Christie Vetos Sociological Strip Search Bill

file photo via nj.gov

Governor Chris Christie yesterday vetoed S454/A2421, the bill we’ve been fighting for years that would have allowed public schools to ask students intrusive personal questions about themselves and their family members without written parental consent.

In his veto message, Christie said:

This bill allows students of any age to participate in voluntary surveys, including those inquiring about sexual behavior and attitudes, if schools send prior written notice to their parents or guardians. The bill provides that the failure of a parent or guardian to respond to such notice shall be treated as affirmative approval of their child’s participation.

I recognize that surveys may help identify serious issues affecting students. However, this bill imprudently decreases parental involvement in a child’s educational development. I believe a parent or guardian’s legitimate interest to make an informed decision before their child is exposed to sensitive content outweighs the desire to make survey administration moreconvenient.

Accordingly, I herewith return Senate Bill No. 454 (FirstReprint) without my approval.

Thank you Governor Christie

Save Jersey has the news of the other bills Christie took action on yesterday.

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Sociological Strip Search Bill Is Back Again

This bill is like herpes. It keeps coming back.  We’ve been fighting it since June of 2011.

The state legislature is once again looking to authorize public schools to interrogate your children about private family matters and your political views.  The IRS, NSA , TSA and Drones can’t catch everything.  The government needs school children to spy on their families too. If the schools can get the information from the kids, the federal government sends money.

Assembly Bill A2421 is up for a vote before the full Assembly this afternoon.  Call or email you legislators now, right now, and tell them to vote NO.  Call or email Governor Christie and ask that he veto the bill if it passes and gets to him.  It has already passed the Senate.

The original bill would have removed a requirement that parents provide written consent before schools can ask students questions like this:

(1) political affiliations;

(2) mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student or the student’s family;

(3) sexual behavior and attitudes;

(4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior;

(5) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom a respondent has a close family relationship;

(6) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers;

(7) income, other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under a program; or

(8) social security number.

If this bill become law, schools will simply have to notify parents that the survey will take place.  No written consent for their children to participate “voluntarily” will be required.

In an effort to thwart opposition, the sponsors have proposed amending the bill to remove questions about political affiliation, sexual behavior/attitudes and social security number from authorized questions.  The amendment would also prohibit the intrusive information collected from being used for marketing or other commercial purposes “not related to education” (drive a truck through that loop hole).  The amendment makes the bill no less dangerous or objectionable.

GET WRITTEN PARENTAL CONSENT.  Educators get that consent for field trips, etc.  The argument that it is too difficult to get for intrusive survey is bull.’ Assuming” that parents are just not paying attention is as disingenuous the telemarketer assuming you will love that ginzu knife they’re giving you for a ‘free trial.’

The proponents of the bill want to allow schools to employ a scamming tactic referred to as “negative consent.”  That’s the technique that telemarketers use when they offer you a product or service for “free” for 30 days.  If you don’t take affirmative action to cancel the “free trial” your credit card is charged monthly until you catch up with the scammers and cancel.

Our ongoing thanks to Carolee Adams, President of the Eagle Forum of New Jersey, for fighting this government intrusion into our personal lives, and for keeping us informed.

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Making a Good Bill Bad

The Question is: Why?

By Carolee Adams, President, Eagle Forum of New Jersey

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”.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Legislature taking another shot at using school kids to spy on their families

UPDATE 1:45PM

The Assembly Education Committee approved A2421, a bill that would allow schools to survey students without the written consent of their parents.  Surprisingly, there was Republican support for the bill with Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce and Assemblyman David Wolfe voting yes. Only Assemblyman Scott Rumana voted no.

The bill now goes to the full Assembly.  The Senate has already approved the bill.  Click here to find your Assembly Members and express your opinion on this bill.

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In June of 2011, thanks to Carolee Adams of The Eagle Forum, we were able to alert our readers of a bill in the state legislature that, if it becomes law would allow schools to survey children about the political, religious, sexual, medical and economic activities and beliefs of their families, without written parental consent.

