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Carmen Van Huss
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CRIME HUNKIES: Spy High

Join the Hunkies as they unpack a 2010 tech rollout that turned into a surveillance scandal – and trust us, you’ll never look at a school laptop the same way again.

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crime hunkies in the sound booth

Justin and Erik in the recording booth

Source: Audiochuck Staff

Lower Merion School District’s Administration Building

Lower Merion School District’s Administration Building

Source: Lower Merion School District / Facebook

Harriton High School

Harriton High School

Source: Lower Merion School District / Website

A childhood photo of Blake Robbins

A childhood photo of Blake Robbins

Source:Blake Robbins / Instagram

A photo of Blake from 2021

A photo of Blake from 2021

Single Image Sourcing: Source:Blake Robbins / Instagram

Blake Robbins photo from computer

The photo of Blake that Assistant Principal Lindy Matsko uses to accuse him of selling drugs.

Source: Prime Video

A photo of Blake sleeping in his bed

A photo of Blake sleeping in his bed

Source: Robbins family photo

Jalil Hasan in 2020

Jalil Hasan in 2020

Source: Jalil Hasan /Instagram

Keron Williams in 2012

Keron Williams in 2012

Source: Keron Williams / Facebook

Episode Source Material

  • Spy High. Directed by Jody McVeigh-Schultz, Amazon Studios, 2025. Prime Video, https://www.amazon.com/Spy-High-Season-1/dp/B0DYTZDV6T 


    1. Levitt, Barry. “The Unsettling True Story behind the School Spying Scandal in Spy High.” TIME, Time, 8 Apr. 2025, time.com/7275031/spy-high-true-story-prime-video/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    2. Masterson, Teresa. “School Spies on Students at Home with Webcams: Suit.” NBC10 Philadelphia, 18 Feb. 2010, www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/school-spies-on-students-at-home-with-webcams-suit/2138208/. Access9 Jan. 2026ed 1.
    3. “Lawsuit: Lower Merion Spied on Student through District-Provided Webcam.” WHYY, 18 Feb. 2010, whyy.org/articles/lawsuit-lower-merion-spied-on-student-through-district-provided-webcam/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    4. McGinley, Dr. Christopher. “LMSD | Lower Merion School District Announcements.” Archive.org, 10 Feb. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20100220175018/www.lmsd.org/sections/news/default.php?m=0&t=today&p=lmsd_anno&id=1137. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    5. McGinley, Dr. Christopher. “LMSD | Laptop Security Updates.” Archive.org, 18 Feb. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20100301113606/www.lmsd.org/sections/laptops/default.php?&id=1138. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026
    6. McGinley, Dr. Christopher. “LMSD | Laptop Security Updates.” Archive.org, 19 Feb. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20100301113058/www.lmsd.org/sections/laptops/default.php?&id=1143. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    7. Associated Press. “FBI Probing School Webcam Spy Case – CBS News.” Archive.org, 19 Feb. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20101025045521/www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/19/tech/main6223192.shtml?source=related_story. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    8. Hill, Kashmir. “Pennsylvania School Denies Spying and Student Denies Drug Dealing.” Forbes, 20 Feb. 2010, www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2010/02/20/pennsylvania-school-denies-spying-and-student-denies-drug-dealing/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    9. Hardy, Dan. “Subpoena Issued in L. Merion Webcam Case.” Https://Www.inquirer.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 Feb. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20200928043915/www.inquirer.com/philly/news/homepage/20100220_Subpoena_issued_in_L__Merion_webcam_case.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    10. Dale, Maryclaire. “School District Asked Not to Wipe Spy Computers.” The Globe and Mail, 22 Feb. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20100630192547/www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/school-district-asked-not-to-wipe-spy-computers/article1477303/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    11. “Judge Orders Lower Merion to Save Evidence in Laptop-Spying Case.” WHYY, 23 Feb. 2010, whyy.org/articles/judge-orders-lower-merion-to-save-evidence-in-laptop-spying-case/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    12. Keizer, Gregg. “Federal Judge Orders Pa. Schools to Stop Laptop Spying.” Archive.org, 23 Feb. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20100301095641/www.computerworld.com/s/article/9160878/Federal_judge_orders_Pa._schools_to_stop_laptop_spying. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    13. “Answers Likely to Linger in Lower Merion Webcam Case.” WHYY, 26 Feb. 2010, whyy.org/articles/answers-likely-to-linger-in-lower-merion-webcam-case/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    14. “ACLU Seeks to Protect Students’ Privacy in Lower Merion School District Laptop Lawsuit – ACLU of Pennsylvania.” ACLU of Pennsylvania, 5 Apr. 2010, www.aclupa.org/press-releases/aclu-seeks-protect-students-privacy-lower-merion-school-district-laptop-lawsuit/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    15. Martin, John P. “1,000s of Web Cam Images, Suit Says.” Archive.ph, 16 Apr. 2010, archive.ph/dZQI8. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    16. Martin, John P. “Lower Merion Report: Web Cams Snapped 56,000 Images.” Https://Www.inquirer.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 19 Apr. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20201109005731/www.inquirer.com/philly/news/breaking/20100419_Lower_Merion_details_Web_cam_scope.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    17. “Lower Merion School District to Release Its Investigation into Webcam Spying.” WHYY, 3 May 2010, whyy.org/articles/lower-merion-school-district-to-release-its-investigation-into-webcam-spying/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    18. The PCMag Editorial Team. “Another Lawsuit Filed over School Webcam Spying.” PCMAG, PCMag, 30 July 2010, www.pcmag.com/archive/another-lawsuit-filed-over-school-webcam-spying-253245. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    19. Bender, William. “No Criminal Charges in Lower Merion Webcam Scandal | Philadelphia Daily News | 08/18/2010.” Archive.org, 18 Aug. 2010, web.archive.org/web/20100824201228/www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20100818_No_criminal_charges_in_Lower_Merion_webcam_scandal.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    20. Ilgenfritz, Richard. “LM Could Be Facing a New Webcam Suit – Main Line Times – Main Line Media News.” Mainline Media News, 18 Sept. 2010, https://web.archive.org/web/20160316133202/http://mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2010/09/18/main_line_times/news/doc4c9581e8d276c203675222.txt?viewmode=fullstory. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    21. Hill, Kashmir. “Lower Merion School District and Blake Robbins Reach a Settlement In ….” Archive.ph, 11 Oct. 2010, archive.ph/ffwNK. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    22. “$610,000 Settlement Ends Laptop Spying Case.” Whyy.org, 12 Oct. 2010, whyy.org/articles/610000-settlement-ends-laptop-spying-case/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    23. “New Webcam Suit Filed against Lower Merion School District.” WHYY, 8 June 2011, whyy.org/articles/new-webcam-suit-filed-against-lower-merion-school-district/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    24. “Lower Merion School Board Votes to Settle Latest Webcam Suit.” WHYY, 23 Aug. 2011, whyy.org/articles/lower-merion-school-board-votes-to-settle-latest-webcam-suit/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    25. Campisi, Jon. “Sister of Boy Who Sued Lower Merion School District in 2010 over Webcam Scandal Files Her Own Suit.” Legal Newsline, 12 Dec. 2011, www.legalnewsline.com/pennsylvania-record/sister-of-boy-who-sued-lower-merion-school-district-in-2010-over-webcam-scandal-files/article_a6cdfb15-d20d-596a-93c4-c3101493fe6c.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    26. “Lower Merion School District Settles Another Webcam-Spying Lawsuit.” WHYY, 28 Dec. 2011, whyy.org/articles/lower-merion-school-district-settles-another-webcam-spying-lawsuit/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    27. Pelisek, Christine. “A Teen Got a Free School Laptop — but Didn’t Know It Was Watching Him. What It Captured Changed Everything.” People.com, 24 Mar. 2025, people.com/spy-high-docuseries-inside-teen-webcam-surveillance-case-11701579. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
    28. Cartagena, Rosa. “5 Lessons from “Spy High” Documentary about Lower Merion’s Webcamgate….” Archive.ph, 21 May 2025, archive.ph/1gdwy. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.


