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Keeping tabs on schoolkids
Categories: Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Education
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been used for years to track inventory; now, one school district in Rhode Island is planning to use the technology to track students. RFID chips will be put into the kids' schoolbags and read by devices installed in the district's two school buses. The buses will also have GPS units to track their position.Parents and school administrators would be able to track the location of the buses online and check whether or not particular kids had gotten on the bus. The ACLU, however, is concerned about the plan. Stephen Brown, executive director of the ACLU's Rhode Island chapter, says that "there's absolutely no need to be tagging children." He says the school district ought to know where its students are without tagging them.
I'm not sure I like the idea; there is, of course, the potential for misuse of the system. More importantly, however, I think I'd rather see the kids tracked by humans, however infallible they might be, than have them turned into a number so early in their lives.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jenni 6-25-2008 @ 4:24PM
I do see the argument against a system like this; however I am always surprised at how opposed people are with something like this. Maybe it's because the school is the one tracking the students and not the parents; because if I could get something like this, I would love to put it on my child in case of emergency.
If she were kidnapped or lost, I'd be able to find her immediatly. When we go camping, everyone has their own GPS device that they keep on themself in case they do get lost or gets away from the group. At least then we know that, worst case scenario, there is a better chance to be found.
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hall monitor 6-25-2008 @ 7:17PM
I am trying to figure out what rights students will have if this goes into effect. Constant surveillance has got to be an unhealthy route to take.
Hall Monitor
http://detentionslip.org
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Stephanie 6-26-2008 @ 2:07PM
Let's remember the obvious: this system doesn't track children. It tracks the chips. Let a kid leave their backpack with a friend, and you have no idea where the kid actually is. This is false security at best. If the school is having trouble keeping up with the children, it needs to hire more workers, not rely on expensive technology with the potential for misuse.
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Sharky 7-01-2008 @ 11:35AM
Jenni,
Here is the issue. no one has the right to chip anyone or thing. Do not let the government use that fear line well what if your child gets kidnapped? First off except for a Dirty Harry movie when was the last time a school bus full of kids was hijacked??? The buses have alarms on them that when something happens the alarm is sent to the police and they can respond. So where is the need here to chip your child? There is none folks. You as a parent are responsible for your for your child's safety not the government. I for one will not be chipped for any reason.it is none of the governments concern who I am or what I am doing or for that matter where I am. I have a right to move about FREELY in this country. Don't let big brother play on your fears. stop all chipping, and for God sake read the constitution
thanks
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