me going for a minute — but I figured out you couldn’t be Dudley, (even though he told me he knows I like ot blog on the ajc a lot and he monitors it to see “what i have to say about stuff”); I guess I was just being a weeee bit paranoid. Anyway, I hope you’re just teasing about the rest of that crap you were talking, if not, you’re in for a LONG, LONG, LONG, divorce from your significant other. As well as a possible humiliating azz whipping when she gets tired of your cheating ways.
Ask Tiger if that 9 iron hurts….
Sam
February 19th, 2010
3:00 pm
let me tell you Debbie, i do feel bad for Tiger. i mean it aint easy when women throw themselves at you everywhere you go…you can only fight it for so long…it aint easy for guys like us…
Bosch
February 19th, 2010
3:00 pm
“If you even DREAM that you’re gonna cheat, wake up and get a divorce.”
Debbie is OBVIOUSLY not a man.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bosch
February 19th, 2010
3:01 pm
I can’t believe the administrator was stupid enough to call in the kid and admit she’d been spying on him.
concerned mom
February 19th, 2010
3:01 pm
It is a sad state of affairs that you are all more concerned about the apology of Tiger and not about the actual subject at hand. A school oficial spying on a child at home is just like “1984″. A child at home should be subject to the rules of his/her parents or guardians, not the school administrators.
jewcowboy
February 19th, 2010
3:02 pm
That is way creepy…especially considering what 15 year old boys spend most of their time doing.
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
3:03 pm
Oh Debbie…thanks for the laughs!! I was in tears over here!!
PS…Dudley say hello
Sam
February 19th, 2010
3:04 pm
mom, did they used to do this spying stuff back ‘84?
Roo Badley
February 19th, 2010
3:04 pm
If the kid left the laptop (school property) in his locker when he went home, there would be no picture and no story. It’s the kid’s fault.
Sam
February 19th, 2010
3:04 pm
just kidding mom
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
3:05 pm
“That is way creepy…especially considering what 15 year old boys spend most of their time doing.”
Yeppers…What was this asst princciple doing watching and how often was she watching. hmmm…Vee vill find out Vee have ah vays!
John Birch
February 19th, 2010
3:05 pm
Civil rights will continue to be violated on a regular basis as long as the Dems are in charge.
jewcowboy
February 19th, 2010
3:05 pm
“Someone needs to straighten Mr Woods out. He did nothing wrong, has nothing for which to be apologizing. ”
Yes, thank goodness “traditional” marriage is safe and sound.
Bosch
February 19th, 2010
3:06 pm
jewcowboy,
@ 3:02
For real!
I got two teenage boys (16 and 19)……I don’t go in their rooms cause I too remember being 15……..just saying.
Old Man Down The Road
February 19th, 2010
3:07 pm
Back when I was in school, they had to do their spying the old-fashioned way – by using binoculars and bribing your little sister to tattle on you!
jewcowboy
February 19th, 2010
3:07 pm
“Civil rights will continue to be violated on a regular basis as long as the Dems are in charge.”
HAHAHHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAhahahahahahhahaha..ha.ha
Omygosh that was funny. Sorry, I think I peed myself a little with that one.
Doggone/GA
February 19th, 2010
3:07 pm
I think there’s at least a couple of unanswered questions in this: was the student at home on “school time” and supposed to be doing school work? If yes, then I would say the admin could and should be able to “spie” on the student. What’s so different if he’d been in school and goofing off?
But if the student was on his own time, then definitely the admin was over the top…IF the students were premitted to use those laptops on their own time and not for school work.
A lot depends on the agreement between the school and the parents & students on the usage of those laptops, and then on what time of day it was.
Jenifer
February 19th, 2010
3:08 pm
How screwed are the heads of the people that decided this was a good idea? How utterly stupid is this vice principal thinking it wouldn’t bring a lawsuit and about the worst negative publicity you could imagine on the school? How pathetically weak were the people who knew about this, disagreed, and still kept their mouths shut?
Everything about this is just wrong, wrong, wrong.
jewcowboy
February 19th, 2010
3:08 pm
Bosch,
Makes you wonder what the administrator is watching.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
February 19th, 2010
3:09 pm
Typical busybody socialists from the Teacher’s Union.
Bosch
February 19th, 2010
3:10 pm
jewcowboy,
Now I feel all icky inside.
Normal
February 19th, 2010
3:12 pm
Used to be they just monitored the schools showers…
John Birch
February 19th, 2010
3:13 pm
jenifer – Obama supporters, every one.
TaxPayer
February 19th, 2010
3:13 pm
I got an extra piece of tape, not the clear kind, if he needs it.