    Police/Court Documents:

    1. Lower Merion School District laptop policy: https://web.archive.org/web/20110719065254/http://www.lmsd.org/documents/laptops/100719_p134.pdf 
    2. Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School district, The Board of Directors of the Lower Merion School District, and Christopher W McGinley. February 11, 2010: https://web.archive.org/web/20100331005744/http://craphound.com/robbins17.pdf 
    3. Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School district, The Board of Directors of the Lower Merion School District, and Christopher W McGinley. Civil cover sheet and tracking document plus previous filing. February 16, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20160809132458/https://www.pacermonitor.com/view/6LZS7RA/ROBBINS_et_al_v_LOWER_MERION_SCHOOL_DISTRICT_et__paedce-10-00665__0001.0.pdf 
    4. Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School district, The Board of Directors of the Lower Merion School District, and Christopher W McGinley. Docket Listing (And links to access more files if needed). February 16, 2010: https://dockets.justia.com/docket/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2010cv00665/347863 
    5. Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School district. ACLU of PA filing. February 22, 2010: https://web.archive.org/web/20100307031457/http://www.aclupa.org/downloads/Robbinsfinal.pdf 
    6. Report of Independent Investigation. Regarding Remote Monitoring of Student Laptop Computers by the Lower Merion School District. May 3, 2010: https://web.archive.org/web/20100602042403/http://www.lmsd.org/documents/news/100503_ballard_spahr_report.pdf 
    7. Appendix to Report of Independent Investigation. May 3, 2010: https://web.archive.org/web/20100615100440/http://lmsd.org/documents/news/100504_ballard_spahr_appendices.pdf 
    8. Lower Merion School District Forensics Analysis. May 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100615100827/http://lmsd.org/documents/news/100503_l3_report.pdf 
    9. Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School district. Defendants’ Memorandum. July 16, 2010. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2010cv00665/347863/81/ 
    10. Jalil Hasan v.  Lower Merion School district, The Board of Directors of the Lower Merion School District, Christopher W McGinley, Michael Perbix, Charles Ginter, and John Does 1-5. July 27, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20161224075804/https://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2010/07/hasan.pdf 
    11. Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School district. Memorandum. August 30, 2010: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-paed-2_10-cv-00665/pdf/USCOURTS-paed-2_10-cv-00665-0.pdf 
    12.  Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School district. Order. August 30, 2010. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-paed-2_10-cv-00665/pdf/USCOURTS-paed-2_10-cv-00665-1.pdf 
    13. Student doe 1 v Lower Merion School District. February 2, 2011. https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2011/04/19/lowermerionbrief.pdf 
    14. Paige Robbins v Lower Merion School district, The Board of Directors of the Lower Merion School District, Christopher W McGinley. December 7, 2011. https://media.philly.com/documents/Robbins+v.+Lower+Merion+School+District.pdf 

    Student doe 1 v Lower Merion School District. April 28, 2012: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca3/10-3824/103824p-2011-12-14.html

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