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Lower Merion School District Discusses New Laptop Policy

Parents in Lower Merion got a first look at the school district's new laptop security policies at a board meeting Monday night.  The new policies satisfy all parts of a court ordered injunction according to school district officials.

KYW's Jim Melwert reports information systems director George Frazier says the new plans are all based on student privacy:

"Any type of remote access is first acknowledged and permitted by the student, and that would be for helping them, like a help desk situation."

As for security, the student and parent or guardian would have to sign off before any tracking software is activated.

Also the laptop camera will never be remotely turned on.

The changes come in the wake of a student who claims the webcam was activated to spy on him in his home. 
The school district has admitted thousands of pictures were taken but officials say the majority of those pictures were taken when the security software wasn't turned off.

There will be further discussion at an August 5 policy meeting. A final vote will likely come at the school board meeting on August 16.

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