Since many schools now routinely deal with things like drug search lockdowns where the students are controlled similarly to prisoners, this shouldn't surprise anyone as it is just a logical next step in the evolution of the school-as-prison meme in vogue today:
Just like the CCTV system in Britain that now has the loudspeakers attached to it is just a system that allows you to be reminded by a good-natured civil servant to obey the law before a police officer catches you littering. It's not Big Brother, it's just a friendly lookout from a fellow citizen who is charged with your well-being, regardless of what you think about that.
Ten years before these become mandatory in some school districts for every student...
DALLAS - Jaime Pacheco rolled out of bed at dawn last week to the blaring chorus of two alarms. Then Jaime, a 15-year-old high school freshman, smoothed his striped comforter, dumped two scoops of kibble for the dogs out back and strapped a G.P.S. monitor to his belt.
Dave Leis, a spokesman for NovaTracker, which makes the system used in Dallas, said electronic monitoring did not have to be punitive. "You can paint this thing as either Big Brother, or this is a device that connects you to a buddy who wants to keep you safe and help you graduate."
Just like the CCTV system in Britain that now has the loudspeakers attached to it is just a system that allows you to be reminded by a good-natured civil servant to obey the law before a police officer catches you littering. It's not Big Brother, it's just a friendly lookout from a fellow citizen who is charged with your well-being, regardless of what you think about that.
Ten years before these become mandatory in some school districts for every student...
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I'm not sure exactly how this strikes me. On one hand, the removal of yet another civil liberty. On the other hand, do kids need civil liberties? Would I consider using one of these or something like "Disney Mobile" with my daughters when they are old enough?
..... I might.
Why do adults need civil liberties? Why is it ok for the state to step in and do things to people's children that it cannot lawfully do to adults?
There is a parental rights issue here. Civil liberties give parents an exclusive claim to control their children because civil liberties restrictions don't apply to parents. I don't want the state regulating my kids' speech or searching them except with lawful probable cause.
When I have kids, that will be my job, my right, my prerogative, and I jealously guard that future parental authority as the exclusive right of myself and my wife.