Lower Merion School District Releases Statement On Incident During College Fair Zoom

Press release from the Lower Merion School District:

December 11 2020

The Lower Merion School District Administration has become aware that during a virtual College Fair for Harriton High School sophomores this morning, an unidentified participant or participants shared reprehensible and disturbing racist and pornographic images and video on the screen.

The District sincerely apologizes to any students or staff who were exposed to these images and video during this incident and promises a full investigation and appropriate discipline for those found to be involved. LMSD is investigating this incident and has reported it to law enforcement.

Based on information available so far, LMSD believes the Zoom may have been set up without the usual security measures, and that the LMSD staff members running the Zoom were unaware that the images, videos and comments were being shared. When staff did become aware of the situation, they ended the Zoom.

This kind of "Zoom Bombing" is completely unacceptable and if the source of these images can be identified, they will face serious consequences, especially if it turns out they are a member of the LMSD community. Very preliminary indications are that the offending content came from an account that was based abroad.

LMSD is a District that prides itself on promoting inclusivity and belonging for all of its students and staff. Depictions of racism or sexual exploitation have no place in our schools or community.

Additional information will be shared as it becomes available.

This press release was produced by the Lower Merion School District .The views expressed here are the author’s own.