A Jasper County mother says her 8th grade son found a video camera taping in the school bathroom this week. But now, he is the one in trouble. Cindy Champion says her son, Mac Bedor, and a few of his friends took the camera out of the ceiling because they felt it violated their privacy. Champion says her son brought the camera home to show her that afternoon. She says when she contacted the Jasper County Comprehensive School, she found out high school principal, Howard Fore, put the camera there. She says Fore told her he put the camera in the boys' bathroom to catch students vandalizing. Champion says her son is now suspended for taking school property. CINDY CHAMPION, MOTHER: "I had told the high school principal, Mr. Fore, that he needed to come up with another solution. That this wasn't appropriate. His response to me was he was going to continue to film." Sickening. You know, in a sane world, this would be considered an invasion of privacy, and the principle would be charged! But instead, now the kid is in trouble?! Gah! Stupid world. They watch you pee
well that pisses me right off... no pun intended. No reason what so ever for being able to do that in a school bathroom. I wouldnt care if they monitored outside the bathroom to see who goes in and out as you can still narrow the vandals down that way.
In the UK it is illegal to have cameras in the loo/toilet/bathrooms/restrooms (Take you pick depending on country). I'd do the same tbh, or come in with my face covered and colour the lens black
Call me fussy but i always have a quick check for cameras when i use the loo in a public place, I do it without even realising most times.
with stories like this, i wonder how many public restrooms have had cameras in them that i did not know about...
Pfft... I don't care they can watch me all they want... lol... j/k Well when you have a small schlong your always hiding from the cameras
paint the lensess black? you must be crazy just go in with a stocking on your head and steal the whole unit, free camera for you lol
I was going to reply that this is illegal anywhere in the US, but then I saw that the school is in Georgia....... Seriously though, the parent needs to report it to the police as it really is illegal to have a video camera in a restroom. Control vandalism...yea right, that principal is a pervert.
the problem, as always, is that wto wrongs don't make a right. If you complain about the presence of an illegal camera by effectively destroying or stealing it, you will find it difficult to take the moral high ground. Of course the camera is illegal. But the pupil had more legal options to complain that would not give his opponents ammunition to dismiss him (in both senses of the word).
So by your logic, if you see somebody being raped, you shouldn't walk over and beat the living snot out of the attacker because "two wrongs don't make a right"? The USA was founded by a bunch of people who wanted their freedoms and liberties to be defended by the people, for the people. If you are being infringed upon by a tyrannical system, than you should have the power to use whatever means necessary. The kid in this situation saw a problem, realized it was illegal and against his moral code, so he took a stand to it by the only way he knew how. He prevented further crime from being committed by removing the camera.
Your example is a clear case of self-defence. Think about it: you see a rape, you intervene to make a citizen's arrest, the attacker resists and you have to defend yourself. No problem there. That's a bit harder to argue in this case. The pupil had other options to resort to first, such as not using the bathroom and reporting the camera to the nearest teacher immediately. If they do not take action, report it to the parent as soon as possible. If later it is decided that using the camera was a crime, the teacher who it was reported to but took no action will be held responsible. I'm not saying the school's position is right in any way, but you don't want to give them ammunition to confound the issue if you can avoid it. I agree however that a schoolkid may not be able to consider all these factors.
Never said anything about self defense I just said beat on him a bit. Yeah, sure, it will be considered self defense in the court, but all's you’re doing is direct punishment for a witnessed crime. You're taking the law into your own hands (which should be something done a lot more). I would argue against that. I think that we should give children the tools and the knowledge on how to stand up for their rights, and not just go tell somebody else and not actually deal with it themselves. Would you tell a child "yeah, it's not your problem, just tell somebody else and it may go away, if not oh well". That’s not a very responsible thing to teach our children. Obviously this kid’s mother has taught him some self respect and he holds some small bit of responsibility - as he demonstrated by showing his own opinion in the only way he knew how. I honestly don't want to make assumptions like this, as for alls we know he may have attempted to report it before hand (or maybe some other kids attempted to, but nothing was done about it). Maybe the kid was standing up to an issue that had been there for a good while before anybody decided to do anything about it. We just don't know.
Not quite. I'd tell him to tell the teacher, and if he doesn't take action, to tell me. It is good to stand up for your rights, but I would also teach my child that every action, good or bad, comes with consequences that do not necessarily match the goodness or badness of the act. Like, if someone rapes my wife, I will kill them. But I also accept that I will very likely go to prison for this. I'm not thrilled about that idea, and I think it is wrong, but I know that's how it works... Fair enough.
can they do that in Canada! just find him is the street and point and say "he likes watching little kiddys in the loo" see what people will say about that. cams in loos is just wrong unless it says this loo has cam in it sign lol
Unfortunately, our country was taken over shortly afterwards by arses who would do whatever you want provided you're either strongly religious or a large, rich corporation. Don't get me wrong - I agree entirely. Back in 1776, we still had rights. We also had enough common sense to not require hundreds of laws to protect us from ourselves (though, I'm sure trying to use a hairdryer in a bathtub wasn't an issue back then, common sense or not). Again, totally with you. We're in an age where a true direct democracy (ie, not elect people who take bribes to then vote for us) is easily possible within ten years, if not already (giving some headway to narrow the 'digital divide'). BS laws/acts like the DMCA would never have passed, and you could certainly bet that both the RIAA and MPAA would be shut down for having a monopoly among dozens of other reasons. It's just how I see cops speeding all the time too. If they were to stop me for speeding, I'd be saying "Ok, either you let us both off with a warning or you write yourself a ticket too. It's not legal for you either, remember "
Well, it is illegal in canada, but this story happened in the states, where it is illegal @Nexxo, yes, you are right, though it is effectively what I meant to say. Just left out the consequences bit, heh. @Firehed, I agree 100%, sucks don't it?
To be honest, the smart thing would have been just to break it, but remove, and then later destroy the tape that was in it at the time. That way they know its broken, but not who by. Thats what I'd have done, had my school instigated something like this.
Hidden camera found in cheerleaders' changing room. Now that's naughty (though rather blown up by the press, again it was a school head for anti-theft purposes and the camera was pointing at the fridge). The problem is the rapid breakdown of law-abiding society. Not many years ago, smaller supermarkets and stores didn't bother with specialised security, the losses from shop-lifting wouldn't pay the extra costs. Stealing went up, now most places have cameras and guards. Vandalism is a growing problem, so we have fugly 'vandal-proof' bus shelters, park benches, urinals. And Big Brother watching you everywhere. Teach your kids to respect other peoples property, or 'invasions of privacy' will get worse.
cpemma, You've got my vote, and I wonder why so few asked why the camera was there in the first place. Everyone has the right and responcibility to respect other people and their property.
