Texas schools punish students who refuse to be tracked with microchips

[Linda]

Texas schools punish students who refuse to be tracked with microchips

http://rt.com/usa/news/texas-school-id-hernandez-033/

A school district in Texas came under fire earlier this year when it announced that it would require students to wear microchip-embedded ID cards at all times. Now, students who refuse to be monitored say they are feeling the repercussions.

Students who refuse to walk the school halls with the card in their pocket or around their neck claim they are being tormented by instructors, and are barred from participating in certain school functions. Some also said they were turned away from common areas like cafeterias and libraries.

Andrea Hernandez, a sophomore at John Jay, said educators have ignored her pleas to respect her privacy and told her she cannot participate in school elections if she refuses to comply with the tracking program.

"I had a teacher tell me I would not be allowed to vote because I did not have the proper voter ID," Hernandez told WND. "I had my old student ID card which they originally told us would be good for the entire four years we were in school. He said I needed the new ID with the chip in order to vote."

After Hernandez refused to wear an RFID chip, WND reported that Deputy Superintendent Ray Galindo issued a statement to the girl's parents: “We are simply asking your daughter to wear an ID badge as every other student and adult on the Jay campus is asked to do.” If she is allowed to forego the tracking now, the repercussions will be harsher than just revoking voting rights for homecoming contests once the school makes location-monitoring mandatory, he argued.

“I urge you to accept this solution so that your child’s instructional program will not be affected. As we discussed, there will be consequences for refusal to wear an ID card as we begin to move forward with full implementation,” Galindo wrote.

The girl’s father, Steve Hernandez, told WND that the school was somewhat willing to work with his daughter, but said that the family is unwilling to “agree to stop criticizing the program” and publically endorse it.


“I told him that was unacceptable because it would imply an endorsement of the district’s policy and my daughter and I should not have to give up our constitutional rights to speak out against a program that we feel is wrong,” Mr. Hernandez responded.

The Northside Independent School District expects to collect upwards of $2 million in state funding by reversing its poor attendance figures, with the RFID program costing around one-quarter of that sum to initiate and another $136,005 in maintenance. The new funding may not offset the other damages that could arise: Heather Fazio of Texans for Accountable Government told WND that she filed a Freedom of Information Act request for $30 and received the names and addresses of every student in the school district.

“Using this information along with an RFID reader means a predator could use this information to determine if the student is at home and then track them wherever they go. These chips are always broadcasting so anyone with a reader can track them anywhere,” she said.

Kirsten Bokenkamp of the ACLU told the San Antonio Express-News earlier this year that her organization expected to challenge the board’s decision to use the tracking system, but the school went ahead with the program undeterred. Steve Hernandez told WND that he approached the ACLU abour representing his daughter’s case, but Rebecca Robertson of a local branch of the organization said that, “the ACLU of Texas will not be able to represent you or your daughter in this matter,” saying the case did not meet the group's criteria.

These tracking chips not only keep track of these kids while they are in school, but everywhere they go. An with the freedom of information act any predator can get a list of the kids and their addresses.

I am with this kid and her parents, my kid would not wear the tracking chip either. And looks like the ACLU can't be bothered defending these children's rights.

Seems to me the school is over stepping it's bounds when it wants to track the children and their movements. Funny I grew up thinking the school purpose was to educate the kids not track them.

[Rick]

A little high voltage RF and the chip is malfunctioning - who know - I don't have a reader.

[Eupher]

A little high voltage RF and the chip is malfunctioning - who know - I don't have a reader.

Wouldn't the system be able to report that the chip is on the fritz?

Apart from that technical question, I'm on board with Dad and Daughter. Keep Big Brother the hell out of our lives. This is the same kind of crap that Progressive Insurance wants their customers to do -- install a chip on their car so that Big Brother Progressive can keep an eye on what, where, and how the vehicle's being driven.

Screw 'em. 

[thundley4]

There was another article about this that I read that said the cards are only required to be carried while at the school. 

