Parents Sue School District Over Background Checks
Yvonne and Larry Meadows are suing the Texas Lake Travis School district over computerized background checks it presently conducts on all visitors and parents entering school property.
The computer system, called Raptor, requires either a driver's license or state issued identification card to be scanned into its system. It then matches the information against a national sex offender database. Once clear, the system prints out a pass for the visitor or parent to enter the school. The schools also have the option of manually entering a person's name and date of birth into the system.
The Meadows claim that these checks violate their freedom to be able to associate with their own children at school and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. Neither parent is listed in the sex offender database.
Mrs. Meadows claims her concerns stem from identity theft because her personal information on her driver's license is being collected by a private company. They have removed their children from the school district and are presently homeschooling.
Christy Rome, a school district official who assisted in creating the background check policy, said that the district administrators chose to use the sex offender database software to make their schools safer.
Would the Meadows be singing the same tune if their children were harmed because a background check wasn't done?
The computer system, called Raptor, requires either a driver's license or state issued identification card to be scanned into its system. It then matches the information against a national sex offender database. Once clear, the system prints out a pass for the visitor or parent to enter the school. The schools also have the option of manually entering a person's name and date of birth into the system.
The Meadows claim that these checks violate their freedom to be able to associate with their own children at school and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. Neither parent is listed in the sex offender database.
Mrs. Meadows claims her concerns stem from identity theft because her personal information on her driver's license is being collected by a private company. They have removed their children from the school district and are presently homeschooling.
Christy Rome, a school district official who assisted in creating the background check policy, said that the district administrators chose to use the sex offender database software to make their schools safer.
Would the Meadows be singing the same tune if their children were harmed because a background check wasn't done?
Labels: background checks, registered sex offender, school background checks
posted by JenWiehl at 7:02 AM
9 Comments:
I think "homeschooling" their kids pretty much says it all right there. Nutjobs...
The choices are simple: safe schools or no safe schools? If you chose the former, then background checks are where it's at. Besides, they parents are not physically searched or seized by the school since they have no apprehension powers.
People just want attention. if the children were in harm with sex offenders roaming the school grounds they would be asking the school how could you allow that, but since the school is making sure their students are safe they are still in the wrong.
Crazy parents!!!
People are waaaay too "sue happy." Way to waste tax dollars over a cry for attention. Personally, a school can have my information if it means keeping my kid safe.
It seems like these parents are raising a stink over a whole lot of nothing. If it were me, I would find out what company is housing the "personal information" and contact them directly.
It's a fine line between to much screening and not enough. People with nothing to hide should shut up and deal with it.
Oh perfect, put them in home school cause of your own insecurity and ruin the kids social growth. ID theft? Really? Who's even concerned about that anymore? Every credit card company out there now offers some sort of ID theft insurance. Scanning yourself into a building or school sounds like were heading into a 1984-big-brother-is-watching-esque future or something, but hey... better safe than sorry.
I think this is a great idea. More schools should implement a similar system to help protect the kids!
I think it is a great policy. More schools should have these types of policies to keep children safe. This couple obviously has some issues and are just looking for an excuse to sue someone.
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