Lower Merion Laptop Controversy Breeds More Litigation

First, there was the class action lawsuit by a student’s family for invasion of privacy, then an FBI investigation.  The school officials with the authority to turn on the laptop surveillance system have retained their own counsel.  Now, the insurance company for the school district has filed a declaratory judgment action asking a court to rule that it’s policy does not cover the school district for legal bills or damages arising out of the other pending matters because the claims are not for bodily injury or property damage.  Lower Merion should be credited with almost single- handedly rejuvenating the Philadelphia legal industry which had suffered in 2009 along with the rest of the economy.

56,000 images taken by surveillance through laptops of unsuspecting students inside their homes.  Surveillance left running for days even after reportedly missing laptops were located.  School officials taking the 5th Amendment and refusing to answer questions.  One can only wonder where was the school’s leadership when all this was happening?  Why wasn’t anyone asking questions before this seriously misguided program was implemented?  Just think of all the money the school district could have saved Lower Merion taxpayers had it consulted legal counsel before handing out laptops with the surveillance system installed.  The entire mess could have been avoided by a well crafted privacy policy disclosed to parents with signed acknowledgements from parents required before a student could take a laptop home. 

The parents of students are rightly outraged over the distractions, the negative international attention brought upon their school district, and the impact all of this has had on their childrens’ education.  But instead of blaming the media, they should be seeking the resignations of top school administrators and the entire school board.