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Texas School District Reportedly Threatening Students Who Refuse Tracking ID
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/texas-school-district-rep_n_1949415.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003
Weeks after Northside Independent School District in San Antonio rolled out its new "smart" IDs that tracks students' geographic locations, the community is still at odds with the program.
The "Student Locator Project," which is slated to eventually reach 112 Texas schools and close to 100,000 students, is in trial stages in two Northside district schools. In an effort to reduce truancy, the district has issued new student IDs with an embedded radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip that tracks the location of a student at all times.
The program officially launched October 1 at John Jay High School and Anson Jones Middle School. Without the badges -- required to be worn around the neck -- students cannot access common areas like the cafeteria or library, and cannot purchase tickets to extracurricular activities. WND reports that the district has threatened to suspend, fine or involuntarily transfer students who fail to comply and officials have noted that "there will be consequences for refusal to wear an ID card as we begin to move forward with full implementation."
Parents and students from the schools spoke out against the project last month. But now, WND is reporting that schools are taking the restrictions one step further.
John Jay High School sophomore Andrea Hernandez refuses to use the new IDs, citing religious beliefs and instead sticking with her old badge from previous years, calling the tracking devices the "mark of the beast." She tells Salon that the new badges make her uncomfortable and are an invasion of her privacy.
But to add to her restricted school grounds access, the teen says she was barred from voting for homecoming king and queen.
"I had a teacher tell me I would not be allowed to vote because I did not have the proper voter ID," she told WND. "I had my old student ID card which they originally told us would be good for the entire four years we were in school. He said I needed the new ID with the chip in order to vote."
Weeks after Northside Independent School District in San Antonio rolled out its new "smart" IDs that tracks students' geographic locations, the community is still at odds with the program.
The "Student Locator Project," which is slated to eventually reach 112 Texas schools and close to 100,000 students, is in trial stages in two Northside district schools. In an effort to reduce truancy, the district has issued new student IDs with an embedded radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip that tracks the location of a student at all times.
The program officially launched October 1 at John Jay High School and Anson Jones Middle School. Without the badges -- required to be worn around the neck -- students cannot access common areas like the cafeteria or library, and cannot purchase tickets to extracurricular activities. WND reports that the district has threatened to suspend, fine or involuntarily transfer students who fail to comply and officials have noted that "there will be consequences for refusal to wear an ID card as we begin to move forward with full implementation."
Parents and students from the schools spoke out against the project last month. But now, WND is reporting that schools are taking the restrictions one step further.
John Jay High School sophomore Andrea Hernandez refuses to use the new IDs, citing religious beliefs and instead sticking with her old badge from previous years, calling the tracking devices the "mark of the beast." She tells Salon that the new badges make her uncomfortable and are an invasion of her privacy.
But to add to her restricted school grounds access, the teen says she was barred from voting for homecoming king and queen.
"I had a teacher tell me I would not be allowed to vote because I did not have the proper voter ID," she told WND. "I had my old student ID card which they originally told us would be good for the entire four years we were in school. He said I needed the new ID with the chip in order to vote."
"I hope I'm raising boys that will make good decisions." That's what we all hope/hoped. Kids will try all kinds of things, but if they are raised properly, there will be a lot less that they will try.
It's one thing for a parent to put gps on their kid for safety reasons; entirely different for the school to put a tracker on kids, just to keep them from truancy.
It's one thing for a parent to put gps on their kid for safety reasons; entirely different for the school to put a tracker on kids, just to keep them from truancy.
I've chosen to enjoy my kids teenage years. Fortunately, my kids have chosen easier roads than those I traveled and it is complete wonderment (is that a word?) to watch these kids develop and learn.
Perhaps its just me, but my teenagers are incredible. Yeah, they screw up from time to time, but they recover and learn. (They are much better at that than their Pop is... thank God) My kids know that there are consequences to almost everything we do in life and they spend a bit of time weighing them before they jump in.
Perhaps its just me, but my teenagers are incredible. Yeah, they screw up from time to time, but they recover and learn. (They are much better at that than their Pop is... thank God) My kids know that there are consequences to almost everything we do in life and they spend a bit of time weighing them before they jump in.
I guess I'm just deep in the middle of parenthood and hoping for the best when we enter those years. Frankly, the whole idea of having teenagers scares me. The things kids do has gotten even worse from when I was a teenager (just a FEW years ago . . . okay 20 something years ago) and I worry. I really do. I hope I'm raising boys that will make good decisions.
To me, knowing where they are at doesn't bother me. A chip on their ID sounds better than me sitting outside the school with my binoculars.
Admitting that I'm not thinking of the implications of doing this and instead think of if it would bother me as a parent.
I also think of all the things that I have to be upset about in life and this would be a 'pick' my battle moment if it was happening at my kid's school.
To me, knowing where they are at doesn't bother me. A chip on their ID sounds better than me sitting outside the school with my binoculars.
Admitting that I'm not thinking of the implications of doing this and instead think of if it would bother me as a parent.
I also think of all the things that I have to be upset about in life and this would be a 'pick' my battle moment if it was happening at my kid's school.
I agree 100%.
I'm opposed to this for the very idea it sets in our minds, that invasion of privacy is alright.
If kids ditch school, they should deal with the consequences when caught. Everyone should not be watched over, how does that teach personal responsibility ? How do children learn there are consequences to their actions if they have a homing device on them ?
I find this idea despicable.
And as a sneaky kid this would have been a challenge to me, to see how to get around it. Bad idea. Being kept after school because I messed up, not being allowed my free time to be with my friends had a big impact on me at that age.
If kids ditch school, they should deal with the consequences when caught. Everyone should not be watched over, how does that teach personal responsibility ? How do children learn there are consequences to their actions if they have a homing device on them ?
