Pupil Discovers Camera In School Bathroom (and Gets Suspended for It!)

WMAZ ^ | 11/30/2005 | n/a

[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.

[no dems]

"except cops don't put cameras in bathrooms ... right?"

Hmmmmmm. I don't know if they do or not. If they did, would it be legal?

[thecabal]

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

I know that the statists have been a signficant force at FR for a long time, but I'm still shocked that they would defend the pervert in this case. It says alot about their mindset. Coddling perverts in the name of "respecting authority". /spit

[Last Exit]

Anyone know if the ACLU stepped in to help NAMBLA install some cameras at Cub Scout HQ yet?

[no camera mom]

I'm THE mom....and I agree with you. I, as an adult would've known the best course of action...to go home, alert the adult and let the adults handle the issue. Had he thought like an adult, the school wouldn't have had grounds for suspension.

As you know, this is an 8th grader. He wasn't actually the child that took the camera down. However, since his mom is in the news business and active within the community, he took the camera to someone he KNEW would address the problem! I give my children privacy in the bathroom, shouldn't the school?

[HairOfTheDog]

but its quite illegal to put cameras in bathrooms around here. they can't even put them in the stippers bathrooms in strip clubs.

You say this like you're disappointed.

[AFreeBird]

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?

So fine, they know there's a camera there; they turn around from the urinal and ummm shake it a little, maybe a pull or two, and then you've got the principal on child porno; call the FBI and have the principals name put on the nat'l sex offender list.

[dead]

I'm with you. I wouldn't expect an 8th grader to know exactly what to do. He did pretty good.

The officials who put that camera there are either grossly overstepping your child's right to privacy (the big brother best case scenario) or they're just plain criminal weirdos (the worst case sex offender scenario).

Either way, your son was right to bring it to your attention in any way he could think of.

Good luck teaching the adults a lesson.

[no camera mom]

Thank you for support...

I'm not much for the public eye (shockingly).

Realizing cameras in public areas/public schools are legal in some states has been a real eye opener! Georgia does NOT have clarification on this issue. This has become my mission...

I'm moving forward for clarification's sake. If the government has the right to film my bathroom excursion, I want to know! Let the government tell us all! At least then, we'll know where things stand. Then, we can move to make changes.

I don't like the idea, period. Especially where children are involved. If I had a camera set up at home in MY bathroom, my children would be taken from me by the very government that is claiming to have the right!

I'm getting concerned parents/adults involved by launching a website "www.pacir.org", PARENTS AGAINST CAMERAS IN RESTROOMS, Monday 12-5-05 6am...."stay tuned!"

[absolootezer0]

ROFL.. no, just had a few strippers that i dated, the "no camera" was actually a good thing..