24 Comments on “Legislature taking another shot at using school kids to spy on their families”

1. 
   brian said at 12:31 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   Mary Pat and the Progressicans ride again………….

2. ConMom said at 12:39 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   […] Attention Con Moms in NJ: Legislature taking another shot at using school kids to spy on their families […]

3. 
   Rob said at 1:07 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   With or without consent, none of that horsepuckey has a ding danged thing to do at all with learning reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and history. Nothing at all. I think with the quality of the end result being so poor, they can find much better things to do with their time than be nosy about things that don’t concern them.

4. 
   SenseCommon said at 1:30 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   I love how intrusive our federal, state, and local governments are becoming. Where in the hell do these people get the nerve to conduct this type of invasion of privacy?!

5. 
   Barbara said at 1:45 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   I would tell my children to answer each question with Does/Is your mother?

6. 
   Susan said at 2:27 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   From what I understand and might be wrong because it has what I have heard and not what I have seen .. REd Bank Regional administers these types of “surveys”. They claim it helps the state determine the needs of the district. Every year I notify the school and tell them my daughter must be excluded from any surveys for the state. I have also made it very clear to my daughter that she is not to answer any personal questions on any test. If it is not an academically based question refuse to answer it. My older son who graduated from RBR had a concern about his essays being released on a public website and that was a huge battle. We were called in to a meeting and they tried to pressure us to allow them to release his school essays on the interent. I was concerned that anything he wrote on an essay as a minor and released without our consent would possibly be used against him in future employment. We stood firm they threatened to fail him and we all agreed …. Fail him by you will have a huge problem with the media if you do….

   It is imperative that every parent talk to your child. Protect them from the state and government intrutions. Parents it’s a different world out there.. Prepare your kids.

7. Spy Games at NJ Schools?The Save Jersey Blog | The Save Jersey Blog said at 2:33 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   […] Continue Reading… […]

8. 
   Now Brian said at 3:39 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   If I am wrong, I will be wrong and appologize, but just where is Mary Pat Angelini connected to the NEW effort?

   If I am NOT wrong, maybe YOU should be the one apologizing for a baseless attack.

9. 
   Edith T. Nowels said at 5:05 pm on February 11th, 2013:

   Once again, again, and again … Priorities are messed up royally! Doesn’t even seem there is any sense of COMMON SENSE anymore!

10. 
    See why we need said at 5:20 pm on February 11th, 2013:

    ..to get out of this state? Just another example of the spreading socialism we normally attribute to a NY or a totally lost and broke California. God help us , the Nov. election and GOP disarray has emboldened the social engineer crowd yet again! This one is worth a call to wake your reps up! Shout at them: a resounding NO!

11. 
    Bob English said at 5:37 pm on February 11th, 2013:

    Anyone else reading it this way:

    Under 1a it seems to say the student can not take part without the parents consent.

    Under 8c it seems to say that the students can take part if the parents are notified.

12. 
    James Giannell said at 6:42 pm on February 11th, 2013:

    Art,
    Thanks again for pointing this out.
    Didn’t our country fight in 2 World Wars and a Cold War last century to prevent things like this from happening?
    These “New Authoritarians” are truely frightening.

13. 
    Art Gallagher said at 7:06 pm on February 11th, 2013:

    @ James Giannell…you’re welcome!

    @Bob English…it is understandable that the bill be misread. The legislation passed today proposes to amend a current law. The words in [brackets] are omitted from the current law and replaced by words that are underlined.

    The current law requires affirmative consent on the part of parents before a student can take a survey. The amendment of the law approved in committee today requires that parents be notified, not that they consent in writing.

14. 
    Ask them and their kids said at 7:28 pm on February 11th, 2013:

    Ask the public for questions to ask the Legislatures and their kids before getting paid or elected. See how they feel about this invasion of privacy then

15. 
    speedkillsu said at 9:55 am on February 12th, 2013:

    Hell we couldn’t even get Corzine to release his e-mails ……

16. 
    Still Waiting On Brian said at 1:47 pm on February 12th, 2013:

    to answer that question, to see who owes who an apology.

17. 
    Come On Out Of Hiding Brian... said at 5:56 pm on February 12th, 2013:

    And answer the question…

    “If I am wrong, I will be wrong and appologize, but just where is Mary Pat Angelini connected to the NEW effort?

    If I am NOT wrong, maybe YOU should be the one apologizing for a baseless attack.”

18. 
    brian said at 11:53 pm on February 12th, 2013:

    Mary pat the progressican was an original sponser —-$50 says she votes for it.
    l am sorry that Mary pat is a Progressican, there.

19. 
    brian said at 11:56 pm on February 12th, 2013:

    …and I am sorry Gov. You -tube is a big Gubmint liberal if that makes you feel any better.

20. 
    You Know What They Say Brian said at 7:46 am on February 13th, 2013:

    When you assume something? You make an arse out of yourself. The point is that you don’t know what she will do, yet you throw out insults. It’s like you are stalking them.

