Sub. teacher faces 40 years in prison for X-rated popups

[Kugetsu]

I was just browsing some GameFaqs boards and came across this (I realize that it's actually a bit old, but this article is new and I had never heard of it before this)

Imagine you know next to nothing about computers. You're a substitute teacher for a seventh grade class. There's a computer in the classroom and, knowing you're going to be sitting there for a while, you ask a fulltime teacher if you can use it. He logs you in with his password and tells you not to shut it off because you couldn't get back on.

Not that you have a clue about this stuff, but that computer is running Windows 98 and the outdated Internet Explorer 6.02. Its filtering and anti-virus software have expired, and it has no anti-spyware software.

You step out of the classroom for a moment. When you get back the kids are clustered around the computer, checking out hairstyle websites. But one is actually a link to porn sites, and it loads a Trojan onto the unprotected computer.

Suddenly, pop-ups start appearing — X-rated popups.

You start to panic. You're not supposed to shut the machine and you don't realize you can just shut the monitor. You try to block the screen, but — like normal seventh graders — the kids are curious and pushy.

You run to the teacher's lounge for help. Finally you get some and the crisis ends. But the kids have seen the porn. They tell their parents. The parents tell the school.

You tell the school administrators what happened, but they don't bother (or don't know how) to check the computer for the adware you described. Instead they fire you.

And soon you're arrested and charged with four counts of "risk of injury to a minor, or impairing the morals of a child." You're facing 40 years in prison.

Welcome to the nightmare of Julie Amero, a 40-year-old substitute teacher in Norwich, Conn. That's what she says happened to her at the hands of the technologically illiterate Kelly Middle School, technologically illiterate police, a technologically illiterate prosecutor, and a technologically illiterate jury.

If her life hadn't been effectively destroyed by this farce of justice, it would almost be comical. But it's not.

If you've ever seen a completely unprotected computer suddenly have a pile of adware come to life, it can be a sight to behold. Windows appearing on top of one another pell-mell; closing one only brings more.

(Want to try it for yourself? Turn off all your computer's protection and visit (link removed), the site the kids were checking out when all this started. See how fast your PC is infected. On second thought, don't.)

Weeks later, with leisure time and 20/20 hindsight, officials came up with all the things Amero should have done. Of course, they didn't have to contend with the panic and shock of seeing random pictures popping up on an unfamiliar machine, and of 12-year olds pushing to try to see more.

She should have shut off the computer, they said. But Amero was told specifically not to do that. And, like a lot of people, I suspect, didn't realize she could turn off the monitor...

Full article can be found here: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/ ... maro_x.htm

This is simply a cover of the story in the columnist's eyes, but it pretty much covers everything.

This is definitely one of the most ridiculous cases I have ever seen. She gets more jail time than some murder and drunk driving fatality cases give. I heard that the case may have been thrown out, but I haven't read anywhere where it's been confirmed.

[Katherine]

Wow.40 YEARS!Just Wow.

[whhattisthiss]

Wow, that's sad that no one will believe her, and just check the computers history. 40 years is a long long time

[Susannahmio]

Wow.40 YEARS!Just Wow.

Yeah and most people that do a WHOLE lot worse get a slap on the wrist.

[Ginger Harp Seal Pup]

40 years?! What the heck! Some murderers in this country only get about 10 years, even less sometimes. And sometimes, they get away with it. This is ridiculous! I hope she just ends up with a slap on the wrist. She doesn't even deserve that, but it would be a blessing compaired to 40 years inside at least...

[Xandra]

That's unbelievably freaking stupid.

I can't really think of much to say other than that; the sheer idiocy of this just makes me angry.

[May]

Schools and technology...ugh. Schools either have nothing, or have gone completely overboard (like my school, where teachers can't even search for school supplies on the internet). I feel so sorry for that poor woman. That school needs to get their act together on protecting computers. Unfortunately, I can see it happening to more than just this one woman.

[Combusken BG]

The school is to blame for having important software that is outdated and Julie's replacement could easily have the same problem as she did if the school doesn't fix that problem.

Trouble is if the school doesn't fix that problem her replacement would most likely get fired and risk being the same scenerio as Julie is for the same reason. (And their replacement etc.)

[Uncle Xyzzy]

It's the school's fault.

Heck, I can't even access the forums because the URL contains the word "forum". It's not that hard, and if they can't set up the system themselves, they can hire someone to do it for them.

[Mongrel]

The school is definitely overreacting. Forty years? When people who kill others through drunk driving get a slap on the wrist?

[Kugetsu]

I don't think she should have even been charged, period, but I was stunned by the idea of prison time for this (especially 40 years!) I would have thoughy a fine would have been a bit overkill (even being fired!).

It's just an unfortunate situation that was amplified into some catastrophe. I think I'm going to keep tabs on this one (usually I don't)... I REALLY don't want to see her actually doing time for it. >_>

[theonlysaneone]

http://julieamer.blogspot.com/index.html

She's already been found guilty; the article is somewhat outdated. they're currently in the sentencing phase, then there will be appeals and such.

This is really sad. Hopefully she'll be released at the appeal, because of the incompetence at every level of this case.

[CWisgood]

What. The. HELL.

That's OUTRAGEOUS. Not to mention utterly moronic.

[Asthaloth]

It's the school's fault.

Heck, I can't even access the forums because the URL contains the word "forum". It's not that hard, and if they can't set up the system themselves, they can hire someone to do it for them.

And knowing school kids I can think of about a dozen ways to bypass the inadequate filters schools tend to use.
Heck, you could bypass the one at my school by routing it through Google (Some... 8 years ago or so) and by using the IP address at College (Until last year...) at Which point I just routed it through a Proxy Ip.
Easy really, so Filters won't do diddly.

[Rachel]

It's the school's fault.

Heck, I can't even access the forums because the URL contains the word "forum". It's not that hard, and if they can't set up the system themselves, they can hire someone to do it for them.

And knowing school kids I can think of about a dozen ways to bypass the inadequate filters schools tend to use.
Heck, you could bypass the one at my school by routing it through Google (Some... 8 years ago or so) and by using the IP address at College (Until last year...) at Which point I just routed it through a Proxy Ip.
Easy really, so Filters won't do diddly.

They do do diddly. They are a deterrent. It stops someone from accessing the filtered content on a whim - you have to really want to do it!