The outcry at the time prompted Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini to withdraw as a sponsor of the bill and the bill’s eventual failure to get out of committee in the Assembly.

That hasn’t stopped the sociological strip searchers from trying again and again.  The legislation was reintroduced in the current legislature and passed the Senate last year. It is on the docket of the Assembly Education Committee this afternoon.  Thanks for Adams for staying on top of this intrusive legislation and bring it to our attention again.

It is time to kill the bill, again.

Here’s a small sample of questions that schools would allowed to ask their students, without written parental consent, compiled from surveys already in use in other states, according to Adams:

Are you bisexual, homosexual, heterosexual, or not sure?

Have you had sex with males or females, or males and females?

Do you use contraception when you have sex?

How many people have you had sex with?

Did you drink or do drugs before having sex?

Have you seriously considered suicide?

Do you plan to attempt suicide?

How many times have you attempted suicide in the past?

And, incriminating questions such as these:

How many times have you stolen something from a store?

Have you damaged property just for fun?

Have you used heroin, opium, morphine, PCP, Angel Dust?

If you don’t want New Jersey’s schools to be allowed to conduct such surveys of their students, without written parental consent, NOW is the time to contact members of the Assembly Education Committee:

Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, Chair  (908) 757-1677

Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Vice Chair (609) 292-0500

Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (973) 450-0484

Assemblywoman Betty Lou DeCroce  (973) 265-0057

Assemblywoman Mia Jasey  (973) 762-1886

Assemblywoman Angelica Jimenez (201) 223-4247

Assemblyman Scott Rumana (973) 237-1362

Assemblyman Troy Singleton (856) 234-2790

Assemblywoman Connie Wagner (201) 576-9199

Assemblyman David Wolfe (732) 840-9028

The Assembly Bill #is A2421.  Tell the committee members not to approve A2421

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Hope for light bulbs

From our friends at the Eagle Forum:

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Rick Perry Is Not This Jersey Girl’s Candidate

By Carolee Adams, President, Eagle Forum of New Jersey

Governor Rick Perry is not this Jersey Girl’s candidate – and the primary reason concerns his softness about illegal immigration. 

We need thousands of boots on the ground – and – a wall with electronic surveillance at our borders. Governor Perry supports only the former and, to what degree, I have not heard.  

We cannot encourage more illegal immigration by granting tuition breaks to those who are not citizens as Governor Perry has done  in Texas.

On my radar screen this morning came a report about Governor Perry’s attempted hush hush visit to the Inwood section of Washington Heights in New York. That’s part of Rudy Giuliani’s sanctuary city, by the way. Perry met with Latino leaders – in particular, of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers. Politically, it’s not problematic to reach out to the Latino community and those who are discouraged by the Obama administration that attacks their livelihood. However, traditionally, that community represents a large Democratic voting block. They might be helpful to a nominee in the General Election, but not in the GOP Primary that Perry must win first. His visit is curious. 

Rick Perry’s candidacy dies with his stubborn stance on illegal immigration that he strongly defended in the debate last night. Even the Northeast is withering on the vine because of illegal immigration. Reports indicate a minimum cost of over $3 Billion to New Jersey taxpayers alone to subsidize illegal alien activity in hospitals, schools, jails, and more. Illegal immigration cannot – must not – be tolerated or encouraged – particularly by any candidate hoping to win the GOP nomination for President of the United States of America.

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A3242 Is Pulled!

The Assembly Education Committee pulled bill A3242, legislation already passed by the State Senate, that would allow school districts to administer surveys that pry into the private lives of students and their families without parental consent, from the hearing calendar today due to the overwhelming public outcry legislators have received since MMM brought the bill to light on Tuesday evening.

Good job MMM readers!

Special thanks goes out to Carolee Adams, President of the Eagle Forum of New Jersey.  Adams first brought this legislation to our attention.  Her lobbying efforts contributed to the passage of the current law that requires parental consent for intrusive student surveys that was passed during the lame duck session of 2001-2002.

MMM and Adams will continue to monitor the bill and alert you should the Assembly Education Committee reschedule a hearing.

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