Jenifer
February 19th, 2010
3:13 pm
Feinstein Seeks To Block Insurance Rate Increases Across The Nation
Do it, Feinstein!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/19/feinstein-seeks-to-block_n_469094.html
Guy Incognito
February 19th, 2010
3:14 pm
Why does this surprise anyone? The libs run the schools, and they want to spy on the citizens in order to report them to the white house. Vee vill have no independent thought! (Hope Change/Sieg Heil)
-duh
jewcowboy
February 19th, 2010
3:14 pm
Doggone/GA,
“If yes, then I would say the admin could and should be able to “spie” on the student”
But system adminstrators can do things like that remotely, by seeing the exact screen the other user is seeing. By using the webcam, you aren’t seeing what the user is working on, just the actual user himself.
P F
February 19th, 2010
3:14 pm
Not sure if Jay is being sarcastic or not about saying this is a great country. I thought all “progressives” loved the nanny state? I’m just saying.
Sam
February 19th, 2010
3:15 pm
Plushenko got robbed!!
Sam
February 19th, 2010
3:15 pm
bush was behind it…they planned the whole thing..cheney and him own stock in hair goo
TnGelding
February 19th, 2010
3:17 pm
CIA material. Good grief! Privacy is a thing of the past.
jewcowboy
February 19th, 2010
3:17 pm
And, of course, anyone with a cellphone (and even my 95 year old grandmother had one before she died) can have it used as a listening device:
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1035_22-150467.html
Ask John Gotti Jr…an associates cellphone was used a listening device and was part of the evidence in his trial.
Sam
February 19th, 2010
3:18 pm
PF, you got it wrong…all progrssives love their nanny…not the nannystate..easy mistake.
TnGelding
February 19th, 2010
3:19 pm
Jenifer
February 19th, 2010
3:13 pm
How about just eliminating the private insurance companies as primary providers?
Ed Rooney
February 19th, 2010
3:20 pm
The kid was probably masturbating and smoking grass. Probably has a bad attitude too. The little punk.
Good thing the vigilant principal caught this delinquent. He should be punished to the full extent of the law.
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
3:22 pm
“And, of course, anyone with a cellphone (and even my 95 year old grandmother had one before she died) can have it used as a listening device”
One of the reasons I have yet to purchase. Then again with the partiot act they could probably listen in at anytime.
Jenifer
February 19th, 2010
3:23 pm
Panel Approves Bible Classes For Public Schools
So the Quran and all other religions should have the same rights.
Where will they find time to teach the skills that will actually help the students survive in the world?
http://rawstory.com/2010/02/angel-bible-kentucky-curriculum/
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
3:23 pm
On my land line that is.
Pass the law, now!!!
February 19th, 2010
3:24 pm
That law outlawing involuntary microchip implants and anal probes does not seem so stupid now doesn’t lefties?
Outhouse GoKart
February 19th, 2010
3:24 pm
Im out. Have a nice weekend everyone!
Bourbon Street
February 19th, 2010
3:24 pm
Typical government-school stuff. Home-schooling is the only way. Man-made global warming is bogus.
Jenifer
February 19th, 2010
3:25 pm
“TnGelding
February 19th, 2010
3:19 pm
Jenifer
February 19th, 2010
3:13 pm
How about just eliminating the private insurance companies as primary providers?”
That is the answer, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.
But still,
UNIVERSAL HEALTH INSURANCE NOW!
Sam
February 19th, 2010
3:26 pm
yeah this is typical stuff, all public schools are spying on kids. home schooling is way to go, if you like your kids maladjusted nerds with no social skills that dress like mommy.
Jenifer
February 19th, 2010
3:26 pm
Actually, the spying on the kids sounds like something the wingnuts would do.
Hillbilly Deluxe
February 19th, 2010
3:29 pm
Seems to me, Assistant Principal Lynn Matsko ain’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. I would only have one question for him/her, “What the hell were you thinking?” The whole concept of this is wrong to me but when you include that you are spying on a 15 year old, it moves into child abuse/pornography territory.
It’s not quite Travelin’ Music time but this one really fits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1IXQ1pKl_Q
Bosch
February 19th, 2010
3:30 pm
Sam @ 3:26 –
So…how do you REALLY feel about home schooling. That one made me get the screen cleaner out.
LibraryJim
February 19th, 2010
3:31 pm
So, where is the ACLU and all the Democrats in Congress who supposedly were against the government spying on US citizens? Where is the Liberal Outrage?
