Need help quick

[lordamarth]

I live in Paso Robles CA and I need legal advice...

My son/daughter is facing possible suspension or computer probation because they logged in to a school website as one of their friends to check said friend's old grades.

Here is the details:
This was done from a home computer not at school.
The official charge is "Assuming another person's identity over the network" which is a subviolation of the "Computer and Networked Information Resources Acceptable Use Agreement For Students" which is signed by parents and students so kids can use school computers.
Said Acceptable Use agreement was drafted and revised before the school website in question was created. The violation in question was intended to refer to the local school network which requires all students to type a user name and password to use any school computer.

 

[CdwJava]

Is this a public school or a private school? If a private school, they can essentially do what they want and you can sue them if you think they have committed a breach of contract.

Regardless of the presence of the website when the language of the agreement was created, if the language of the agreement is pretty clear that you are not to log in to the network as someone else, then it would seem to have been violated.

How much do you want to push this issue with regards to the use agreement? If you push too hard, and the police get involved, then the minors might be charged with serious criminal allegations ... depending on the details. It is generally against the law to falsely access a computer network.

So, handle the issue with care - the law of unintended consequences might apply.

- Carl

 

[lordamarth]

The school is public. And he says that the terminology of the agreement is obviously referring to logging into the school computer workstations with another child's code. The new online grade check is new this year and he says he wasn't aware that it was a legal issue to check his friends grades from the privacy of his room.

 

[CdwJava]

Well, you can appeal any discipline through whatever procedures exist in your school and district. Keep in mind that if he logged in to a network using someone else's identifying information, and he did so without permission, he could face criminal charges if someone really wanted to push the issue. I'd be surprised if it went that far, but it is a possibility.

- Carl

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

Your child could be facing criminal charges instead of any school issues. It really doesn't matter what the computer use agreement says. Now he knows. It is up to you, the parent, to mke sure the consequnces are explained to your son. You don't want the FBI or police to be the next ones knocking on your door.

 

[Humusluvr]

I live in Paso Robles CA and I need legal advice...

My son/daughter is facing possible suspension or computer probation because they logged in to a school website as one of their friends to check said friend's old grades.

Here is the details:
This was done from a home computer not at school.
The official charge is "Assuming another person's identity over the network" which is a subviolation of the "Computer and Networked Information Resources Acceptable Use Agreement For Students" which is signed by parents and students so kids can use school computers.
Said Acceptable Use agreement was drafted and revised before the school website in question was created. The violation in question was intended to refer to the local school network which requires all students to type a user name and password to use any school computer.

How did the school find out this was done?

Did your son do something with the grades?

Did the friend know? Do the friend's parents know?

I think you will be lucky if he is just suspended from his computer usage.

 

[tranquility]

Duplicate post.