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Porn Pop-ups Could Land Grade Teacher Behind Bars
Tech.Blorge.com ^ | March 2, 2007 | Tristan McIntyre

Posted on 03/04/2007 7:34:16 AM PST by SamAdams76

In what can be associated with the string of “teacher abuses student” cases in the 90s, the new face of educational abuse has reared its ugly head in the classroom: pornographic pop-ups.

July Amero, a 7th grade school teacher residing in Windham, Connecticut, is facing a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison for, “risk of causing injury to a minor.”

Back in 2004, July was teaching in her normal classroom, when on the room’s computer appeared a flood of sexually explicit pornographic pop-ups.

She panicked, and attempted to close the pop-ups, but as some of us have had the displeasure of experiencing, this only created more pop-ups, and unfortunately some of the students witnessed the graphic spam.

To make matters worse, July might have simply powered off the machine, but a strict school policy demanded classroom computers never be shut-off. July rejected a plea-bargain that would have saved her from jail, and is now defending herself in court, which is seeming to be a wise decision.

The school administration admitted the network’s firewall had been disabled because the bill for the software was not paid, which left the computer vulnerable to the malicious spam.

It was also revealed that the officer who inspected the computer in question failed to test the computer for infections or spyware. Alex Eckelberry, president of a software company commented, “That is a blunder akin to not checking for fingerprints at the crime scene.”

If the computer was infected, the pop-ups could have been triggered by 2 students who used the computer before the teacher to visit a “hairstyle website.” With such a list of gross miscalculations and irresponsible actions, July’s case seems positive; however, it raises some very interesting questions that will no doubt be addressed upon this case’s conclusion.

Spy-ware is an unavoidable demon for modern PC users; the best one can do is to regularly purge and protect the against the newest forms. If this is the case, how can someone’s livelihood and freedom be forfeited over something that cannot be completely protected against?

Furthermore, the way computers are accessed in classrooms must change if individual teachers are to be held responsible for the content that is accessed. If students are allowed to access computers freely without supervision and complete internet freedom, would it not stand to reason they might search for objectionable material?

It would seem that the parties that should be held accountable for this situation are the school’s administration. First, good tax-payer money is being spent to pay for computers, internet access, and a stalwart firewall…pay the bills on time. If you can’t, do not blame your teachers.

Secondly, those in charge of the school should re-evaluate the current policies regarding the shutting down or monitoring of classroom machines. It is unjust to hold the teacher responsible for her reaction to the pop-ups when no policy had been established for handling such mishaps.

Amidst all the finger-pointing and accusation-making, an honest school teacher’s life has been irreversibly tainted. It would be best to evaluate this happenstance thoroughly and react appropriately so no one else must endure what July Amero is experiencing.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: amero; nifonged; teacher
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This story is enough to just make me give up on humanity altogether. A terrible injustice has been done to a woman who is now a convicted felon and is looking at up to 40 years in jail due to something beyond her control that has happened to all of us (who use computers) at one time or another. Plus she probably has to register in her community as a sex offender too. Just great.

Is there any wonder why we have trouble finding good schoolteachers today?

Why the parents, school faculty and good citizens didn't rally behind her and stop this travesty of justice is beyond me. I guess everybody has been paying more attention to the travails of Britney Spears and Nicole Simpson.

1 posted on 03/04/2007 7:34:18 AM PST by SamAdams76
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To: SamAdams76

Moreover, who decided to pursue these charges? This would seem to be a matter requiring the discretion of the prosecutor, or is there some reason they cannot fail to pursue?


2 posted on 03/04/2007 7:38:45 AM PST by atomicpossum (Replies must follow approved guidelines or you will be kill-filed without appeal.)
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To: SamAdams76

And the slender blonde that was "involved" with one of here students got some probation or something?


3 posted on 03/04/2007 7:39:37 AM PST by somemoreequalthanothers (All for the betterment of "the state", comrade)
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To: neverdem; xsmommy; Slip18; Dutchgirl; SamAdams76
The absolute STUPIDITY of the GOVERNMENT school system (BUREACRACY) is here displayed perfectly:

The teacher had no filter on-line, and "no policy" to keep one up.

She COULD have turned doff the PC, but POLICY forbid doing that!

She was PROSECUTED for showing porn (as an ACCIDENT while on-line - but no indication that she did it deliberately) because of the school's POLICY.

Zero investigation, zero common sense, zero thought. Just "POLICY" - and it was "just policy" that murdered 25 million Soviets under Stalin.
4 posted on 03/04/2007 7:39:58 AM PST by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but Hillary's ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: SamAdams76
I would bet that the students did it. This case should never have been filed. This woman needs to fight and sue the school district and local authorities after she prevails.
5 posted on 03/04/2007 7:42:39 AM PST by ex-Texan (Matthew 7: 1 - 6)
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To: SamAdams76
A terrible injustice has been done to a woman who is now a convicted felon and is looking at up to 40 years in jail

I presume you are working from more material than is present here. The article does not say she is between conviction and sentencing, and actually implies that she's not been convicted yet.

