Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Absolutely Bone Chilling

I have been casually following the case of Julie Amero, a computer-illiterate supply teacher, who fell into the hands of the law after a disturbing run-in with pornographic pop-ups.

Now, from Ars Technica,

"It's over," said Julie Amero. "I feel wonderful."

This is not, to be sure, how most people would react upon being slapped with a $100 fine and having their professional credentials revoked. But after a four-year ordeal, during which the unassuming substitute teacher was decried as "disgusting" in the local press and convicted of felonies carrying a 40-year prison term, the plea agreement she reached with Connecticut prosecutors Friday must have come as a relief—even though a forensic report made public today shows she probably did nothing wrong.


The whole story is worth reading, even if it gives pause to anyone involved with using the internet with children in an ignorant and self-protective bureaucracy.

2 comments:

Ross Isenegger said...

There is a lot of background to this story at http://blogs.courant.com/rick_green/julie-amero/.

Anonymous said...

You're correct, Ross. I've been following this story since its inception. I've never quite felt like I totally understood all of the facts though.

It's a good counter-point to those who would unlock all of the protections that we have in place.

There has to be a safe place in-between. Right now, we have no consistency from board to board in the province.