Studens skipping school being tracked by GPS

[GrayFox]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26361151/


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."

Penn said students in the program will wear the ankle bracelets full-time and will not be able to remove them. They'll be selected as they come through her court, and Penn will target truant students with gang affiliations, those with a history of running away and skipping school and those who have been through her court multiple times.

"Students and parents must understand that attending school is not optional," Penn said. "When they fail to attend school, they are breaking the law."

Part of overall truant program
Penn said the electronic monitoring is part of a comprehensive program she started four years ago to reduce truancy. She cited programs in Midland and Dallas as having success with similar electronic monitoring measures.

But Terri Burke, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said requiring students to wear the GPS bracelets full-time raises privacy concerns.

"We're all for keeping kids in school, and we applaud any efforts to make that happen," Burke said. "But the privacy issue: What happens with the bracelet or anklet after school is out? Is that appropriate for the school or courts to know where and what this person is doing outside of school?"

Asked why the students have to wear the ankle bracelet all the time instead of just the school day, Penn cited problems with runaways.

"Sometimes, as I said, students are runaways. Parents don't know where they are," Penn said. "So it's for the safety of the child, as well as the safety of the community."

Burke said truant students and runaway kids are different issues.

Asked specifically about privacy concerns, Penn said she didn't have a comment. But, she added, her priority is "looking for the good of making these children accountable ... it's for the concern of these children getting an education."

So now kids are being forced to go to school, and if they don't, they have to wear a ankle bracelet thats they CAN'T REMOVE. You know where this is going :thumbdown:

[Toxin]

Dude thats against all laws. They can't give me some stupid ankle bracelet. Its like beeing a prisioner.

[Repeat]

It pisses me off when fuckheads skip school for no reason. If you go to a public school, it's the TAXPAYER who is being punished for you not being there. The schools are still getting the funding for those skippers...

[LegalSmash]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26361151/



So now kids are being forced to go to school, and if they don't, they have to wear a ankle bracelet thats they CAN'T REMOVE. You know where this is going :thumbdown:

Education in this country is compulsory, and being that it is paid by taxpayers in the case of public education, I think you SHOULD be held to go, and finish, or, the individual gets deported and expatriated. I tire of imbeciles in this country that don't finish school and then go on to make lots of retard babies that we have not whittled down in 40 years with draft and war.



Toxin Dude thats against all laws. They can't give me some stupid ankle bracelet. Its like beeing a prisioner.

What laws exactly? They CAN force you to attend until 16 if you are truant, unless you are amish or an indian.

This is the first good thing CA has done, probably ever.

[GrayFox]

This is the first good thing CA has done, probably ever.

You mean Texas?

[Harpr33t]

This would be good temporarly but i ca imagine it being on a mass scale

[Itendtokill]

Wow? Isn't that against our right to privacy? Constantly being tracked? What do schools think, they can be like the CIA? Thats has to be against some law, the bracelts wont last, just watch theres gonna be alot of conflict.

[broncoty]

Wow? Isn't that against our right to privacy? Constantly being tracked? What do schools think, they can be like the CIA? Thats has to be against some law, the bracelts wont last, just watch theres gonna be alot of conflict.

Are you 18?

If not you have no rights.

[LegalSmash]

You mean Texas?


my bad Texas. CA still has yet to do one good thing.

Thanks.

[Repus]

I'm happy my school is over :D

[Itendtokill]

Are you 18?

If not you have no rights.


Yes im 18, and they would need(i would think) parental consent
Im in college not high

[Jesstilence]

Education in this country is compulsory, and being that it is paid by taxpayers in the case of public education, I think you SHOULD be held to go, and finish, or, the individual gets deported and expatriated. I tire of imbeciles in this country that don't finish school and then go on to make lots of retard babies that we have not whittled down in 40 years with draft and war.




What laws exactly? They CAN force you to attend until 16 if you are truant, unless you are amish or an indian.

This is the first good thing CA has done, probably ever.

I have an idea. Lets sterilize anyone who doesn't pass for being halfway worth a shit in this country.

[LegalSmash]

ok

[Repeat]

Eugenics?

Yes, please!

[PotshotPolka]

Wow? Isn't that against our right to privacy? Constantly being tracked? What do schools think, they can be like the CIA? Thats has to be against some law, the bracelts wont last, just watch theres gonna be alot of conflict.

CIA has better things to do than ghost truants, that's NSA territory, and also, if you read it, they'd only be wearing the bracelets during school hours.

