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Pupil Discovers Camera In School Bathroom (and Gets Suspended for It!)
WMAZ ^ | 11/30/2005 | n/a

Posted on 12/01/2005 11:12:40 AM PST by Pyro7480

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."

Jasper County Superintendent, Jay Brinson, sent a faxed response to Eyewitness News. Brinson says high school principal, Howard Fore, placed the camera in the bathroom last Sunday to control vandalism. He says Fore put the camera there "to discover the identity of those doing the damage." Brinson says the principal did tell Cindy Champion that the camera would be installed again. But in his statement Brinson says, "The camera was not placed back in the restroom, and will not be placed back in the restroom."

Eyewitness News tried to contact the Ocmulgee Circuit District Attorney about the legality of placing hidden cameras in public school rest rooms. He covers that area. Eyewitness News was not able to get in touch with him. But, Eyewitness News did talk with Bibb County District Attorney, Howard Simms. He says cameras in public school bathrooms are legal because schools have more leeway on privacy issues.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: bigbrother; camera; icup; school; vandal
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To: Pyro7480
Rather than ripping out the camera, he should have alerted others and contacted his parents and/or the cops.

The principal should be under investigation.

41 posted on 12/01/2005 11:46:45 AM PST by wideawake
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To: Pyro7480

Just a note from a former PI with some background in issues like this.

In most states, it is quite legal to place cameras in locations where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. It is legal (at least in the Commonwealth of Virginia) to place a camera in a bathroom so long as it is not pointing inside of a stall (where someone would expect privacy). In an open area of a bathroom (where there are multiple stalls or urinals) you do not expect privacy. Anyone could walk in and see you in these locations.

You might be surprised at the number of retail stores that have cameras in their restrooms....


42 posted on 12/01/2005 11:51:01 AM PST by Dubya-M-Dees (Mary Mapes was the first in the MSM that had to participate in an election by the people... she lost)
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To: Pyro7480
If the principal was worried about vandalism in the mens' room, why didn't he assign a male teacher or go himself between classes and catch them? A camera seems to me to be extreme, yet I think both sides have a valid argument here. Do you have the right to pee in private, or does the school have the right to make sure you don't pee on the walls by photographing what you do when you relieve yourself?
43 posted on 12/01/2005 11:52:38 AM PST by geezerwheezer (get up boys, we're burnin' daylight!!!)
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To: wideawake

You nailed it!


44 posted on 12/01/2005 11:59:32 AM PST by enraged
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To: Pyro7480

Brownsville Station: Smoking in the Boys Room


45 posted on 12/01/2005 12:01:37 PM PST by Steven W.
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To: thecabal
What the hell is wrong with FR lately? I can't believe that there are people here that apparently think it's OK for the school to film 8th grade boys in the bathroom. That kid made the right assumption that some pervert put that in there, and he did the right thing by taking it out. Gawd, there's some sick, twisted puppies out there if they think the boy was wrong.

What you are seeing are the Statist, "LEO-Uber-Alles", Authority-Is-G_D crowd here.

You may notice they are the first to defend Bad Cops, and blame "perps" for everything. This kid isn't even accused of ANYTHING, and some are painting him as a suspect or criminal!

It's been a staple here for a long time.

46 posted on 12/01/2005 12:01:38 PM PST by Itzlzha ("The avalanche has already started...it is too late for the pebbles to vote")
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To: geezerwheezer

We don't know the story here. It's possible that kids were ripping towel dispensers off the wall, breaking mirrors, etc. And its also likely possible to put a camera in one of those bathrooms in a way that doesn't view kids in stall, and with the boys' backs to the camera's when they are using the urinal. Depending upon the vandalism and the placement of the camera, it might not be that bad of an idea.


47 posted on 12/01/2005 12:05:57 PM PST by XJarhead
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To: cripplecreek

I suspect that if you placed a camera in a public bathroom, that you would face some sort of legal action though.


48 posted on 12/01/2005 12:05:57 PM PST by FLcitizen
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To: Talking_Mouse
Is there also a camera in the girls bathroom?

Was there vandalism in the girl's bathroom that warrated a camera?

49 posted on 12/01/2005 12:08:55 PM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker (Karen Ryan reporting...)
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To: Pyro7480

If you put cameras in the bathrooms, my kids will pee in your office.


50 posted on 12/01/2005 12:10:01 PM PST by mad puppy ( The Southern border needs to be a MAJOR issue in 2006 and 2008)
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To: Pyro7480

Turn the principal and local DA in to the Feds for possession and distribution of child pornography.


51 posted on 12/01/2005 12:10:22 PM PST by pierrem15
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To: add925

He's probably been pulling his own while viewing the pictures. He needs to be fired at the least.


52 posted on 12/01/2005 12:11:10 PM PST by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: thoughtomator
What's the difference between this and child porn?"

While having a camera in a bathroom might violate some statutes. It would not be child porn. Here is an excerpt from a group that accepts reports of illegal websites:What content isn`t child pornography?

* Text describing child pornography or explicit sexual behavior of/with children is not illegal.

* Child modeling sites, (i.e. childsupermodel.com) are not illegal. ASACP does not accept child-modeling sites as Sponsors or Approved Members, but these sites are legal.

* At this time animations, drawings and cartoons are legal.

* Child nudity does not always equal child pornography. The determining factor with child pornography is not whether the child is nude, partially nude, or fully clothed. The determining factor is what the child is doing and/or having done to him/her is.

53 posted on 12/01/2005 12:16:42 PM PST by ozoneliar ("The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants" -T.J.)
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To: Pyro7480

I do not see a problem with keeping track of the bathroom. The camera could be preventing even more serious problems.

As for who is watching - the pervert issue---I'm not sure how to solve that. Who's monitoring the monitors?


54 posted on 12/01/2005 12:20:27 PM PST by eleni121 (s.)
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To: ozoneliar

So if the child is urinating, does that qualify as child pornography?


55 posted on 12/01/2005 12:23:09 PM PST by thoughtomator (What'ya mean you formatted the cat!?)
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To: eleni121; All

There is no good reason to put a camera in a children's bathroom. I would have taken it out too.

If I were the parents, I would be pressing the School District with legal action.


56 posted on 12/01/2005 12:25:01 PM PST by Stashiu (RVN, 1969-70)
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To: thoughtomator
So if the child is urinating, does that qualify as child pornography?

I'm researching relevant USC and GA statutes right now.

57 posted on 12/01/2005 12:26:07 PM PST by ozoneliar ("The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants" -T.J.)
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To: Pyro7480
This principal is just following the Marxists plan for statism, taking away all sense of individual privacy at a young age. They are conditioning our children. Public schools are indoctrination breeding grounds for the communists.

What is not taught is an honor system, a system that depends upon individuals to practice civil discourse.

58 posted on 12/01/2005 12:27:59 PM PST by LoneRangerMassachusetts (Some say what's good for others, the others make the goods; it's the meddlers against the peddlers)
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To: Pyro7480
Is there a reply from principle George Michaels?
59 posted on 12/01/2005 12:28:03 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
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To: cripplecreek
...but the kid had no right to steal it either

I for one would not convict him for stealing, no more than I would convict the players in the Boston Tea Party of any crime.

60 posted on 12/01/2005 12:30:51 PM PST by LoneRangerMassachusetts (Some say what's good for others, the others make the goods; it's the meddlers against the peddlers)
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