CA School Principle Orders Student to Delete Vidoe of Teacher Stealing

[celtic_crippler]

Article: http://www.photographyisnotacrime.c...-student-to-delete-video-of-teacher-stealing/

A high school student in California who caught her gym teacher on video rummaging through student’s belongings, possibly stealing items, took the video to the principal in the hopes he would take action.

Linden High School Principal Richard Schmidig assured her he would investigate.

But then ordered her to delete the video.

Fortunately, Justine Betti had the foresight to send the video to her father, which is apparently the only reason it survives today.

It does appear the teacher has been placed on “leave” and is being investigated by the school district and county sheriff’s department, but do you think the principle was right to have her delete the evidence?

 

[smithr]

Hard to say if it was inappropriate for the principle to ask that the video be deleted. Some schools have a strict policy against video taping in the school. Maybe the principle felt it was in the best interest of the student to delete the video, otherwise he might have been forced to discipline the student. Maybe there were other children on the tape, and he did not want the video to go viral with these students on the tape. I wouldn’t want someone uploading a video with my kids in it.

I’m just saying, it sounds bad (the principle asking to destroy the video), but until we know all the facts it’s hard to judge.

 

[Carol]

Hard to say if it was inappropriate for the principle to ask that the video be deleted. Some schools have a strict policy against video taping in the school. Maybe the principle felt it was in the best interest of the student to delete the video, otherwise he might have been forced to discipline the student. Maybe there were other children on the tape, and he did not want the video to go viral with these students on the tape. I wouldn’t want someone uploading a video with my kids in it.

I’m just saying, it sounds bad (the principle asking to destroy the video), but until we know all the facts it’s hard to judge.

If you read the article, click the links, and watch the videos associated, you'll see a lot more information -- including bits of the video the school wants deleted.

 

[Carol]

Wonder how the SJC Sheriff's office feels about the Principal asking the student to destroy evidence of a crime?

 

[celtic_crippler]

Wonder how the SJC Sheriff's office feels about the Principal asking the student to destroy evidence of a crime?

Hadn't thought of that... I'm sure they'd prefer to have solid evidence in any case they're investigating.

In most cases I would think the child would be at a disadvantage in leveling charges of theft agasint a teacher. Without "hard evidence" I would tend to believe they'd take the word of the teacher over the student.

 

[Big Don]

My kid's high school has a no cell phone's with cameras rule... ergo, he doesn't get to take his phone to school, ever.