[Robfal]

This is great. Im against all of those who waste their time in high school when they could be getting a free education. I mean, all you gotta do is show up, listen, do your homework! Once I tried to flunk a class on purpose and I found it was harder than to ace it. STAY IN SCHOOL KIDS!

[broncoty]

Yes im 18, and they would need(i would think) parental consent
Im in college not high

But you are not required to attend school, you attend college by choice.

[tehsnipes]

Education in this country is compulsory, and being that it is paid by taxpayers in the case of public education, I think you SHOULD be held to go, and finish, or, the individual gets deported and expatriated. I tire of imbeciles in this country that don't finish school and then go on to make lots of retard babies that we have not whittled down in 40 years with draft and war.




What laws exactly? They CAN force you to attend until 16 if you are truant, unless you are amish or an indian.

This is the first good thing CA has done, probably ever.

/Agree. Education isn't given enough priority these days. The ankle bracelet is a bit extreme though, its a waste of money.

[trakaill]

They are pros and cons to this issue...
here is what I see...

Cons:
-This is TOTALY against the USA's values of freedom and privacy (which will make it very hard to ever really become possible).
-It will take a huge amount of money to set it up (out of the so caled taxe payers)
-Kids that skip school will prolly just sleep then in class so waste anyway.
- Seems unethical.. to me at least

Pros:
-It might work
-some kids might get scared in other state and stop skipping

[Slavic]

Police and private security officers are already allowed to apprehend students if they look like they are skipping classes. This has happened a few times in my local mall; where students skip class then walk to the mall.

This ankle bracelet is basically a form of probation on part of those who regularly skip school.

Mind you, students already have their privacy severely reduced while inside school buildings. These bracelets will only be placed on during school hours. Its up to the students if they want to wear the bracelet outside of school grounds : D.

[GrayFox]

Mind you, students already have their privacy severely reduced while inside school buildings. These bracelets will only be placed on during school hours. Its up to the students if they want to wear the bracelet outside of school grounds : D.

No, you guys aren't reading correctly.


Penn said students in the program will wear the ankle bracelets full-time and will not be able to remove them. They'll be selected as they come through her court, and Penn will target truant students with gang affiliations, those with a history of running away and skipping school and those who have been through her court multiple times.

Asked why the students have to wear the ankle bracelet all the time instead of just the school day, Penn cited problems with runaways.

"Sometimes, as I said, students are runaways. Parents don't know where they are," Penn said. "So it's for the safety of the child, as well as the safety of the community."

They can't remove the thing. Although if they are in "gangs", I'm sure the gangs could find a way to break them off. It would cost more money to keep these trackers on than to pay for the school, which, mind you, is still paying for the kids IN school, not only the ones outside of school.

[broncoty]

No, you guys aren't reading correctly.



They can't remove the thing. Although if they are in "gangs", I'm sure the gangs could find a way to break them off. It would cost more money to keep these trackers on than to pay for the school, which, mind you, is still paying for the kids IN school, not only the ones outside of school.

lol they can follow them right to the crack

[GrayFox]

Then can follow you right to your girlfriend. Hey-oh! But the people who all post that they agree with this also all seem to be in college, and away from this. I'm sure if you were in highschool you'd have a different opinion.

[Repeat]

Then can follow you right to your girlfriend. Hey-oh! But the people who all post that they agree with this also all seem to be in college, and away from this. I'm sure if you were in highschool you'd have a different opinion.

Nope, pretty sure it'd be the same. Maybe stronger. GO TO SCHOOL ASSHOLES!

[LegalSmash]

Okay, I'm going to try to explain this:

Trakaill: The right to privacy does not extend to students within public schools, or for the most part to minors under the age of 18, even in matters of abortion (parental notification is required in many states)

This being said, the privacy the country DOES care about (i.e. being able to fuck your wife in your house in whatever position you want, to not have your personal business BROADCAST TO THE MASSES, and to not be spied upon without sufficient reason/required warrant. This being said, there is no "right to skip school" or "right to be undetected while being truant".

The price of the whole system is actually probably cheaper than the cost to educate and feed the retards that do not want to go to school to begin with, and in accordance with what Havok says here, being truant IS unlawful in this country, and monitoring is very much a lawful, reasonable sanction which seeks to remedy the problem, namely: truancy.