    That’s creepy

21. MoreMonmouthMusings » Blog Archive » Let your voice be heard on New Jersey’s “Sociological Strip Search” bill said at 12:23 pm on February 13th, 2013:

    […] we reported on Monday , the Assembly Education Committee approved a bill , A2421, that amends a 2001 law regarding […]

22. Stop “Sociological Strip Search” BillThe Save Jersey Blog | The Save Jersey Blog said at 4:36 pm on February 13th, 2013:

    […] we reported on Monday , the Assembly Education Committee approved a bill , A2421, that amends a 2001 law regarding […]

23. 
    Carolee Adams, President, Eagle Forum of New Jersey said at 4:36 pm on February 16th, 2013:

    Making a Good Bill Bad
    The Question is: Why?

    In 2001, former NJ State Assemblyman Scott Garrett (now Congressman R-5) and State Senator Gerald Cardinale (R-39) worked with Eagle Forum of New Jersey, Ridgewood parents, and others to stop nosy, intrusive student surveying of their children without “written, informed, parental consent”. That meant a parent had to, not only be “notified” of such surveys that could be administered to their children, but to be able to review that survey in advance and signify, in writing, with their signature, if they approved or not. It’s as simple as that – akin to a parent giving written consent for a school trip after being satisfactorily advised about the complete details of that trip.

    However, over and over again since the 2002-3 legislative session, state legislators have sought to remove “written, informed, parental consent” from the exceptional language used in the 2001 Bill reverting back to only “notification”. “Notification” only used pre-2001 was the reason why “written, informed, parental consent“ was sought! Ridgewood parents claimed they never received “notification”; would never have signed off on such a survey had they been able to review it; and they justifiably sued – twice – and won based upon violations of a student’s rights under the Fourth, Fifth, and even Fourteenth Amendments.

    In testimony, among many other factors presented in writing, I reminded Assembly Education committee members of those historic suits, and how costly to local Boards of Education and the State should a parent claim s/he did not receive notification and, consequently, did not grant express written permission. Even though one Assemblyman claimed how he wanted more “proactive” parental involvement, all but one Committee member was, obviously, foolishly satisfied or unconcerned with the sponsors’ assurance of “notification” only.

    Further, and not publicly aired, in private conversation with one Republican Assembly member of the committee, an aid commented to me that Municipal Alliances favored the Bill; they needed money for their drug/alcohol abuse programs, etc. When I responded: “Do you mean you would disrespect parental rights and sacrifice a student’s privacy for money,” she and her Assembly member walked away from me prior to a vote of “yes” to approve the Bill and move it out of Committee. Only Assemblyman Scott Rumana voted “No”.

    This sociological strip search has now been amended so that it will, supposedly, not be used for marketing or other commercial purposes unrelated to education or include sexual behavior or attitudes. However, the Bill and its amendments, in addition to removing written parental consent, does NOT eliminate:
    -questions about guns in homes nor questions that, in the past, could actually incriminate a student by his admittance of illegal drug use;
    -does not account for students’ lying on surveys that a Ridgewood psychiatrist had attested to occurring in the past nor recall a breach of anonymity where teachers were able to decipher who completed the survey;
    -does not consider how such surveying can lead young, impressionable students to question their own behavior/lack of drug and alcohol use in comparison to others who do.

    In the past, the results of such surveys led to referrals and/or programs such as Columbia University’s Teen Screen, a controversial, so-called “diagnostic psychiatric service”, a/k/a suicide survey, done on children who are then referred to psychiatric treatment or programs within a school setting. The evidence suggests that the objective of the psychiatrists who designed TeenScreen was to place children so selected on psychotropic drugs. Last year, Teen Screen ceased operation following increasing scrutiny about its methods and affiliations. Dr. Marcia Angell, physician, and author, “The Truth About Drug Companies”, is the first woman to serve as editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine; was honored by Time Magazine as one of America’s most influential Americans; and is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Describing such programs, Dr. Angell stated: “It’s just a way to put more people on prescription drugs.” She said such programs would boost the sale of antidepressants even after the FDA ordered a “black box” label warning that the pills might spur suicidal thoughts or violent actions in minors. Note: New Jersey’s A2421/S454, does not preclude questions about suicide, either.

    The bottom line to those who support A2421/S454 is money. The bottom line to those who oppose this legislation is to continue to protect a student’s right to privacy from such a sociological strip search, and ensure parental approval via the original language – not merely “notification” – but “written, informed, parental consent”.

24. 
    Carolee Adams, President, Eagle Forum of New Jersey said at 4:45 pm on February 16th, 2013:

    Now is the time to contact your State Assembly representatives and Governor Christie to ask them to oppose A2421/S454. Governor Christie (609.292.6000) may have the opportunity to encourage members of his party to vote “No” and, should the Bill come before him if it passes the Assembly, to Veto the legislation in its entirety. A conditional Veto is not acceptable.