Texas To Track Truant Students By GPS

Kids With History of Skipping School To Wear Ankle Bracelets Equipped With Satellite Technology

(AP)  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 using satellite technology.

But at least one group is worried the ankle bracelets, with Global Positioning System monitoring, 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.

"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.

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 devices 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.

Burke said truant students and runaway kids are different issues.

[erasmus81]

"As a working Mom I can''''t be on his tail all the time. I do check his cell phone text messages & go thru his room & vehicle every time he''''s not looking." Posted by mellie1957 at 03:19 PM : Aug 26, 2008

That is too funny.:)

You go girl! I believe all is fair when trying to keep your kids out of trouble!

[erasmus81]

And when VoidMaster was talking about some kids being lazy and you can''''''''t change that, that''''''''s c-r-a-p. If you are raising your kids right, they won''''''''t be lazy. They learn from their parents.

Posted by erasmus81
***

"Is erasmus81 capable of comprehending what he reads?"

Posted by VoidMaster at 02:06 PM : Aug 26, 2008

Yes, erasmus is capable of comprehending what SHE reads, if she reads it properly.:)

I apologize for the mistake. What I read, was someone elses post, who had copied and pasted yours. I was in a hurry and didn''t read it as thoroughly as I should have. I normally do not post a comment on what someone elses has said, unless I go back and double check what they have said, or I copy and paste it with mine so I can make sure of what was said.

"Had they raised their kids correctly, the GPS leash would not have come into play. Get it this time?"

I got it! Again, I apologize.

[voidmaster-2009]

mellie1957,

I would consider your activities wrong even if your kid were a minor. But he%u2019s 18 and you still do this?

Well, in as much as I may disapprove of your actions, at least it will lead to yet another whose disrespect for authority is justified; i. e. another anarchist. Thanks.

[mellie1957]

I like this idea !! I''ve seriuosly considered putting a hidden GPS on my 18 year old son''s vehicle. As a working Mom I can''t be on his tail all the time. I do check his cell phone text messages & go thru his room & vehicle every time he''s not looking.

[voidmaster-2009]

THIS ONE NEEDS SPECIAL ATTENTION:

%u201CThe vets gave me the rights I have%u2026%u201D

Posted by BarbaraM99
***

This is wrong to the point of being dangerous. While privileges may be extended and therefore revoked, rights are not given. They simply are.

The government did not give you any rights. Irrespective of whether or not the government wishes to acquiesce to them, they still exist. Ergo, no government can take them away from you. Again, agree or disagree, it does not change the fact that this is true.

The U. S. Constitution does not %u201Cgrant%u201D rights. It acknowledges that they already exist.

Given these facts, no vet, soldier, government nor anyone else (except maybe God) GAVE you any rights.

[voidmaster-2009]

Catching up here (not necessarily in order):

+
1. A few pages back%u2026

And when VoidMaster was talking about some kids being lazy and you can''''t change that, that''''s c-r-a-p. If you are raising your kids right, they won''''t be lazy. They learn from their parents.

Posted by erasmus81
***

Is erasmus81 capable of comprehending what he reads? If so, then he should have read my posts before commenting. Had he, he would have comprehended that the cases we are discussing here, by definition are those in which the parents have alread failed.

Had they raised their kids correctly, the GPS leash would not have come into play. Get it this time?
VM


2. A few more pages%u2026

Sometimes cruel and unusual punishment is what it takes to get results. Besides it would keep them in class.

Posted by patriot12436
***

You have cops in the family, right?
VM


Then there was%u2026

Friends ye choose.yer family ye don''''t. That is how it was taught me.

Posted by BarbaraM99
***
Incorrect. Family is not whom you are related to. Family is whom you love.

VM


And finally%u2026

just take it off and superglue it to the neighbors dog..

Posted by six-seis-six
***
ROTFLMAO. Love it.

VM%u2026

[sfden]

Creepy as hell!
ACLU, where are you..............

[swwils]

This is a total waste of tax payer money.Myself I think if the kids want to skip,hell ignore them,they can work at fast food restaurants all their lives(if they will even hire them)If they don''t want too learn why push it in one ear and out the other.They will learn the hard way,no fun,no mon!

[barbaram99]

Why do they have problems
Why do they act out.
Why are they bullied.
Ye rather they remain dumb.
Why do they wear the odd clothes
Why do they run away or skip school.
Can they learn
Are they hungey
Are their health issues
Are there aboue in the home
Are their parents there in their life
Do they have the basics.

[candy-apple]

Great! Force them to go to school so they can be disruptive and disturb those who actually desire an education and choose to attend class.