Monday, October 26, 2009

You've Been Hit By a Smooth Criminal.

Apparently I am a criminal.

That's how I'm being treated, anyway. My school informed me that the Feds are fingerprinting all teachers, and my turn is tomorrow. Why is this happening, you ask? Well the answer, I think, is very simple. It's that.. (covering mouth as I mumble something incoherent) .. WHO THE HELL KNOWS? As far as I can guess, they are doing a thorough background check on each of the teachers in this country to make sure we aren't pedos or arsonists or borders crossers or something horrifying. I mean you can never tell, right? I have shifty eyes, after all..

So, of course, I immediately protested the idea. I asked questions like, "Why is the current background check not enough?" and, "What percentage of teachers are actually criminals?" and, "If there are so many shady teachers, then who the hell is doing the hiring?" followed by, "Isn't this a statement about society - that they think all teachers are criminals?" and finally, "What happens if I refuse to give up my digits?"

Only one answer was given and only to the last question. The answer was, "Your teaching certificate - the one that you earned, the one that says, "Sure I'll keep getting punched in the gut for a thankless job that no one wants unless they want to do something wussy like help society"; the one that, apparently, is very accessible to pedos - that certificate will be suspended indefinitely."

My next question was (and is) "How is this not against my fundamental rights - that you can fire me because I refuse to be fingerprinted like a criminal?" No. Answer. Just a reminder about what will happen if I don't comply. Did I mention that they're making us pay for it, too? Fortunately (and I'm saying this in the same way a person might smile as he's pouring salt into his own wound), our state is paying for our share..

Fine. So, I'm being fingerprinted tomorrow at 1:50 pm which will be a difficult task for the print taker seeing as my hands have been tied behind my back. I'll be handing a random person a form with my social security number, my drivers licence number, my birth date, my maiden name, my height and weight. Hope they don't lose it in the parking lot on the way to wherever they're going, seeing as pretty much anyone can now steal my identity at the cost of a small gust of wind, or a poorly organized clerk, or another shifty-eyed fellow.

If that weren't bad enough, I also had to declare my ethnicity on a different form, for another "information" gathering agency. This was also mandatory. I clicked the box that said, "Other." Or maybe it said, "Why does that matter/How does that effect my teaching ability?" Actually the box, according to me, said, "It's really none of your business". The drop down menu under that option gently explained that "they" will physically come and check if I choose not to declare. Fine. Again. But I'm not going to make it easy.

9 comments:

Jen said...

We went through all the finger printing last year. I am actually surprised they didn't make you do last year. They made it seem like if we missed our appointment we had to make arrangements ASAP other wise we too would lose our certification!

I too don't get the whole ethnicity thing. I too had to do it and so did the students in fact!! So stupid!!

Good luck with fingerprints!!

mommakin said...

Sigh.

Remember when it was about the education? The teaching part? The reaching the seemingly unreachable?

Sigh.

The only answer I have about ethnicity is that is is often used in developing statistics - some of which are actually helpful. I can see where knowing that certain ethnicities are more prone to certain genetic diseases could be helpful. I can't fathom why knowing the ethnicity of a teacher might be helpful.

Sandy said...

Unfortunately the way of the world today....right down the toilet.

Amy said...

I had to do this when I worked with children and many jobs. It is just a way to keep all of us safe. Just be sure to wash your hands or you will see black for days..

Christine said...

I once told my little sister, as she was beginning her post-college job search, that all work was an exchange of money for your time and effort and, if we're going to be honest, for a portion of your soul. I just wish I didn't feel compelled, on a nearly daily basis, to question the cost of that bargain.

Deidra said...

Not trying to be a jerk but I think it is fabulous and ridiculous that it wasn't done before you became a teacher. I think anyone working with children should be finger printed. Keeps our kids safe and you as a teacher safe too. Sounds like at least they are coming to your school and you aren't having to take the day off and go downtown. Could be worse and chances are the person with all your information was probably fingerprinted to do their job so they are hopefully pretty honest too.

Ginger said...

Fingerprinting is another example of an illusion of safety (just like measuring liquids on planes). If a person wants to harm children, they will.

Fingerprinting is a result of societal hysteria. If we truly want to keep our kids safe, we need to teach them how to make smart choices to avoid being in a situation where they might be harmed.

If we fingerprint all people who work with children, then we need to fingerprint all people. But then, I guess we are headed in that direction.

Ginger said...

Oh, and it turs out this is another excuse to not trust people. We're ruining ourselves by not treating the issue specifically, but by treating everyone like suspects..

Helen McGinn said...

This is outrageous! What on earth does fingerprinting have to do with you potentially being a bad ass? You obviously haven't been caught yet (if you were which you are so obviously not...snickerdoodles and all...)so what would having your fingerprints mean? I'll tell you. It means they have one other person to put on their database to search against every time there is a crime; bet you any money it'll be DNA next. This really makes me angry. And they make. you. pay???? I need to go lie down.

