Harriton High School Student Blake Robbins thought that it was great when his school issued him a brand new laptop for educational uses. Then he discovered that the web cam on the computer was taking a picture of him every 15 minutes, while it was in his room at home. There turned out to be hundreds of pictures, including pictures taken while Blake was sleeping and getting dressed and undressed.
The Robbins family discovered this when the Vice Principal at Harriton, Lindy Masko, called Blake in to the office to discuss improper behavior. She cited a photo the laptop had taken of Blake where he appeared to have a pill that looked like illegal drugs. According to Blake, it was candy. He was flabbergasted to learn that he was being photographed at home. Now he tells ABC News that it’s “a little awkward when I see the Vice Principal. Knowing she’s seen me naked.”
Unsurprisingly, the Robbins family is suing the district.
The Robbins family is not alone, there seem to be thousands of pictures taken of many kids in the district. Records of emails recovered by the Robbins family lawyers between administrators, at least one of which is on paid leave. One email refers to the pictures of students as “a little soap operas” and another replies, “I know, I love it.”
The school claims that the photographs were part of an automated security system that was triggered when Blake took the laptop home from school without paying for insurance on it. The Robbins family claims that the system was clearly turned on and off manually by the school’s technology department, and that the fine print on the laptop contract said that the school was allowed to track the computer, not take pictures of the family. The school district admits that mistakes were made, but maintains that there was no voyeurism or ill-will.
