Privacy-Megan and Meghan

Privacy of teachers and students.  Author

Privacy of Students by Meghan


Current Events 11/15/2010, Vol. 110 Issue 10, p7-7

Truant students use GPS tracking device



Schools across the nation are fighting a battle against truant students.  Past forms of fighting truancy has been detention, suspension, and even serving time in a detention home. But now some schools are giving truant students a GPS tracking device.The article in Current Events features two students debating the issue.


Argument For GPS tracking

• Prevents against skipping school
• Program provides counseling for helping students make achievable goals for graduation
• Truant students are more likely to serve time in jail/prison and this program decreases their chances
• Checking in with counselors and setting goals teaches students responsibility

Argument Against GPS tracking

• Since the device is not attached to the students, it is possible to give the device to someone else, while the student skips school
• GPS tracking devices are used for criminals on house arrest and even criminals on probation, truancy is, arguably, not an extreme enough crime to warrant the same treatment
• Students who are forced to go to school are less likely to continue education
• GPS tracking does not teach responsibility for themselves

In the video shown above, a judge argues that this program will help students in the long run by forcing them to stay in school. He even says "If they don't want to wake up, call me. I'll have the constable come and take them to school." One student who was interviewed claimed he had 36 absences, 16 of them were unexcused (which is truancy). Reporters assigned to the story say that when students arrive at school, they must punch in a code which lets counselors know that they have arrived at school, and then the tracking device tracks them until they go home at night (and they must be home by curfew). They are called sometimes three or four times a week by counselors who guide them in setting goals.


The article in Current Events was written by two students, and because of their age and lack of experience, do not have much authority on the matter. They can only express their opinions and while some of their points are valid, their opinions are often not taken into account when making decisions. The video, however, focuses not on whether it is right or wrong, but that it was the poor decisions and actions of the students that brought them to be in the situation. Because there is a law against truancy and because judges' decisions are respected,. the video's content carries more authority.


My initial impression of this issue was outrage. I read the article and agreed completely with the argument against using GPS tracking and considered it a huge invasion of the student's privacy. After watching the video, however, I believe there is a method to the madness. I don't necessarily agree with using a GPS tracking device because there are ways of getting around it, but I do agree with the courts stepping up and making students attend school. Graduating from high school will benefit them in the long run, and they are on a path that could potentially damage their futures. Therefore, I agree, cautiously, with the decision to monitor truant students; however, I think there are major bugs that need to be worked out in the program before it will be a complete success.


Privacy of Teachers by Megan


Did the Internet Kill Privacy? http://www.cbsnews.com/. February 6, 2011. Video/Web. March 24,2011.
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Privacy of teachers is just as much deserved as it is for students. Teachers who choose to use the Internet and social bookmarking sites can often face harsh results to the information they post. This teacher in the video and who the article is about is from Georgia was pushed to resign from her high school teaching job because of pictures on facebook from a European vacation. Teachers should be allowed to have their freedoms and right to privacy. This teacher wanted a chance to be able to restore her name and fight for her job. Privacy of anyone can often be violated  in a matter of seconds, especially on the Internet.

The video and article is from CBS news and was told by a professional reporter. The topic of privacy is an accurate issue that many people, teachers included often face. This story is only a couple of months old, so it is up-to-date.

When I watched the video and read the article about how this teacher was forced to make such a critical decision about her career, based on pictures from her facebook I was upset. I think it was unfair that the principal of this woman's high school where she taught was either going to suspend her or have her resign is unjust. It goes to show that what we think is private can often be violated. I think teachers should be able to have their professional life and their personal life. If it were any other career it wouldn't have mattered. I don't think if a doctor had pictures from their vacation with an alcoholic beverage in their hand that their patients would refuse them to work with them.