Teen Catches Teacher Stealing From Students’ Backpacks

http://fox8.com/2013/02/27/teen-c...backpacks/

Quote : Teen Catches Teacher Stealing From Students’ Backpacks SACRAMENTO, California — A California student sets up a hidden video camera hoping to catch a thief, and ends up busting a popular teacher. “I was really scared,” said student Justine Betti. “I was like oh my gosh, I can’t believe I just got this on video.” It began when students in Betti’s gym class began noticing money and other items missing from their backpacks. She decided to hide inside a locker to catch the thief, never imagining what she would see. “I didn’t want to believe that she would do something like that because she was so nice,” said Betti. “But then she did it.” Her teacher was going through student backpacks, appearing to be taking money. Betti felt she had to do something, so she hid in a locker again, this time with a phone camera. She and the other girls took the video to the principal. “He said that he’ll investigate it and he told us to delete the video,” Betti said. “But I had already sent it to my dad.”

I guess teachers really do have it bad.. apparently they're stealing students' money? Actually I don't this is quite as appalling as the fact that the principal told the student to delete it. Imagine catching someone stealing from you home, going to the police with video evidence the police saying.. oh gee thanks, we'll look into now. Now please delete the evidence??? (obviously the principal just didn't want it leaking out into the world).

Teacher.....bad.

Or is it...... principals bad?

I am so confused.

I think the video needs to make the rounds on facebook/youtube... When you have definitive evidence of this sort of thing, Why do an "investigation"? Sounds like sweeping under the rug.

Quote from BigBananaMess : Prediction: the student who shot the video will be expelled and face possible criminal charges for illegal wiretapping, or some trumped up Patriot Act violation. The teacher gets no consequences. Edit: just watched the video. The theiving teacher is black and the videotaping student is white. This is clearly a hate crime and the student should be prosecuted

the teacher in the video has white hands



http://linden.ca.luh.schoolinsite...gID=131751

Quote from TRNT : Teacher.....bad. Or is it...... principals bad? I am so confused.

both.. What is the benefit of deleting the evidence? Why would you ever instruct someone to do that, unless you were safeguarding your own agenda? Maybe you'd answer this question (which) I already worded. If someone broke into your home.. and you had it on video. After the police seeing it would you now delete all evidence if requested? What do you think the motive would be, if the police chief asked you to do this.. and the robber you had on video was a police officer??

The principal and the teacher can join the flag stomping ex-"teacher" in SC - they should be fired.

So what is the point of this thread. This is an incredibly weak 'news' story.

Quote from DJPlayer : both.. What is the benefit of deleting the evidence? Why would you ever instruct someone to do that, unless you were safeguarding your own agenda? Maybe you'd answer this question (which) I already worded. If someone broke into your home.. and you had it on video. After the police seeing it would you now delete all evidence if requested? What do you think the motive would be, if the police chief asked you to do this.. and the robber you had on video was a police officer??

I don't think that video is admissible evidence in court.

Imagine if the teacher were actually in charge of looking for drugs, on an assignment from the principal. This student captures a video of what she thinks is someone who's stealing stuff but instead is doing their job. The student then spreads a rumor of what she thinks she saw and ruins this teacher's life.

Please note: I'm NOT saying that this is what happened. I'm just saying that there are many examples out there of people who thought they saw one thing but actually saw something completely different. (Hell, this was the entire plot of My Cousin Vinny.) And hence, there may be valid reason why she was told to delete the video. Also, even if it WEREN'T the case, the principal would almost certainly need to conduct a real investigation in order to press charges. Anything prior to that investigation is rumor, speculation, and heresay, and so by telling the girl to delete the video he's actually protecting her from accusations of slander.

This isn't just for principal/teacher relationships, of course, but any such situation where "candid" video is used to catch a thief. However, some people here have a knee jerk reaction and forget that America is based upon "innocent until proven guilty."

Quote from DJPlayer : both.. What is the benefit of deleting the evidence? Why would you ever instruct someone to do that, unless you were safeguarding your own agenda? Maybe you'd answer this question (which) I already worded. If someone broke into your home.. and you had it on video. After the police seeing it would you now delete all evidence if requested? What do you think the motive would be, if the police chief asked you to do this.. and the robber you had on video was a police officer??

There was a significant typo in my post.

Teacher ==> Teachers

It is just that there is this tendency to pile on teachers for legitimate AND illegitimate reasons.

Sigh.

Quote from bonkman : Imagine if the teacher were actually in charge of looking for drugs, on an assignment from the principal.

Are teachers allowed to search personal effects w/o a warrant or even probable cause?

Students have no rights on school property?

Quote from bonkman : I don't think that video is admissible evidence in court. Imagine if the teacher were actually in charge of looking for drugs, on an assignment from the principal. This student captures a video of what she thinks is someone who's stealing stuff but instead is doing their job. The student then spreads a rumor of what she thinks she saw and ruins this teacher's life. Please note: I'm NOT saying that this is what happened. I'm just saying that there are many examples out there of people who thought they saw one thing but actually saw something completely different. (Hell, this was the entire plot of My Cousin Vinny.) And hence, there may be valid reason why she was told to delete the video. Also, even if it WEREN'T the case, the principal would almost certainly need to conduct a real investigation in order to press charges. Anything prior to that investigation is rumor, speculation, and heresay, and so by telling the girl to delete the video he's actually protecting her from accusations of slander. This isn't just for principal/teacher relationships, of course, but any such situation where "candid" video is used to catch a thief. However, some people here have a knee jerk reaction and forget that America is based upon "innocent until proven guilty."

that's a whole lotta something

I especially liked the part about how he was actually protecting the kid.

Quote from 124nic8 : Are teachers allowed to search personal effects w/o a warrant or even probable cause? Students have no rights on school property?

There may have been probable cause based upon previous observations. Again....we don't know all the info.

And I was giving a hypothetical.

The rights of students (and teachers) in school actually has quite a lot of interesting case law behind it. I only know a small amount.

Quote from vaultaddict : that's a whole lotta something I especially liked the part about how he was actually protecting the kid.

We all know public convictions are not the same as actual convictions.

Again, speaking in hypotheticals here. The teacher may indeed be very guilty and end up fired.

But she's not DEFINITELY guilty yet, nor is there necessarily a giant coverup.

Quote from bonkman : We all know public convictions are not the same as actual convictions. Again, speaking in hypotheticals here. The teacher may indeed be very guilty and end up fired. But she's not DEFINITELY guilty yet, nor is there necessarily a giant coverup.

But asking her to delete evidence strongly suggests an attempted coverup.

He could have just requested keeping it confidential and explained it was for her protection.

If the teacher were a thief, destroying evidence could be illegal.