Grayfox: I disagree, its not about whether the person is still in College, High School, or in my case, past Professional School, its a matter of government resources being wasted on imbeciles that don't want to show up, do their work, or learn. These kids are problems to begin with, and knowing where they are and more importantly, that they are not where they are supposed to be makes life easier for everyone else as the parent can be brought in to try and remedy the situation. Also, consider that in the US, education is only compulsory until 16, after which you can on your own election drop out, so this is going to effect ages 5-15, which in general, should not be unsupervised under any circumstances, because they act like retards about 95% of the time. Despite what many may think about that statement here, I make it because I was 15 not too long ago, and I was an angry fucktard, black clad, Manson kid that didnt want to hear anything from anyone, until freshman year of high school where I discovered American Football and Vagina. There, I said it. Thing is, I'd show up to school, and I'd listen, and I went somewhere.

The problem with a lot of these kids that they are targeting with this program is that AFTER they flunk out (and they will) WE have to pay for them for the rest of their god forsaken lives, either on Welfare, in Jail, or on disability when they lose their legs to a snowplow. WE have to cover them. So it IS in our best interest as a nation to require people to attend school, shit, I'd even say FINISH it.

I have a LOT of younger cousins that are in High school age (I have first cousins) and I have some that are real stand up kids, whom are a joy to be around, and then I have cousins that make me wish my uncles and aunts were not catholic and used a lot more birth control....

I can tell you first hand that a pain in the ass or not, they go to school not because they are "forced to" but because they want a way out to do whatever they want to do, whether its be a chef or be a PE teacher, etc. I know that some of them will make it to whatever they want to be, and some (kid wants to be a doctor but is repeating biology) won't get exactly what they want right now, but they can do something in a related field, and in the end, it is that desire to do SOMETHING that makes me feel better about paying for those taxes, IMHO.

There are people that do not appreciate that FREE (to the student) public education people get here, and so long as we are making people pay for it, we should make people go.

[trakaill]

Its not about students rights. Its about America being a free country. Like most european countries have fixed radar that tak pictures of your liscence plate when you speed. Its been pretty hard to put this in place in America because people believe that the goverment has its nose in enough shit to go and monitor the population with this kind of devices. Instead they have state troopers at every corner in palm beach county. Thats what I meant.. people are not gonna like the government looking at their kids on a monitor.
I dont think this person is out there for the students or the communioty otherwise she would have had something to say about the privacy issue. I cant believe some of you would even agree with anyone having to wear a bracelet at all time unless they were highly dangerous or sexual predators in my opinon this is fuckin bullshit. Start with the real problems I dont see sexuall predators with bracelet. They have to register as such big fuckin deal we still dont know where they are during the day. This really upsets me.

[Italian Jew]

Some sexual predators have bracelets. It just depends on how much money the state is willing to spend on the devices and work involved watching over them.

Personally, I do not think it would be feasible to put bracelets on the sex offenders because there are just too many priests out there. And what would happen if you had two bracelets in the same area, like a priest and a young boy in the same room? It could screw over the whole thing!

More seriously, I think the whole idea is stupid because you wouldn't be able to force them to attend school. You will know where they are, but how is that fixing the problem. Its not going to scare every kid to go to school; you will have plenty who would still skip. They might continue to get caught all the time, but they certainly won't stop.

It would be best if they would attend school as it is tax payer money and it is good for them. If they decide to not attend school and they keep trying to run away and get out, just put them in a jail cell full of real Texan criminals for a few hours (it might only take a few minutes). Maybe give them pamphlets for the army or the local waste management service so they know their options once they are free from the law. If they decide not to go to school, just make them perform community services. If the people are paying for them, make them do something so the money isn't wasted (whether or not the Texan educational system is a waste for tax dollars may be another topic, but not right now)

[Slavic]

More seriously, I think the whole idea is stupid because you wouldn't be able to force them to attend school. You will know where they are, but how is that fixing the problem. Its not going to scare every kid to go to school; you will have plenty who would still skip. They might continue to get caught all the time, but they certainly won't stop.


As preciously stated; Law enforcement can detain students who are outside school grounds. As soon as one of the students with the ankle bracelets leaves the building, on campus security will pick them up and bring them right to class. I highly doubt many will make it a block away from the school.

Also ankle bracelets are used all the time and are not limited to sex offenders and highly dangerous people. I personally knew some people who had to wear an ankle bracelet as a part of their drug probation. Ankle bracelets have been used countless times and are pretty effective in use.

