Electronic Tracking Devices Being Implemented in Dallas Schools

Slashdot is running an article on how the Dallas school system has recently implemented electronic monitoring to curb truancy. I understand that this is a result of No Child Left Behind: the schools need to maintain graduation statistics, or else lose funding. However, this seems very very wrong.

As a kid, I never was very good at dealing with stupid adults who had no interest in me, but nonetheless were intent on controlling me. I’ve always been rebellious, and I would wager that these truants are as well. It seems like this is at best an extremely incomplete solution that doesn’t address the issue. I know that I would figure some way out to act however the hell I wanted to, unless I was given some real incentive, or my needs were being addressed.

It just seems like more and more, the strictures of adulthood are being forced upon younger and younger kids. I declared myself captain of starship Nathan at age 14, because my parents kind of dropped out of my life for a while, and I can imagine how rough it must be for kids whose parents have never been involved and who’ve always had this stodgy bureaucracy leaning on them.

Bleah. Original text at NYTimes.com.

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May 13, 2008 | Filed Under rants