District1Meet2012

Who:PrincipalStrobinski
What:optingforIDbadgeswithbuiltintrackingdevices
When:April2
Where:LeaguetownHighSchool
Why:tobeabletotracktruantstudents
How:implied

PrincipalShayStrobinskiisoptingforIDbadgeswithbuiltintrackingdevicesonApril2ndin
ordertotracktruantstudents.

OnApril2nd,allstudentswillreceivenewschoolIDswiththetrackingdevices.During
thefallsemester,theAssistantPrincipalstrackthenumberoftruantstudentsduringtheday.On
average,thirtyfivestudentsskippedatleastoneschoolperiodeachschoolday.TheAssistant
Principalsaidmanyoftheskippershideinbathrooms,outsidetheschoolorintheircars.Inan
efforttodecreasethenumberoftruantstudents,AssistantPrincipalStarobinskisuggestedthe
schoolpurchaseidentificationbadgeswithbuiltintrackingdevices.
Ispentagoodportionofeachdaylookingforandchasingdownstudents,AssistantPrincipal
ShayStrobinskisaid.WiththeIDtrackingsystem,wecanbemuchmoreefficientinlocating
students.
Severalstudentsandparentshavecomplainedtotheschoolthatthenewbadgesarea
violationofprivacy.Prisonersaretracked,JuniorBeccaRomerosaid.Iamastudentwithout
asingledisciplinereferral,notaprisoner.ThesenewIDSassumeallstudentsarebad.Thatis
notthecase.ParentDonCantrellmetlastweekwiththeACLUtotrytostoptheschoolfrom
usingthenewIDbadges.In2005,theAmericanCivilLibertiesUnionsuccessfullyfoughtthe
introductionoftheradiofrequencytrackingIDbadgesinCalifornia.Thisisablatantviolationof
mysonsprivacyrights,ParentDonCantrellsaid.Hedoesntwantsomeonemonitoringhimat
alltimes,nochildintheUnitedStatesshouldbetracked.
WhilesomestudentsandparentsareopposedtotheideaofIDtracking,othersfeelthat
thisisagoodmeansoftrackingtruantstudents.TwoschooldistrictsintheSanAntonioarea
startedusingtheIDtrackingsysteminthefall.Bothdistrictsreportedathirtypercentdecrease
intruancy.ThedistrictisexcitedaboutthesenewIDs,SuperintendentPattiMannsaid.This
newIDwillincreaseourattendance,whichwillincreaseourfunding.TheIDtrackingseemsto
begettingsupportfromsomeparentssuchasOscarRedman,parentandownerofRedman
Construction.IwashappytodonatethemoneyforthesenewIDs,RedmansaidMychildren
attendLeaguetownSchools,parentsshouldembracethisnewsafetymeasure,notfightit.
IDreplacementcost$15.00.StudentswhoarecaughtnotwearinganIDreceivea
warningonthefirstviolation.Onthesecondviolation,thestudentgoestoinschoolsuspension
foroneday.Studentsshouldnothaveanyconcernsiftheydontskipclass,Strobinksisaid.
Wewillneverusethetrackingdeviceonthemunlesstheyareskippingclassorthereisan
emergency.

StrobinskialsohadsupportfromSeniorandStudentCouncilpresident,NinaTruman.I
don'tunderstandallofthecomplaints.Studentsareatschooltolearn,TrumansaidIftheyare
notinclasstheycantlearn.