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April 11, 2005
Student Informants?
Check out this AP article:
Using revenue from its candy and soda sales, Model High School plans to pay up to $100 for information about thefts and drug or gun possession on campus.Under the new policy, a student would receive $10 for information about a theft on campus, $25 or $50 for information about drug possession, and $100 for information about gun possession or other serious felonies.
Have you ever heard of a more awful idea? Police informants undertake a terrible risk of backlash. Is there any reason to think that there would not be any similar risk in setting up an informant program at a school? What happens when some kid gets put in the hospital for informing on some character? It’s not like the kid who gets informed on is necessarily going to jail, they’d still be able to easily retaliate.
In addition, there would most likely be a spate of false allegations that would take up the valuable time and effort of both administrators and students. What does the informant have to lose by making false allegations for revenge or profit? If the allegation isn’t found to be true, they’ve still gotten revenge on another student through “legal harassment.” If it is found to be true, they’ve gotten their revenge and they get money.
And what would we be teaching our children by doing this? Obviously we want kids to tell an adult if someone is in danger, but historically our society has looked down on “tattle-tales,” and with good reason I think. Tattling on other children who are not harming themselves or others teaches kids to be legalistic, judgmental, and more concerned with others’ misdeeds than their own. Do we really want to be raising a generation of little brats and rewarding them for it?
"It's not that we feel there are any problems here," said Principal Glenn White. "It's a proactive move for getting information that will help deter any sort of illegal activity."At nearby Rome High School, there is no similar program because students there have a rapport with officials and are comfortable providing information, said Superintendent Gayland Cooper.
So the school is doing this when they don’t even have a serious problem. That’s great, instead of slowly building a rapport with the students and teaching them that adults respect them and are there to help, they are going to create an even more antagonistic relationship with the students and pay some of them to help.
The longer I’m out of high school, the more it sounds like prison to me.
More here.
Posted by illuminaria at April 11, 2005 06:19 PM
Comments
Public schools should be free from drugs and other criminal activity, period. Personally, I would much prefer a couple informants get hurt and the other hundreds of kids go to school in a safe environment. However, once kids start getting in real trouble (criminal records, etc.) I find it doubtful they will continue to engage in such activity. I went to a private school; I am horrified by tales of what goes on in public schools from friends who went to them. We had one incident (during my six years) in which three kids were caught after having smoked marijuana while off campus for lunch; they were immediately expelled, no questions asked, and not allowed to graduate (they were seniors). I didn't see a single cigarette within a couple miles of campus in all that time either. Every kid deserves an environment like that.
Posted by: jvarisco at April 11, 2005 10:19 PM
Every kid does deserve an environment like that, and it used to be that most of them got it. People now, however, seem to think that to get back to that we just need more metal detectors, more security guards, more locker searches, more drug dogs, etc. etc. Funny how schools used to be pretty safe without a single one of those things.
When we make schools into prisons, is it any suprise that kids start acting more like felons than responsible people?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating that there not be serious punishment for infractions like the one you describe. But kids also need to be shown that there can be respect between them and their elders.
Personally, I would much prefer a couple informants get hurt and the other hundreds of kids go to school in a safe environment. However, once kids start getting in real trouble (criminal records, etc.) I find it doubtful they will continue to engage in such activity.
Frankly, you seem a bit naive on this point. Once kids start to get into real criminal trouble, it's actually more likely that they will continue to get in trouble, with their misdeeds escalating. To help them, not only do they need to be punished, but someone needs to try to help them with their problems too....ie show them a little caring and respect.
I also find it odd that you think that there can be a safe environment for hundreds of kids, when a couple of them are getting hurt. Anything that happens in a community like that, no matter how many students it directly affects, is going to have an effect on all the students.
Posted by: illuminaria at April 12, 2005 12:33 AM
"Personally, I would much prefer a couple informants get hurt and the other hundreds of kids go to school in a safe environment."
Wowzers. Where to begin? First of all, that's un-American. If we harvested your organs, who knows how many unfortunates could benefit. Secondly, are you certain you'd feel that way if it were your child who "got hurt?" Finally, where there's financial incentive to inform on others, people start lieing or even acting as agent provocateurs. No doubt that's especially true of kids. Very bad plan...
Posted by: Supernatural Rabbit Scribe at April 13, 2005 07:34 AM