University violates Fourth Amendment with anti-cheating practice.
District Judge J. Philip Calabrese ruled this week that requiring students to use a webcam before taking a test is a violation of their Fourth Amendment right to privacy. College student Aaron Ogletree filed a lawsuit against Cleveland State University after he was required to show video footage of himself in his bedroom before taking an online test. The university student stated he was afraid the professor administering the online test would fail him if he did not comply, so he complied with the request even though it was illegal.
Judge Calabrese ruled, “Mr. Ogletree’s privacy interest in his home outweighs Cleveland State’s interests in scanning his room. Accordingly, the Court determines that Cleveland State’s practice of conducting room scans is unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment.”
“Rooms scans go where people otherwise would not, at least not without a warrant or an invitation. Nor does it follow that room scans are not searches because the technology is ‘in general public use,'” Judge Calabrese said.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For U.S. district court judges as they hear and rule on cases regarding Constitutional rights.
- For those in authority, both in the public sector and the private sector, to abide by the law and not abuse their positions.
Sources: AP, NPR, NY Times
