Educator Denies Spying On Laptop Webcam

LOWER MERION, Pa. - An assistant vice-principal accused by a Lower Merion student of spying over his school-issued laptop webcam said Wednesday the allegations aren't true and she's receiving threating e-mails related to the case.

It was obvious not just from the words she used but in her delivery that Assistant Vice-Principal Lindy Matsko has been anxiously awaiting her first public opportunity to speak out.

Watch: Assistant Vice-Principal's Full Statement

The lawsuit was filed by Harriton High School sophomore Blake Robbins, who claims he was disciplined based on a photo taken by the webcam of his school-issued computer.

The district has since acknowledged that a security feature on the laptops can remotely activate webcams, but they said it was only used if a computer was reported lost or stolen.

Matsko -- who has been in the district for 25 years, 10 of them as an assistant vice-principal -- said she's a mother of two high-school-aged boys herself and shares concerns about privacy.

She made her statement Wednesday at the Center City office of her attorney, Dennis Abramson. A federal judge handling the lawsuit OK'd her making the statement, although the district has been urged not to speak on the matter or contact the plaintiffs.

"At no point in time did I have the ability to access any webcam through security-tracking software," Matzko said. "At no time have I ever monitored a student via a laptop webcam, nor have I ever authorized the monitoring of a student via security-tracking webcam either at school or within the home. And I never would."

She added, "I have never disciplined a student for conduct he or she engaged in outside of school property that is not in connection with school or a school-related event. That is not, has never been and never should be my role."

Matzko said she looks forward to the day when she can speak even more openly about what happened but could not do so Wednesday, on the advice of counsel.

She added that she has been receiving threatening e-mails, online writings have dragged her name through the mud, and the entire situation has taken an emotional toll on her.

An attorney representing the student told Fox 29 News he intends to release a statement in response to Matzko's remarks.

On Tuesday night, district officials held a previously-scheduled public meeting in the community of Narberth to try to ease the concerns of parents and taxpayers.

The superintendent said he couldn't go into great detail about the scandal for legal reasons, but parents still wanted answers.

"To think that someone's invading your privacy in your home, I think that we all ought to look at ourselves. It's like Big Brother Orwell looking at all of us, and I think it's a very sad state of affairs," resident Evette Mittin said.