TnGelding
February 19th, 2010
3:31 pm
Ed Rooney
February 19th, 2010
3:20 pm
Oh, no! Not that. Hang him to the nearest tree! Or better yet, send him to Gitmo.
“UNIVERSAL HEALTH INSURANCE NOW!”
Amen!
Maldjusted Mommydresser
February 19th, 2010
3:31 pm
Sam – I resemble that remark.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
3:31 pm
OGK: You’re evil!! God will get you for that!
====================
Good thing the vigilant principal caught this delinquent. He should be punished to the full extent of the law.
I’m wondering what the “photo” looked like? I also wonder if the principal made copies and if so, if it’s distributed on some nasty website called “Teens Gone Wild!!!” and people pay $9.95 to log in and see a bunch of kids bust their pimples and apply Stridex to their faces.
Bourbon Street
February 19th, 2010
3:34 pm
So Sam, I guess you gots yer book lernin’ from a publik scrool, huh? It shows.
RxDawg
February 19th, 2010
3:34 pm
Mr. Rooney has got me laughing.
Dusty
February 19th, 2010
3:34 pm
Aww, stay on the subject, will ya? There’s a another blog for ‘cuss’ and discussing Tiger’s travesties of truth and honor. So he’s a lost lover in the lower limits of decency. I don’t even like golf, much less Tiger aka Cuddly Kitten of Cuties.
But mentioning Cuddly, DebbieDoRight, sorry about you and Dudly (Cuddly rhymes with Dudly).
Seems, absence does not make the heart grow fonder as ’tis said. Hope it works out..
How about those school computers as nanny replacements? What next? If you aren’t doing your homework as proved by computer, you get hit with a study bomb dropped by a drone? Wonderful achievement by a school system. If you thought Bush’s Nobody Left Behind system was bad, wait ’til; you see the innovations now being offered. Peeka boo, I see you and that’s not homework you’re smoking’!! Just another Parent replacement program by the school of socialistic selection.
Paul
February 19th, 2010
3:35 pm
Jay
Just what is it with all these perv schoolwomen and young boys?
If the Philly school district was running a surplus, they can kiss it goodbye. Somehow, I don’t think this was the only student violated.
BTW – this would’ve taken a number of people to be involved. And in the words of a guy I used to work with, whenever anyone would ask a question along the lines of ‘how could this have happened?” you’d hear his voice ringing throughout the offices, “Because they’re idiots!!!!
Jenifer
You sitting down? You are? Okay…
Nice post at 3:08
Doggone/GA
Ya know I luv ya and all that, but are you outta your ever-lovin’ mind?!!?
Home. Castle. Sanctity. Privacy!!!! Warrants. Consent.
You were just funnin’ with us, weren’t ya?
Paul
February 19th, 2010
3:36 pm
Screwed up the bold. It was supposed to be only for the word ‘idiots’
Sorry ’bout that -
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
3:37 pm
Seems, absence does not make the heart grow fonder as ’tis said. Hope it works out..
Some absence, yes. Months and months on end? No.
TnGelding
February 19th, 2010
3:37 pm
Sam
February 19th, 2010
3:26 pm
What planet have you been living on?
http://www.edwebproject.org/edref.homeschool.html
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/30/testing-proves-success-of-grads/print/
Bosch
February 19th, 2010
3:40 pm
Paul, Paul, Paul…..I need your help…..I’ve been wrestling NUMBERS!!! Tell me a joke. Quick.
DebbieDoRight
February 19th, 2010
3:41 pm
TNG about your link ^^^ at the bottom of the Washington Times article I found this “Michael Smith is the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association”. Imagine my surprise………
jewcowboy
February 19th, 2010
3:43 pm
“That law outlawing involuntary microchip implants and anal probes does not seem so stupid now doesn’t lefties?”
Yeah…it really does still appear exceedingly dim-witted.
Bud Wiser
February 19th, 2010
3:43 pm
What’s the use of becoming a world class, world reknown athlete, if you’re not gonna get laid because of it?
His mistake was getting married.
Elin must be very ’special’ indeed.
She’s gonna rip his bank accounts open.
jewcowboy
February 19th, 2010
3:45 pm
LibraryJim,
“Where is the Liberal Outrage?”
Umm…it seems pretty obvious to me.
Paul
February 19th, 2010
3:45 pm
Bosch
Guy’s in cooking school. The chef says “get out a pot and put in 2/3 chicken broth, 1/3 cream and 1/3 white wine.” Student says “but chef! That’s four thirds!” Chef says “okay, so get a bigger pot!”
Bosch
February 19th, 2010
3:47 pm
Thanks Paul.