Lower Merion school board votes to settle latest webcam suit

A week ago, attorneys for the Lower Merion School District were working to get the latest webcam suit against the district tossed out. Monday, the school board voted unanimously to settle the suit for $10,000.

Filed in June, the suit from a Harriton High School student claims the student was spied on. District officials have pushed back from the beginning, saying the suit was financially motivated and that no one from the school ever saw the photos taken by the district-issued laptop.

Ardmore Patch cites the school board’s letter asking the members to vote for the settlement:

“The student intended to assert claims against the district alleging that it improperly remotely activated and captured photographs from a webcam to a laptop the district issued to the student. There is no evidence anyone from the district ever saw these photographs and while maintaining its innocence of liability, the district considers it desirable to settle this matter to eliminate the substantial burden, expense, inconvenience, and distraction of litigation. The district’s portion of the settlement is $10,000.”