The OC Register is reporting today that a school in Anaheim is planning to make students who have 4 or more unexcused absences this year carry a GPS tracking device, about the size of a cell phone around so Law Enforcement and other officials can keep track of them.
Students will receive an automated message each morning reminding them to get to school, they will then have to check in during lunch, after school and at 8 PM.
Some people like the idea, others think it’s too imposing and makes their children feel like prisoners. I think it’s a ridiculous idea, there is no reason to track our students like cattle in order to force them to go to school. This only benefits the school, they lose $35 each day for every absent student. This is a sad attempt by them to try and recoup their losses.
My Thoughts
Schools are supposed to be about learning, any place your forced to go to and punished if you do not is a prison, any place that hinders your freedom and doesn't allow you to freely leave or attend is a prison. Why would we treat schoolchildren like prisoners? Especially after only 4 absences?
This doesn't come close to addressing the real problem with school, it’s boring and uninteresting. Teachers who’ve been in the classroom for years and for the most part given up on any advancement in their on lives, are trying to inspire and keep the interest of students who are connected to a world that’s always being updated, changing and at their age is waiting for them to explore. Instead of nurturing their individuality or inspiring them to chase their goals, school teaches them that their only hope for a decent future is to study, work hard and get good grades. School teaches them that a very small percentage of people actually succeed in things like the arts or science, and that you should learn what you can so maybe somebody more inspired than you will hire you and decide what your worth.
Children need inspiration. Children need to understand that, by chasing their dreams and creating their worlds they can inspire others and be great successes. School is a necessary evil, it’s good to a point. After you learn how to learn though school can really slow you down. My only advice to kids suffering through this is to tough it out, school makes you look good, a lot less lazy and it can lead to a good job which will help you live. However chase your dreams with everything you have, never stop, seriously. Don’t let a job stop you from going after a career.
Finally; Only take the school system as seriously as it takes itself.
