California School introduces GPS to track students.

[Rageaholic]

More proof that the Public Schools are becoming big brother.

In a nutshell, those with 4 unexcused absenses will be put in this program where they are given a GPS tracker thing. They will have to enter some code 5 times a day to track their locations. The program is "optional", but if they don't enter it, they can be fined 2000 bucks, which defeats the purpose of "optional".

What bugs me isn't the program as much as the idea that schools have so much power over kids and parents. So a kid skips a few days, is it really the governments job to fine or even jail kids over it? Considering the amount of indoctrination that goes on in schools (which I can start an entirely different thread on), I can't say I blame kids for wanting to skip. Forcing them to be there against their will isn't going to magically make them learn.

The public school douchebags need to stop with the indoctrination and controlling and focus on actually learning shit.

[draco664]

Who knows what other learning-materials could have been bought for the cost of this program.

[telecom_goddess]

OK I think that whole thing is horseshit....but the kicker is...the last check in is at 8pm? what do they care where the kids are at 8pm? that's way past school hours.

[Greenday]

Four UNexcused abscences. Basically meaning they obviously skip classes. I don't know how strict they are about excusing an abscence but I'm sure it can't be so tough that many people would need this.

Stupid and invasive, sure, but they must be having a really big truancy issue to get to this point.

[Rageaholic]

What?

I originally missed the part about having to check in at 8PM (I must have read it as 8AM). It's bad enough that they are tracked in school, but outside of school too? Aside from being control freaks, I see no good reason for this.

[telecom_goddess]

What?

I originally missed the part about having to check in at 8PM (I must have read it as 8AM). It's bad enough that they are tracked in school, but outside of school too? Aside from being control freaks, I see no good reason for this.

Then, five times a day, they are required to enter a code that tracks their locations – as they leave for school, when they arrive at school, at lunchtime, when they leave school and at 8 p.m.

utter bullshit I'm telling you.....sigh.

[Rageaholic]

Greenday: Truancy is not a good justification for this kind of invasion of privacy (or what ever the hell this is). Though I too am curious as to what constitutes an unexcused absense in this district. It could be somewhat reasonable (though still something I'd disagree with) if they are pretty lieniant about what "unexcused" means. However, I see NO REASON why they should have to report to the school at 8:00pm when they are out of school. There's just no reason for that other than control freak administrators being, well, control freaks.

Telecom: I agree, it's utter bullshit. I would give them the benefit of the doubt if there's more information about how they plan to implement this, but I just don't trust the public schools to be reasonable and respectful of students rights. Especially if they want to keep tabs on them at 8:00pm.

[Hyena Dandy]

I can sort of understand most of it. Beginning of the day, etc... But 8 PM? That's way out of their jurisdiction.

[crashhelmet]

The reason for all of this is funding. Most school administrators really couldn't care less if a kid shows up for class, especially the kids today. But they get their funding based on their attendance records so they need to find ways to force the kids to be there. In California, as well as other states, they can keep a student in school until they're 21.

The issue with the unexcused absences is really bullshit because the school gets to decide what is and what isn't excused. If a parent decides to keep their kid(s) home from school for whatever reason, the school can still declare it an unexcused absence. It doesn't matter if it's sickness or a funeral, the school can declare it unexcused.

In Florida, if you drop out of high school you can't get your driver's license until you're 18.

These are all ways to keep that funding coming in.

[Greenday]

I've never heard of school's being so strict on what is excused vs. unexcused. As long as we had a note from a parent, it was going to be excused. I got excused so I could do some clinical allergy medicine testing. But I've never heard of a school not excusing you with a doctor's note or a note from a parent.

[crashhelmet]

I've never heard of school's being so strict on what is excused vs. unexcused. As long as we had a note from a parent, it was going to be excused. I got excused so I could do some clinical allergy medicine testing. But I've never heard of a school not excusing you with a doctor's note or a note from a parent.

We discussed it in this thread.

[Greenday]

We discussed it in this thread.

If you want an excused absence, just say you were sick. It'll be accepted. Saying you skipped school for something that doesn't involve you needing to be out of school is silly.

[FArchivist]

If you want an excused absence, just say you were sick. It'll be accepted.

In Gwinnett County, GA, the rule is that you MUST have a doctor's note on the official stationary the school hands out for this purpose, a parent's note is not acceptable, and they will be calling the doctor to verify. In their case (as is most GA counties), it's due to the funding thing.

[Boozy]

That is a very costly policy for parents, isn't it? Both in time and money. To have to take time out of the day and pay for a doctor's visit when Junior is ill with a mere cold.

I have a feeling some parents ship their sick children off to school anyway. Gwinnett County schools must be a cesspool of infectious disease.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

First of all, for the amount of taxpayer money they are spending on this project, one wonders what else that would directly benefit the remainder of the students and their educations using that money.

Secondly, with the GPS systems, why do they have to enter a code. I have several sources (this for one) of the GPS locators that can track in real time where something is at all times. I can buy one for my dog who lacks the opposable thumbs needed to enter a code, and know where he is at all times. I can even set the system to contact me if the dog leaves the safety area. Why do the kids need to enter a code?

Thirdly, I'm all for letting these fuckers FAIL. If they can't be arsed to get an education, then let them fall flat on their faces. If they want to get their shit together, they can take one of the GED programs and try again. But there are some people who will not learn until the universe clubs them on the head like a baby harp seal. Screw this "No child left behind" crap when it comes to kids who do not give a flying fuck about their educations. Change that mindset to "No child that is honestly trying but is having a hard time left behind."