[Eupher]

There was another article about this that I read that said the cards are only required to be carried while at the school.  

Yeah, and what school-aged kid is actually going to be astute and aware enough to pull that thing out of his/her book bag/wallet/purse when they're done with school for the day?

Fact is, that damned card will go home with every student unless the kid happens to remember to shove it in his school locker -- if he has one.

[thundley4]

Yeah, and what school-aged kid is actually going to be astute and aware enough to pull that thing out of his/her book bag/wallet/purse when they're done with school for the day?

Fact is, that damned card will go home with every student unless the kid happens to remember to shove it in his school locker -- if he has one.

I don't think it would take long for the students to get in the habit of leaving it in their lockers.  I still don't see how these trackers would help get more money for attendance, though.  Most likely it would show that more kids are skipping school.  However, the chips might be good things to issue to visitors to the school for safety reasons.

[Eupher]

I don't think it would take long for the students to get in the habit of leaving it in their lockers.  I still don't see how these trackers would help get more money for attendance, though.  Most likely it would show that more kids are skipping school.  However, the chips might be good things to issue to visitors to the school for safety reasons.

The point is, the so-called "reasons" for employing this massive, bloated, bureaucratic and expensive system don't appear to have been fully explained and even supported by the students and their parents. The school board is shoving this thing down their throats and when somebody has the temerity of challenging the system and the "reasons" for implementing it, they're accosted and threatened.

Before you know it, you'll have kids punching in and punching out of their classes. Shades of 1984 anyone?

You got a bunch of RFID chips you want to sell? Sell 'em to the Chuckie Cheese franchises and that's how they can keep track of the rug rats and curtain climbers they've got terrorizing the damned store. 

[DefiantSix]

That old saw "What have you got to hide", is getting a bit threadbare from overuse, IMHO.

"None of your damned business", is my standard response these days.

[vesta111]

Yeah, and what school-aged kid is actually going to be astute and aware enough to pull that thing out of his/her book bag/wallet/purse when they're done with school for the day?

Fact is, that damned card will go home with every student unless the kid happens to remember to shove it in his school locker -- if he has one.

They keep trying to take baby steps toward total control. Last cute trick they pulled was the School PC kids could take home that with out the kid or the parents knowledge could be turned on to send video of what was going on in their homes and bedrooms.

That was slick,  Who was watching videos of teens after 10 o' clock in their bedrooms ?????

I can understand these cards being used by Prisons, or businesses to keep track of inventory/ amounts of money but to place punishments on teens who's parents object to their child being spied upon by complete strangers--------What can possibly go wrong.  

Why not put all the kids on the school bus and take to local animal shelters and get them microchipped ??? Up side of this the kids just may adopt a pet.---------------------------------Logans Run anyone ???????

[DumbAss Tanker]

These tracking chips not only keep track of these kids while they are in school, but everywhere they go. An with the freedom of information act any predator can get a list of the kids and their addresses.

I don't know what kind of 'Sunshine Law' Texas has, but the Federal FOIA only applies to Federal activities, not State or municipal ones, and even if it did, home addresses are not releasable under the Federal FOIA.  Either somebody screwed the pooch in responding to the FOIA, or Texas has a very unusual law on that unique to itself, or that part of the story may not be completely true.

[Ptarmigan]

Welcome to 1984.

[Jasonw560]

Mountain States Legal Defense could handle this.

[Airwolf]

The big problem is that chip is only good as long as the kid has it on them. All kid has to do is leave it in the school and walk out. Then if or when little Jack or Jill turn up missing then what? It's a bad idea no matter the reason. They need to stop it.

[Jasonw560]

I contacted Mountain States Legal about it. Wait and see what my contact says.

[vesta111]

The big problem is that chip is only good as long as the kid has it on them. All kid has to do is leave it in the school and walk out. Then if or when little Jack or Jill turn up missing then what? It's a bad idea no matter the reason. They need to stop it.