Nevertheless, that such could even be possibly going to trial illustrates the nature of the judicial system some here seem to think is perfect.

6 posted on 03/04/2007 7:44:10 AM PST by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com†|Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: SamAdams76
I've had porn pop-ups come up on my new work computer and the only thing I was doing on the web was a search for SAE material specs for steel and a decent periodic table for some training that I would be conducting the next week. The IT guys and my boss understood and it was no big deal. Sure they took a good look at what I was doing on the net, but I sure didn't get fired or prosecuted.

What they did to this teacher is absolutely horrifying. Unless they can show that she was visiting porn sites, they have no leg to stand on. The prosecutor has his head so far up his backside that it's unbelievable. When this is over, her conviction will be overturned and she'll have her job back with back-pay.

The school administration admitted the network’s firewall had been disabled because the bill for the software was not paid, which left the computer vulnerable to the malicious spam.

It was also revealed that the officer who inspected the computer in question failed to test the computer for infections or spyware. Alex Eckelberry, president of a software company commented, “That is a blunder akin to not checking for fingerprints at the crime scene.”

Who conducted this investigation, Deputy Dawg? I could do a better job and I'm definitely not a trained IT professional.

7 posted on 03/04/2007 7:44:26 AM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Liberalism is a social disease.)
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To: SamAdams76

The Nany government is sure trying to convince us that without their style of governing; we the great unwashed masses will go down in doom.


8 posted on 03/04/2007 7:44:34 AM PST by freekitty
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To: SamAdams76

It sounds like this case won't hold up in court, just from what they have admitted. This teacher has a huge lawsuit settlement coming.


9 posted on 03/04/2007 7:50:00 AM PST by mockingbyrd (peace begins in the womb)
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE

This is nore than a little frightening.


10 posted on 03/04/2007 7:50:01 AM PST by patton (Sanctimony frequently reaps its own reward.)
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To: SamAdams76

She is not yet convicted.


11 posted on 03/04/2007 7:50:09 AM PST by Jeff Gordon (History convinces me that bad government results from too much government. - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: SamAdams76
Solution...

Close all public schools and teach your children yourself. Then re-educate the public school "teachers" and help get them started a new profession.

Just a suggestion.

12 posted on 03/04/2007 7:50:48 AM PST by EndWelfareToday (Live free and keep what you earn. - Tancredo or Hunter)
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To: freekitty



As i recall, the computer in question was left on all day with porn pop ups doing ther thing all day.

That being said, the "relative harm" is small, however did she alert the Principle? Network ADmin?

Normally these sorts of stories are either loaded to either

A. Make the defendent look depraved.
B. Make the prosecuter look out of control.

I simply cannot tell which is which with this one.


13 posted on 03/04/2007 7:51:29 AM PST by padre35 (I am from the "let's stop eating our own" wing of the Republican Party)
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To: SamAdams76

This woman is very likely innocent.


14 posted on 03/04/2007 7:52:07 AM PST by wintertime
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To: SamAdams76
“That is a blunder akin to not checking for fingerprints at the crime scene.”

I guess that would depend on the crime scene.

15 posted on 03/04/2007 7:52:43 AM PST by Mr.Unique (Why did Lloyd Dobler want Diane Court anyway??)
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To: SamAdams76

How is this the teacher's fault????


16 posted on 03/04/2007 7:55:33 AM PST by sweetliberty (Stupidity should make you sterile!)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

"Who conducted this investigation, Deputy Dawg? I could do a better job and I'm definitely not a trained IT professional."

Indeed. This almost seems malicious. I SERIOUSLY question the competency or motives of anyone who inspected that computer and didn't check for nasty-ware.


17 posted on 03/04/2007 7:57:21 AM PST by L98Fiero (A fool who'll waste his life, God rest his guts.)
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To: SamAdams76
The school administration admitted the network’s firewall had been disabled because the bill for the software was not paid, which left the computer vulnerable to the malicious spam.

Nice. Government strikes again.

18 posted on 03/04/2007 7:58:23 AM PST by Doohickey (I am not unappeasable. YOU are just too easily appeased.)
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: mockingbyrd

Indeed this case should be sumarrily dismissed. If there is any crimial liabilty at all here, it doesn't appear to lie with the teacher, but with whomever is truly responsible for the school systems' computers' security. It's truly shameful, that this teacher has been made the scapegoat. She may indeed have grounds for a lawsuit herself.


20 posted on 03/04/2007 7:58:40 AM PST by BMIC
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