Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nikki on August 26, 2013 at 1:44am

Why aren't the parents putting a stop to this? Probably because this is an area with a high percentage of immigrants.  About one third of the population of Glendale is Armenian and almost 20% speak an Asian dialect. This school district is taking advantage because they know many of these immigrant families don't want to call attention to themselves by complaining or they don't understand Constitutional rights to begin with.

Permalink Reply by 1e3o0fhd65yld on August 27, 2013 at 6:53am

I think you make a valid point about the immigrant parents, but why are the other parents not in an uproar over this spying program? Well, a certain percentage of them probably like the idea...you know, "it helps keep the kids safe" and all that crap. Others couldn't care less what the school district does, as long as their kids passing. So the ones who do object or have misgivings about their kids' privacy being violated are in the minority. They can petition, they can raise hell, they can even file a lawsuit. However, I have serious doubts that they can force the administration to stop this insanity, since the administrators themselves are insane.

Here's a fun story to illustrate how they roll at GUSD: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/14/local/la-me-1014-aclu-glend...

So have a nice, safe school year, everybody. And remember, We're watching you!

Permalink Reply by Nikki on August 28, 2013 at 2:20am

I was watching this story on the local news and many of the parents are not happy about it while the school officials are defending it.  The reporter actually inferred that the school district had crossed a line and that it's the parents' responsibility to monitor their children's online activity, not the school's.

Permalink Reply by 1e3o0fhd65yld on August 28, 2013 at 12:31pm

It'll be interesting to see how things develop there. I don't know what recourse the parents have to derail the district's plan to implement this blatant violation of privacy and free speech rights, but at least they're voicing their opposition to it.

For the administration to spend over $3,000 per student to see what kind of "troubling" thoughts or discussions they're having online is sheer lunacy. That money would be far better spent on resources, materials and general improvements to the schools. And, as the reporter inferred, it is the parents' responsibility to keep an eye on their kids' online activity. The educators' responsibility is to educate. 

Permalink Reply by Tara on August 28, 2013 at 12:43pm

It is all lunacy, more Nanny State politics as usual. I'm glad to see the parents taking a stand. I hope there voices are heard.

That 3,000 per student could go for the supplies alone that parents have to afford. We need to supply even Kleenex for God sake. When I was a kid, the only thing we needed to bring to school was maybe a couple of pencils and a notebook. Now the list of supplies needed go on and on and on. It is very costly and I feel for parents with more than one child.

Permalink Reply by 1e3o0fhd65yld on August 28, 2013 at 1:51pm

Exactly. School administrations have endowed themselves with totalitarian powers, and have adopted a police state mentality with their ridiculous "zero tolerance" policies. 

Really, you have to supply Kleenex? How pitiful! America's education system is in such a sorry state, but the administrators and officials seem more concerned about identifying potential security threats. 

Permalink Reply by Nikki on August 29, 2013 at 1:53am

The good news is the kids will figure out a way around this by setting up phony profiles, etc. These half wit educators have just given the kids a challenge and they will enjoy putting one over on the school administrators.

Permalink Reply by 1e3o0fhd65yld on August 29, 2013 at 2:51pm

Of course they will. The sad thing is, this sends a horrible message to kids: Your private communications will be monitored and analyzed by people who don't know you, so that other people who don't really know you can see if you're a security threat or not. We're doing this because we don't trust you, and we don't trust your parents to keep an eye on you for us.

Permalink Reply by Nikki on August 29, 2013 at 10:46pm

That's true. I am so glad my daughter is now out of the public school system. Everything they do sends that message. The kids are treated like criminals. In her senior year of HS, she refused to attend some of the senior activities due to the ridiculous rules.

Permalink Reply by 1e3o0fhd65yld on August 30, 2013 at 6:24am

Teens and preteens are going through a hard enough time as it is without adults making it worse. Their brains and hormones are all jacked up. They think, say and do all kinds of crazy shit that adults can't possibly understand. They're grappling with self-identity, self-expression, peer pressure, school stress, home stress, etc. They're on an emotional-biological roller coaster.

The last thing on earth kids at this age need is a bunch of authoritarian morons spying on them, marginalizing them, labeling them as potential threats or criminals, and oppressing them with senseless Draconian policies that serve no other purpose other than to demean and subjugate everyone.

Permalink Reply by truth on August 27, 2013 at 12:55pm

fu-fb