Monday, October 26, 2009

You've Been Hit By a Smooth Criminal.

Apparently I am a criminal.

That's how I'm being treated, anyway. My school informed me that the Feds are fingerprinting all teachers, and my turn is tomorrow. Why is this happening, you ask? Well the answer, I think, is very simple. It's that.. (covering mouth as I mumble something incoherent) .. WHO THE HELL KNOWS? As far as I can guess, they are doing a thorough background check on each of the teachers in this country to make sure we aren't pedos or arsonists or borders crossers or something horrifying. I mean you can never tell, right? I have shifty eyes, after all..

So, of course, I immediately protested the idea. I asked questions like, "Why is the current background check not enough?" and, "What percentage of teachers are actually criminals?" and, "If there are so many shady teachers, then who the hell is doing the hiring?" followed by, "Isn't this a statement about society - that they think all teachers are criminals?" and finally, "What happens if I refuse to give up my digits?"

Only one answer was given and only to the last question. The answer was, "Your teaching certificate - the one that you earned, the one that says, "Sure I'll keep getting punched in the gut for a thankless job that no one wants unless they want to do something wussy like help society"; the one that, apparently, is very accessible to pedos - that certificate will be suspended indefinitely."

My next question was (and is) "How is this not against my fundamental rights - that you can fire me because I refuse to be fingerprinted like a criminal?" No. Answer. Just a reminder about what will happen if I don't comply. Did I mention that they're making us pay for it, too? Fortunately (and I'm saying this in the same way a person might smile as he's pouring salt into his own wound), our state is paying for our share..

Fine. So, I'm being fingerprinted tomorrow at 1:50 pm which will be a difficult task for the print taker seeing as my hands have been tied behind my back. I'll be handing a random person a form with my social security number, my drivers licence number, my birth date, my maiden name, my height and weight. Hope they don't lose it in the parking lot on the way to wherever they're going, seeing as pretty much anyone can now steal my identity at the cost of a small gust of wind, or a poorly organized clerk, or another shifty-eyed fellow.

If that weren't bad enough, I also had to declare my ethnicity on a different form, for another "information" gathering agency. This was also mandatory. I clicked the box that said, "Other." Or maybe it said, "Why does that matter/How does that effect my teaching ability?" Actually the box, according to me, said, "It's really none of your business". The drop down menu under that option gently explained that "they" will physically come and check if I choose not to declare. Fine. Again. But I'm not going to make it easy.

9 comments:

Jen said...

We went through all the finger printing last year. I am actually surprised they didn't make you do last year. They made it seem like if we missed our appointment we had to make arrangements ASAP other wise we too would lose our certification!

I too don't get the whole ethnicity thing. I too had to do it and so did the students in fact!! So stupid!!

Good luck with fingerprints!!

mommakin said...

Sigh.

Remember when it was about the education? The teaching part? The reaching the seemingly unreachable?

Sigh.

The only answer I have about ethnicity is that is is often used in developing statistics - some of which are actually helpful. I can see where knowing that certain ethnicities are more prone to certain genetic diseases could be helpful. I can't fathom why knowing the ethnicity of a teacher might be helpful.

Sandy said...

Unfortunately the way of the world today....right down the toilet.

Amy said...

I had to do this when I worked with children and many jobs. It is just a way to keep all of us safe. Just be sure to wash your hands or you will see black for days..

Christine said...

I once told my little sister, as she was beginning her post-college job search, that all work was an exchange of money for your time and effort and, if we're going to be honest, for a portion of your soul. I just wish I didn't feel compelled, on a nearly daily basis, to question the cost of that bargain.

Deidra said...

Not trying to be a jerk but I think it is fabulous and ridiculous that it wasn't done before you became a teacher. I think anyone working with children should be finger printed. Keeps our kids safe and you as a teacher safe too. Sounds like at least they are coming to your school and you aren't having to take the day off and go downtown. Could be worse and chances are the person with all your information was probably fingerprinted to do their job so they are hopefully pretty honest too.

Ginger said...

Fingerprinting is another example of an illusion of safety (just like measuring liquids on planes). If a person wants to harm children, they will.

Fingerprinting is a result of societal hysteria. If we truly want to keep our kids safe, we need to teach them how to make smart choices to avoid being in a situation where they might be harmed.

If we fingerprint all people who work with children, then we need to fingerprint all people. But then, I guess we are headed in that direction.

Ginger said...

Oh, and it turs out this is another excuse to not trust people. We're ruining ourselves by not treating the issue specifically, but by treating everyone like suspects..

Helen McGinn said...

This is outrageous! What on earth does fingerprinting have to do with you potentially being a bad ass? You obviously haven't been caught yet (if you were which you are so obviously not...snickerdoodles and all...)so what would having your fingerprints mean? I'll tell you. It means they have one other person to put on their database to search against every time there is a crime; bet you any money it'll be DNA next. This really makes me angry. And they make. you. pay???? I need to go lie down.