I find this idea despicable.
And as a sneaky kid this would have been a challenge to me, to see how to get around it. Bad idea. Being kept after school because I messed up, not being allowed my free time to be with my friends had a big impact on me at that age.
I'll agree with the both of you. I'd much rather err on the side of children's safety, but there are ways around things like this. In reference to being able to go to the cafeteria... what if your child forgets his ID and isn't allowed in the cafeteria? What if he/she isn't allowed on campus? Then what?
Our high school has school ID. It is required that students bring their ID, especially to extra cirricular events like dances. (With that being said, our school is small enough that pretty much everyone knows everyone....) With that said, people know who is supposed to be on campus or not. If you're caught truant, everyone knows how to get a hold of your parents.
(I know better than 60% of local law enforcement. Those I don't know, my wife probably does.) My kids stand very little chance of getting away with any shenanigans.....
Again, we are also talking about kids... My kids lose their wallets about 9 times a week, a piece. Either at home, in their locker, at a friends.... its gone. Eventually we find it, but if a kid was required to have the ID or not be let on campus.... what are we trying to accomplish there? You can't be truant, and you must have your ID or you won't be allowed on campus... It's almost a set up to ask your kids to ditch school... Just my opinion.
Our high school has school ID. It is required that students bring their ID, especially to extra cirricular events like dances. (With that being said, our school is small enough that pretty much everyone knows everyone....) With that said, people know who is supposed to be on campus or not. If you're caught truant, everyone knows how to get a hold of your parents.
(I know better than 60% of local law enforcement. Those I don't know, my wife probably does.) My kids stand very little chance of getting away with any shenanigans.....
Again, we are also talking about kids... My kids lose their wallets about 9 times a week, a piece. Either at home, in their locker, at a friends.... its gone. Eventually we find it, but if a kid was required to have the ID or not be let on campus.... what are we trying to accomplish there? You can't be truant, and you must have your ID or you won't be allowed on campus... It's almost a set up to ask your kids to ditch school... Just my opinion.
" Mrs. P, there is a good chance we agree on more than you think! "
I think you're right on this one..:)
I think you're right on this one..:)
Mrs. P, there is a good chance we agree on more than you think!
Yep, Ferris Beuller will never die! Kids figure out how to get away with things.
Often times, that is sadly the case anyway.
Yep, Ferris Beuller will never die! Kids figure out how to get away with things.
Often times, that is sadly the case anyway.
"Is there something wrong with me (don't answer out loud) that I really don't have a problem with this?
Our youth has a bit too much freedom in my opinion. Parents have resorted to putting a gps service on their phone."
I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with you SM..lol..WOW!! Ain't that something...
I also do believe that the students will find a way to ditch these Id's if they really want to....
Our youth has a bit too much freedom in my opinion. Parents have resorted to putting a gps service on their phone."
I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with you SM..lol..WOW!! Ain't that something...
I also do believe that the students will find a way to ditch these Id's if they really want to....
Is there something wrong with me (don't answer out loud) that I really don't have a problem with this?
Our youth has a bit too much freedom in my opinion. Parents have resorted to putting a gps service on their phone.
Isn't it also for the kids safety--------- without the ID that is microchipped, no one can enter the cafeteria that shouldn't be there (as in some scary person with a weapon).
My husband went to a national meeting with 2000 people. He got barcoded when he entered the event. It tracked which workshops he attended, that he got his meals and gave him access to the fun social events.
As long as they aren't putting chips in our skin, this doesn't seem too big a deal to me.
Our youth has a bit too much freedom in my opinion. Parents have resorted to putting a gps service on their phone.
Isn't it also for the kids safety--------- without the ID that is microchipped, no one can enter the cafeteria that shouldn't be there (as in some scary person with a weapon).
My husband went to a national meeting with 2000 people. He got barcoded when he entered the event. It tracked which workshops he attended, that he got his meals and gave him access to the fun social events.
As long as they aren't putting chips in our skin, this doesn't seem too big a deal to me.
When I was in high school, we didn't have school ID.... It just wasn't necessary. The people who were going to be truant were going to be truant and there were ramifications for being truant.
We had excused absences and unexcused absences. Self explanatory. If you had 4 (I think) unexcused absences,(per semester) you were expelled until your parents could come in and talk to the administration. If you accrued 8 in a year, they transferred you to the alternative high school.
(My senior year, I ditched school the very first day. My buddy and I discussed the fact that summer was indeed too short and justified lengthening the vacation by a day. We got caught.... Mom (who was an educator) was not all that tickled.)
We had excused absences and unexcused absences. Self explanatory. If you had 4 (I think) unexcused absences,(per semester) you were expelled until your parents could come in and talk to the administration. If you accrued 8 in a year, they transferred you to the alternative high school.
(My senior year, I ditched school the very first day. My buddy and I discussed the fact that summer was indeed too short and justified lengthening the vacation by a day. We got caught.... Mom (who was an educator) was not all that tickled.)
No, they really can't do this, especially if they are really in school or at school activities, where they belong, because they need this ID to access the cafeteria, library and other areas.
Of course, if they are playing hooky, they can leave the ID someplace.
Seems a pity to go to these lengths, punishing everyone for the behavior (truancy) of a few. Next they'll be wanting to microchip the children, themselves.
Of course, if they are playing hooky, they can leave the ID someplace.
Seems a pity to go to these lengths, punishing everyone for the behavior (truancy) of a few. Next they'll be wanting to microchip the children, themselves.
Hm. Well, it is not like they are embedding the chip INTO the students. It's on the ID. See, I'm already thinking. You can leave the id where you want people to think you're at. Call in sick. Leave ID in house by bed. Ferris Beuller can still happen, no problem!!
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