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Post by LilyRose on Mar 17, 2021 16:30:22 GMT
Unbelievable!
PENSACOLA, Fla. – An assistant principal at a Florida elementary school and her teenage daughter have been accused of using the mother's privileged access to the school district's internal system to cast fraudulent votes in favor of the daughter winning homecoming queen at her high school.
Laura Rose Carroll, 50, of Pensacola, and her 17-year-old daughter were arrested Monday, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The teen was being held at Escambia Regional Juvenile Detention Center, authorities said.
Final determination of whether she will be tried as an adult will rest with prosecutors. A report released in 2014 by Human Rights Watch found Florida transferred more children out of the juvenile system and into adult court than any other state.
FDLE agents learned that Carroll and her daughter used FOCUS, the district's student information system, to cast fraudulent votes for her daughter to win homecoming queen at Tate High School, spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger told the Pensacola News Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.
The mother is also accused of allowing her daughter to use her access to FOCUS to access hundreds of students' personal files, including their test scores.
Nine students and one teacher provided written statements to authorities that detailed how the daughter had spoken about accessing her mother's FOCUS account for almost four years, according to the arrest warrant.
FDLE special agents launched an investigation after the school district in October 2020 flagged hundreds of votes for Tate High School's homecoming court as fraudulent.
Agents discovered that 117 of the fraudulent votes originated from the same IP address within short period of time, and they tied the IP address to Carroll and her daughter's computer usage.
Agents discovered Carroll had "district level access" to the school board's FOCUS program, according to the release.
Both Carroll and her daughter were charged with three third-degree felonies: committing offenses against users of computers and electronic devices, unlawful use of a two-way communications device and criminal use of personally identifiable information. They were also charged with conspiracy to commit the offenses, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Escambia County School District Superintendent Tim Smith told the Pensacola News Journal on Monday that Carroll has been suspended from her job at Bellview Elementary School. He declined to comment further on the matter.
The daughter has been expelled from Tate High School, according to the FDLE. She was taken into custody and held at Escambia Regional Juvenile Detention Center, authorities said.
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peabay
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,612
Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Mar 17, 2021 16:32:46 GMT
CRAZY!!!!!
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Belle
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,309 
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Post by Belle on Mar 17, 2021 16:33:49 GMT
Wow!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 14, 2024 2:15:48 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2021 16:38:07 GMT
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Post by 950nancy on Mar 17, 2021 16:40:35 GMT
People just do not think.
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Post by papersilly on Mar 17, 2021 16:48:14 GMT
that is nuts! that's is some great parenting there.
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wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,767
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Mar 17, 2021 16:48:39 GMT
How invested must they be in the reflected glory of their child's short term achievements to pull this crap?
It's the access to other students private files that really bugs me. I'm wondering in what criminal way they used the info.
"unlawful use of a two-way communications device and criminal use of personally identifiable information"
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Post by mollycoddle on Mar 17, 2021 16:50:44 GMT
Oh FFS. What’s wrong with people?
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Post by elaine on Mar 17, 2021 16:53:23 GMT
How invested must they be in the reflected glory of their child's short term achievements to pull this crap? It's the access to other students private files that really bugs me. I'm wondering in what criminal way they used the info. "unlawful use of a two-way communications device and criminal use of personally identifiable information" Yes, I personally am much more concerned that the mother gave her daughter access to the system with all the students’ information- including grades and test scores - and that she had used it for FOUR YEARS before this incident. I hardly care about who was homecoming queen, but that grades and test scores (things that actually matter in the grand scheme of things, IMO) were potentially altered and accessed by another student should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. |
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Rhondito
Pearl Clutcher
MississipPea
Posts: 4,662
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Post by Rhondito on Mar 17, 2021 16:54:18 GMT
Damn...
I can't believe she let her have access for FOUR years! I also can't believe the asst. principal had access to students beyond her own school.
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Post by hockeyfan06 on Mar 17, 2021 16:58:02 GMT
As a Canadian asking, why is being a Homecoming Queen such a big deal? Does it boost your resume? Or is this important to get into a good college? Up here in Alberta, we didn't have such a thing when I was in High School, so I'm not getting it.
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grammanisi
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,741
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Post by grammanisi on Mar 17, 2021 16:59:14 GMT
I'm pretty sure I've watched a lifetime movie like this!
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Post by smalltowngirlie on Mar 17, 2021 17:04:23 GMT
I just cannot understand this. Being homecoming queen is so important in your life that you will do something illegal to get it? It is stories like this that really make me wonder about our society.
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Post by smalltowngirlie on Mar 17, 2021 17:07:25 GMT
As a Canadian asking, why is being a Homecoming Queen such a big deal? Does it boost your resume? Or is this important to get into a good college? Up here in Alberta, we didn't have such a thing when I was in High School, so I'm not getting it. In the grand scheme of this it is not a big deal, not even a little deal. Means absolutely nothing beyond high school, and even in high school it only matters for about a week. It is nothing but a popularity contest. |
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Mar 17, 2021 17:08:57 GMT
How invested must they be in the reflected glory of their child's short term achievements to pull this crap? this was my first thought... the mother gave her daughter access to the system with all the students’ information- including grades and test scores - and that she had used it for FOUR YEARS before this incident. but after I read this- my thought changed to WTAF?!? WHY do people think doing things like this is okay, in any way, shape, or form?!? |
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Post by LilyRose on Mar 17, 2021 17:22:18 GMT
Yes, I hope seeing that crown on her daughter’s head was worth the job loss and criminal charges.  And that wearing said crown was worth that kind of charge on your record for life. I agree that the craziness of the homecoming thing is far outweighed by the daughter having access to her classmates’ personal info. And then to blab about it too! Morals, ethics, and rational thinking must not run in the family... |
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by lindas on Mar 17, 2021 17:23:00 GMT
I can’t get pass the fact that she was only suspended, not fired. I all for ‘innocent until proven guilty’ but this seems pretty cut and dried to me.
