Texas truant students to be tracked by GPS anklets

[trumptman]

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Court authorities here will be able to track students with a history of skipping school under a new program requiring them to wear ankle bracelets with Global Positioning System monitoring.

But at least one group is worried the ankle bracelets will infringe on students' privacy.

Linda Penn, a Bexar County justice of the peace, said she anticipates that about 50 students from four San Antonio-area school districts — likely to be mostly high schoolers — will wear the anklets during the six-month pilot program announced Friday. She said the time the students wear the anklets will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

"We are at a critical point in our time where we can either educate or incarcerate," Penn said, linking truancy with juvenile delinquency and later criminal activity. "We can teach them now or run the risk of possible incarceration later on in life. I don't want to see the latter."

My first point would be to ask that if the education and incarceration do not feel physically any different, then how is the student supposed to know one is good and one is bad.

As a teacher, I would encourage all of you to visit some of your local schools and ask a few questions about the village that is raising the child. These places are becoming profoundly authoritarian. As I noted in a different thread, my wife was working at a middle school in which adults could not bring a soda onto campus for their own consumption at lunch time. The schools have taken to sending home papers telling you if they think your kid is too fat. (Hello Mike Huckabee, I'm looking at you) Since Columbine and 9/11 most have erected huge fences and barriers so that they effectively look like prisons.

At what time does the ounce of prevention become too authoritarian? These ankle bracelets will probably do some good in terms of the state being able to prove that the kids were not in school. However the real problem is that we do not truly have a definition of educational neglect in states or as a nation. We can have the state grab a child for not clothing or feeding them, but never for not reading to them. By the time they get to middle or high school or course such kids would hate school and you need to create a prison environment, complete with ankle bracelets, to keep them there. Some will choose this path no matter the intervention. In the past schools were not forcing all 8th graders to pass Algebra.(Requirement in California) There were previously vocational options. No one was going to imprison you or even make you feel that way if you felt like turning a wrench or pouring concrete was what you wanted to do with your life instead of being college bound. I think we are going too far in our now literal pursuit of education at all costs.

[groverat]

My first point would be to ask that if the education and incarceration do not feel physically any different, then how is the student supposed to know one is good and one is bad.

If that were the case I would see your point, but in this particular circumstance wearing an anklet around all day out in the free world does't feel at all like being locked up.

One is an inconvenience, the other is a terror.

[Jubelum]

Just more training up everyone to believe that the state physically tracking individuals is Rightie-O, neighbor. Oh, it's "for our own good," right? Disgusting. :no:

Also here in Texas, you have to have your hands biometrically scanned to be a real estate agent. Yes, a real estate agent. To sell houses. A Biometric database. Hands scanned. For real estate. :mad:

[tonton]

Damn it must be because of all of those Liberal politicians Texans keep electing.

After all, if you're not doing anything wrong, why do you have to worry? Isn't this what so many conservatives say about the PATRIOT Act?

Please explain the difference between schoolkids wearing tracking devices and real estate agents having DNA tests and the Patriot Act. I'm against them all, for the same reason. They trounce on liberty and freedom.

Some people, however, are less consistent.

[Akac]

Damn it must be because of all of those Liberal politicians Texans keep electing.

After all, if you're not doing anything wrong, why do you have to worry? Isn't this what so many conservatives say about the PATRIOT Act?

Please explain the difference between schoolkids wearing tracking devices and real estate agents having DNA tests and the Patriot Act. I'm against them all, for the same reason. They trounce on liberty and freedom.

Some people, however, are less consistent.

Amen. And Amen. I've never heard of the biometric requirement for real estate agents here in Texas...and I know a few of em. But I'm against it all. The ONLY people in the US who should be required to be tracked in any of these matters (Patriot, DNA, GPS) are *convicted* felons.

[Akac]

BTW - I just did a check and it was the Texas Realtor's Association that asked for this biometric requirement in HB 1530. Just wow.

[Jubelum]

Damn it must be because of all of those Liberal politicians Texans keep electing.

After all, if you're not doing anything wrong, why do you have to worry? Isn't this what so many conservatives say about the PATRIOT Act?

Please explain the difference between schoolkids wearing tracking devices and real estate agents having DNA tests and the Patriot Act.

Some people, however, are less consistent.

If you are asking me to defend PATRIOT, you have not been reading my consistent posts on the subject.

I'm against them all, for the same reason. They trounce on liberty and freedom.

