Ah. Another school district wasting money to protect students from people on the sex offender registry.
When a visitor tries to gain access to a school, they are now prompted to utilize the computer check-in system, which requires you to scan your photo ID. Within seconds, that scan searches sex offender databases to ensure the person isn’t on there.
“This system allows us to have those identities identified and therefore we know when those people are on our campuses,” said Jeff Hudson, Pitt County School’s security specialist.These people.
How many school employees have committed sex offenses against students? These people might come from within the school.
How many people on the registry have committed sex crimes against students while visiting the school? If it has happened, let's stack up those few stories against the multitude of stories about school staff members who offend against students.
Stopping registrants at the school door protects no one. What it does do is humiliate parents and students, and for no reason.
As I wrote in an October 2015 post:
What does the hysteria about registered sex offenders teach children?
It teaches children that people on a list are the ones to fear. When over ninety percent of sex offense arrests are of people not on the list, we are directing children to be wary of the wrong people.
It teaches children that they are wrong to love and admire a grandparent who has come through a difficult time and has lived a law-abiding life since.
It teaches the community that it is acceptable to single out and embarrass children who love sex offenders.
Raptor stopped a man from having lunch with his grandson and the principal crows about the great success, without a single thought about the effect on the grandson.
Not a single thought that the boy might be hurt or confused by this turn of events. Not a single thought that exposing the grandfather as a registered sex offender may also expose the child to details of a crime he is too young to understand.
Instead of encouraging pointless hysteria, we ought to be upset about school boards deciding to throw away taxpayer funds on wrongheaded nonsense.
We ought to be upset about thoughtless principals who think it is acceptable to treat the children and grandchildren of registered citizens as if they do not matter.Raptor Systems claims 18,000 campuses use its services. It boasts that it has screened 11.4 million visitors, had 41,754 alerts, and protected 57 million children.
How much money has Raptor pulled in from this game?
When Raptor can predict which school employee will be the next addition to the sex offender registry, they might be worth a look.
Amen, Sista'
ReplyDeleteI would like to add that I have visited my grandchildren's school once a week for about 3 years now to pick them up on "early day." I walk freely into the schoolyard and am greeted warmly by teachers, assistants, and students. No one has ever asked me to sign in, present ID, or in any way questioned my presence there. Perhaps it is my white hair? My point is that I believe it would be very different if I were a man. Fear and prejudice work in odd ways.