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Post by LilyRose on Mar 17, 2021 17:26:28 GMT
I can’t get pass the fact that she was only suspended, not fired. I all for ‘innocent until proven guilty’ but this seems pretty cut and dried to me. I’m assuming she will be fired eventually? Especially if she’s convicted of the charges? |
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Post by maryland on Mar 17, 2021 17:26:54 GMT
That is awful! I'm glad they were arrested. We have too much hacking these days and I know it's so hard to catch the hackers. Who knows what their next steps would be if they thought they were successful hacking into the school computer system.
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wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,767
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Mar 17, 2021 17:27:13 GMT
One thing I hope comes out of this is that the district system FOCUS and who has rights to access it are reviewed and tightened up.
I'm not seeing why an elementary asst principal needs access to anything other that her own current students.
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Post by maryland on Mar 17, 2021 17:28:20 GMT
As a Canadian asking, why is being a Homecoming Queen such a big deal? Does it boost your resume? Or is this important to get into a good college? Up here in Alberta, we didn't have such a thing when I was in High School, so I'm not getting it. In the grand scheme of this it is not a big deal, not even a little deal. Means absolutely nothing beyond high school, and even in high school it only matters for about a week. It is nothing but a popularity contest. I asked my senior who was the Homecoming King and Queen because it was just a few months ago and I already forgot! I only remember my high school king because he was my boyfriend! |
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Post by hop2 on Mar 17, 2021 17:30:31 GMT
Homecoming Queen is nearly always ‘rigged’ socially, but this is beyond that.
Who gives their child access to private information like that? Crazy
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Post by workingclassdog on Mar 17, 2021 17:32:42 GMT
As a Canadian asking, why is being a Homecoming Queen such a big deal? Does it boost your resume? Or is this important to get into a good college? Up here in Alberta, we didn't have such a thing when I was in High School, so I'm not getting it. It means nothing really. Like someone else said.. maybe for a week in your whole life. A picture in a yearbook. It's an institution that's been around since at least the 50s.. probably earlier. There have been instances in some schools that nominate a special education kiddo or maybe mentally or physically challenged kid... which is awesome. |
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quiltz
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,704
Location: CANADA
Jun 29, 2014 16:13:28 GMT
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Post by quiltz on Mar 17, 2021 17:39:46 GMT
As a Canadian asking, why is being a Homecoming Queen such a big deal? Does it boost your resume? Or is this important to get into a good college? Up here in Alberta, we didn't have such a thing when I was in High School, so I'm not getting it. In the grand scheme of this it is not a big deal, not even a little deal. Means absolutely nothing beyond high school, and even in high school it only matters for about a week. It is nothing but a popularity contest. Sitting on the bench with you, hockeyfan06. I haven't heard about Homecoming Queen/King in Ontario. |
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J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
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Post by J u l e e on Mar 17, 2021 17:52:53 GMT
Priorities, people!!
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,744
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Mar 17, 2021 18:11:09 GMT
People just do not think. Oh, they think alright. They have to do a lot of thinking to pull off stuff like this. or try. What they don't think is that they will get caught. or that they aren't entitled to their prize. |
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Post by bc2ca on Mar 17, 2021 18:12:13 GMT
Nine students and one teacher provided written statements to authorities that detailed how the daughter had spoken about accessing her mother's FOCUS account for almost four years, according to the arrest warrant. What else were they accessing and changing?!  As a Canadian asking, why is being a Homecoming Queen such a big deal? Does it boost your resume? Or is this important to get into a good college? Up here in Alberta, we didn't have such a thing when I was in High School, so I'm not getting it. It is all about being a big fish in a little pond. Being the most "popular" in that moment in time. |
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Post by SockMonkey on Mar 17, 2021 18:14:50 GMT
As a Canadian asking, why is being a Homecoming Queen such a big deal? Does it boost your resume? Or is this important to get into a good college? Up here in Alberta, we didn't have such a thing when I was in High School, so I'm not getting it. It is 100% meaningless and basically a popularity contest. Imagine how sad and desperate you have to be to cheat at a popularity contest! What a horrible violation of trust on both their parts. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 14, 2024 2:15:48 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2021 18:16:36 GMT
As a Canadian asking, why is being a Homecoming Queen such a big deal? Does it boost your resume? Or is this important to get into a good college? Up here in Alberta, we didn't have such a thing when I was in High School, so I'm not getting it. It means nothing really. Like someone else said.. maybe for a week in your whole life. A picture in a yearbook. It's an institution that's been around since at least the 50s.. probably earlier. There have been instances in some schools that nominate a special education kiddo or maybe mentally or physically challenged kid... which is awesome. Or nominating an unpopular kid to ridicule them. This happened in a high school in my area a few years back. The boy was constantly bullied. He eventually scrawled a bomb threat on a bathroom wall after years of harassment. |
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Mar 17, 2021 18:18:38 GMT
It is all about being a big fish in a little pond. Being the most "popular" in that moment in time. my guess? the mom 'peaked' in high school- and her life has gone downhill ever since- so she wants to make sure her daughter has a great high school experience, too.  (that's not a reason to break the law, but I'm sure that was somewhere in the back of her head, subconsciously.) |
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And that wearing said crown was worth that kind of charge on your record for life. 
