A 2009 graduate of Harriton High School is suing Lower Merion School District over alleged webcam spying, making it yet another lawsuit on the subject lodged against the district.
Joshua Levin claims that a district webcam captured thousands of photos and screen shots from his computer between September 2008 and March 2009, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.
This lawsuit comes months after the school district settled its cases with two other students who accused school officials of spying on them and taking multiple photos using the cameras installed in their school-issued laptops.
The Inquirer reports that the Levin claims to have been "shocked, humiliated and severely emotionally distressed" after seeing the pictures, later accusing the district of violating his civil rights.
According to the Inquirer, Levin’s complaint does not describe the nature of the images obtained by the district.
Doug Young, a school district spokesman, told the Inquirer that Levin “flatly refused” any mediation attempts by the district other than legal action. Young also called Levin’s lawsuit “solely motivated by monetary interests and a complete waste of tax dollars.”
Mark Haltzman, attorney for the students who first sued the district, was reportedly doubtful that Levin’s case for damages was valid.
"As far as I know, this kid didn't suffer anything as a result of the pictures being taken," Haltzman told the Inquirer.