Wow. When did this start? :wow:

[tonton]

If you are asking me to defend PATRIOT, you have not been reading my consistent posts on the subject.

I wasn't addressing your beliefs, jubelum, but those of most conservatives. I know you agree with certain liberal positions like opposition to the PATRIOT Act and support for civil unions for homosexual couples. For this I tip my hat to you, sir.

But the fact is, that most conservatives, including the current conservative candidate, John McCain, are vehemently pro-PATRIOT, while Obama is against.

[vinea]

Heh...I skipped 50% of my classes my senior year. Hence a 2.0 GPA...the very minimum to graduate.

[Fellowship]

My first point would be to ask that if the education and incarceration do not feel physically any different, then how is the student supposed to know one is good and one is bad.

As a teacher, I would encourage all of you to visit some of your local schools and ask a few questions about the village that is raising the child. These places are becoming profoundly authoritarian. As I noted in a different thread, my wife was working at a middle school in which adults could not bring a soda onto campus for their own consumption at lunch time. The schools have taken to sending home papers telling you if they think your kid is too fat. (Hello Mike Huckabee, I'm looking at you) Since Columbine and 9/11 most have erected huge fences and barriers so that they effectively look like prisons.

At what time does the ounce of prevention become too authoritarian? These ankle bracelets will probably do some good in terms of the state being able to prove that the kids were not in school. However the real problem is that we do not truly have a definition of educational neglect in states or as a nation. We can have the state grab a child for not clothing or feeding them, but never for not reading to them. By the time they get to middle or high school or course such kids would hate school and you need to create a prison environment, complete with ankle bracelets, to keep them there. Some will choose this path no matter the intervention. In the past schools were not forcing all 8th graders to pass Algebra.(Requirement in California) There were previously vocational options. No one was going to imprison you or even make you feel that way if you felt like turning a wrench or pouring concrete was what you wanted to do with your life instead of being college bound. I think we are going too far in our now literal pursuit of education at all costs.

The culture today is slipping both at the family level and the public level. It seems that instead of living with respect, faith in your fellow neighbor and harmony, many are opting to take drugs, disrespect women, disrespect parents, disrespect authority in general. The me me me at any cost disease where by all norms are trashed and replaced by selfish self-destructive behaviors which are met with over the top response by "authorities".

The society needs example and leadership to assist and inspire the youth to ignite the potential that is within them. The last thing people need is to be thrown into prisons. People need love.

Jesus will set you free.

The world will imprison you, taunt you, harm you if you are not on guard.

Many today have replaced true love and understanding with material, media, and mindlessness.

People need purpose and family and community who love and invest in them not imprison them.

Fellows

[tonton]

The culture today is slipping both at the family level and the public level. It seems that instead of living with respect, faith in your fellow neighbor and harmony, many are opting to take drugs, disrespect women, disrespect parents, disrespect authority in general. The me me me at any cost disease where by all norms are trashed and replaced by selfish self-destructive behaviors which are met with over the top response by "authorities".

The society needs example and leadership to assist and inspire the youth to ignite the potential that is within them. The last thing people need is to be thrown into prisons. People need love.

Jesus will set you free.

The world will imprison you, taunt you, harm you if you are not on guard.

Many today have replaced true love and understanding with material, media, and mindlessness.

People need purpose and family and community who love and invest in them not imprison them.

Fellows

While I see your point, you also lose it when you point to "norms" as something good. There was a time when the "norm" was to own slaves if you could afford them. There was a time when the "norm" was to take a belt to your child when they misbehaved. There was a time when the "norm" was for a "real" man to have sex with his wife whenever he wanted it, and if she showed any signs of refusal, to slap her silly.

There will be a time when it is no longer the "norm" to see a homosexual relationship as different from a heterosexual one.

There will be a time when it is no longer the "norm" in Appalachia to vote against a candidate just because of his race.

And when those "norms" are "trashed", that will be progress, just like how positions on slavery and domestic violence have seen progress.

[talksense101]

tin foil over the ankle bracelets... maybe it will give out a high voltage shock if you try to remove it... hmm....

Reminds me of a B grade Sci-fi flick. Sucks to be in Texas.

[Gon]

Sounds like a good start. Now if they only upgraded to explosive collars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Royale

[screener]

Many today have replaced true love and understanding with material, media, and mindlessness.

Buying the crap TV Ministries tell you you need to be saved as you mindlessly watch a rerun of sundays preaching.

Boneheads.