In Irving, Texas, ridiculously close to my last home, Madelyn Beaird, a student at MacArthur High School, was suspected of being involved in an incident on campus that involved a gun and some cars that were keyed. When teachers asked her to turn over her mobile phone to inspect her text messages, she panicked and caved in.
“I knew they could not do it but I was kind of scared to ask for it back because you know I was like ‘there were three principals and a police officer,” she said.
Her Dad, being a pure breed America, saw this as an opportunity to demand compensation for the High School violating his daughter’s right to privacy. He’s not even hiding the fact that his motives are purely financial: “I remember back when hot coffee was spilled in the McDonald’s law suit. They were awarded $4.5 M. I said you know, I guess a constitutional right is worth at least $4 M today. It is worth at least a cup of coffee.”
School officials sent The 33 News a statement with regards to the situation, saying that “there was a reasonable cause for the district to search the phone. In addition, the students consented to the search and even assisted in the search. MacArthur High School administrators were working in the best interest of all the students on the campus, including those involved in the search.”
Madelyn’s phone was also confiscated and there are no plans to return it, but the school has agreed to reimburse her for the cost of the device.
Which side do you take? As batshit insane as the father is, I’m going to have to stand by him. A person’s mobile phone is their most private possession. In it there are call logs, emails, text messages, photos … everything needed to tap into someone’s life.
I wasn’t one of the first kids in my High School to get a mobile phone, but I did eventually get one, and I did eventually get in trouble. When my teachers asked for my device I politely declined and that was that.
Kids today. They need balls.
[Hat tip to Textually]
Video below detailing te whole shebang: