Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't that long ago that I went to school.
I can only imagine the trouble I would be in if a teacher found some naked photos of me or someone else in my class if something had to be confiscated from me.
I always felt, and still do, that schools have a place in the discipline system just as much as they do when it comes to educating youth. However, the power to discipline has been taken away, almost completely.
There is a ridiculous case out of the UK today where a high school student had her cell phone taken by a teacher and the teacher discovered nude pictures of her on the hard drive. The girl was suspended, but she countered with a civil law suit and was awarded $33,000 in damages.
Some liberals out there will say the phone is private property and the teacher had no business looking at the phone. I disagree. If you are a high school student and take a cell phone into the class room and are looking at it while you should be learning, then it's fair game. To compare it to when I went to school, it would be like me flipping through a magazine in the middle of class and the teacher catching me with it and asking me to turn it over, however I throw it in my backpack that's sitting on the floor next to me. Is that magazine now off limits to the teacher because I put it in my backpack before he/she could get it? I would suggest it isn't, and if that magazine happens to be pornographic, then I think I deserve added punishment.
Schools should have a right to protect other students in the event this girl was bringing her cell phone to school and showing other kids the x-rated pictures.
This monetary award in damages is ridiculous. The girl acted very inappropriately at school and still gets a five figure cash deal. Wow.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1313895/Girl-suspended-naked-mobile-phone-pictures-sues-school.html
I have to agree with you on this. If that were my daughter, she could only be so lucky to be caught by the teacher and not her mother! Invasion of privacy only goes so far. When I was in school, if a note were caught being passed around and the teacher read it, well isn't my face red but too bad for me. It's out in plain view during a time that is meant for education.
ReplyDeleteI have a strict and well known rule in my house that I am to have access to any and all passwords and accounts used in this house and that I can check things out without warning. And I would encourage the school to do the same on it's computers. Invasion of privacy? I think not!