[Daze]

Over here if you smash a window in or start a fight in a street you get an ASBO and an ankle bracelet for a year (I think it is).



It's not that easy to get an ASBO, it's continually being a nuisance to the point jail time before you get one.

[Repeat]

America FUCK YEAH! Don't give a shit about people that speed and break the law! FUCK YEAH! Even if it ends up with killing people and ruining lives! FUCK YEAH!!

Seriously, I laughed when you said America is a free country.

We're losing more and more of our freedoms every day, too!

But when it comes to going to school, YOU AREN'T FREE YOU HAVE TO DO IT. GO TO SCHOOL! If you don't you get punished. Ankle bracelets are punishments...I don't see what the big deal is. Don't fuck up and you don't have shit happen to you like that. School isn't that many hours and it's not that hard. Just go.

[LegalSmash]

As far as I am concerned, an ankle bracelet is the least of their worries. If it were up to me, parents that have children that do not finish K-12 education should be taxed a penalty to cover the lost cost in resources, and the person who failed should be required to complete a GED within a year of dropping.

I take education seriously, and the community who pays for it should as well.

[flowrida]

hope they dont track me atm

[Repeat]

As far as I am concerned, an ankle bracelet is the least of their worries. If it were up to me, parents that have children that do not finish K-12 education should be taxed a penalty to cover the lost cost in resources, and the person who failed should be required to complete a GED within a year of dropping.

I take education seriously, and the community who pays for it should as well.

So sayith the 8th Chapter of the Book of Smash.

Amen.

[BOOWY]

Most of the fuckers that skip are the biggest distractions and are the biggest assholes in class anyway. Fuck them, let them ruin their lives. They don't care enough about being suspended and get away with shit all the time, and these dickwads are going to force them to stay in school so they can do the same shit they were doing before but 10 times angrier? I wouldn't wish it on any student whose got their head on straight.

[LegalSmash]

Most of the fuckers that skip are the biggest distractions and are the biggest assholes in class anyway. Fuck them, let them ruin their lives. They don't care enough about being suspended and get away with shit all the time, and these dickwads are going to force them to stay in school so they can do the same shit they were doing before but 10 times angrier? I wouldn't wish it on any student whose got their head on straight.


Well, so long as education is public, and we ALL have to pay for it, we need to make these fucktards attend and hope something sinks in, so that we don't have to pay for them for the rest of their lives and their bastard children's lives.

I personally think we should enslave those who don't finish school until they get a GED.

[BOOWY]

The only thing that's being mentioned is keeping kids in school via ankle bracelets. I haven't heard anything about actually changing the shit that goes on in class to accompany this. I'm sure the standards will be lowered even more than they are now because I'm willing to bet the kid with down syndrome who shows up everyday is smarter than some of these mouthbreathers they're going to force in.

Who shows up to class in high school everyday and still fails?

[LegalSmash]

The only thing that's being mentioned is keeping kids in school via ankle bracelets. I haven't heard anything about actually changing the shit that goes on in class to accompany this. I'm sure the standards will be lowered even more than they are now because I'm willing to bet the kid with down syndrome who shows up everyday is smarter than some of these mouthbreathers they're going to force in.

Who shows up to class in high school everyday and still fails?

a LOT of people actually. Florida has the FCAT and has had it since about 2000, teachers hate it because it shows JUST how incompetent they are and the student is, and it allows for people to ACTUALLY FAIL AND BE HELD BACK, which I think is an incredibly important factor in making people ACTUALLY learn. Shame works. This whole "be nice to "'da childrens" bullshit is counterproductive.

Tell that fucking Birth Control Accident he is an imbecile.

[Repeat]

a LOT of people actually. Florida has the FCAT and has had it since about 2000, teachers hate it because it shows JUST how incompetent they are and the student is, and it allows for people to ACTUALLY FAIL AND BE HELD BACK, which I think is an incredibly important factor in making people ACTUALLY learn. Shame works. This whole "be nice to "'da childrens" bullshit is counterproductive.

Tell that fucking Birth Control Accident he is an imbecile.

I think they should post kid's scores out in the hallway with their names. Toughens them up, makes them work harder. Life isn't a cakewalk, get used to it! Competition ftw

[LegalSmash]

I think they should post kid's scores out in the hallway with their names. Toughens them up, makes them work harder. Life isn't a cakewalk, get used to it! Competition ftw

Thats what College was like for me.