What is the range of these tracking devices, 1/4 mile or 5 miles ?????

I cannot under stand how these can protect a child, first thing an abductor would do is remove the card and dispose of it. It will not help a child in school if they are molested on campus, a card can be left in an office and show the molester was in the office at the time of the attack.-------Bully's can leave their badges in the school library, leave and beat up a kid and the badge shows the bully's were at the library at the time of attack.

[Linda]

***UPDATE****

Judge Grants Reprieve To Student Expelled For Refusing To Wear Tracking Device Badge
http://cnsnews.com/blog/craig-bannister/judge-grants-reprieve-student-expelled-refusing-wear-tracking-device-badge

A district court judge for Bexar County, Texas, has granted a temporary restraining order to prevent Northside Independent School District from removing a Hernandez from John Jay High School’s Science and Engineering Academy because she refused to wear a name badge designed to use a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip to track students’ precise location on school property, the Hernandez’s attorneys announced today.

“Regimes in the past have always started with the schools, where they develop a compliant citizenry. These ‘Student Locator’ programs are ultimately aimed at getting students used to living in a total surveillance state where there will be no privacy, and wherever you go and whatever you text or email will be watched by the government,” Whitehead warned.

[DLR Pyro]

Texas schools punish students who refuse to be tracked with microchips

http://rt.com/usa/news/texas-school-id-hernandez-033/





These tracking chips not only keep track of these kids while they are in school, but everywhere they go. An with the freedom of information act any predator can get a list of the kids and their addresses.

I am with this kid and her parents, my kid would not wear the tracking chip either. And looks like the ACLU can't be bothered defending these children's rights.

Seems to me the school is over stepping it's bounds when it wants to track the children and their movements. Funny I grew up thinking the school purpose was to educate the kids not track them.

someone should approach the aclu to fight this on religious principals as this could be considered by some as accepting the mark of the beast.

[Linda]

someone should approach the aclu to fight this on religious principals as this could be considered by some as accepting the mark of the beast.

Kirsten Bokenkamp of the ACLU told the San Antonio Express-News earlier this year that her organization expected to challenge the board’s decision to use the tracking system, but the school went ahead with the program undeterred. Steve Hernandez told WND that he approached the ACLU about representing his daughter’s case, but Rebecca Robertson of a local branch of the organization said that, “the ACLU of Texas will not be able to represent you or your daughter in this matter,” saying the case did not meet the group's criteria.

[MrsSmith]

I wonder about FIRE or the ACLJ

[Linda]

Pupil Hernandez, who refused to wear RFID, loses appeal
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20957587

The badges reveal each student's location on their campus, giving the district more precise information on attendance.

The daily average of the attendance is related to how much funding each school receives.

What the Heck happened to roll call in home room or 1st period, which ever they do now? Why do they need tracking devices on our children?
Looks like more indoctrination. One step at a time...remember how they bullying tactic began? Now if you defend your self in school you get suspended or arrested...common sense has left the building.

[Wineslob]

Teacher:

Where is your ID card Johnny?

Johnny:

The dog ate it, and it's now somewhere in the back yard if you'd like to look for it.

[DefiantSix]

Teacher:

Where is your ID card Johnny?

Johnny:

The dog ate it, and it's now somewhere in the back yard if you'd like to look for it.

Oh no; I can probably arrange for little Johnny's RFID tracker to encounter severe ESD at some point, if he were my kid.  After that, he can just claim to have "lost" it, and when they re-issue, tell him to keep the live one in his locker, and only wear the dead one.  Voila; problem solved and liberty restored.

[Eupher]

Oh no; I can probably arrange for little Johnny's RFID tracker to encounter severe ESD at some point, if he were my kid.  After that, he can just claim to have "lost" it, and when they re-issue, tell him to keep the live one in his locker, and only wear the dead one.  Voila; problem solved and liberty restored.

Can the school authorities Big Brother, shit, COMMUNISTS determine if any one badge isn't working?