Apparently, there are now “The Constitution need not apply here” signs hanging over the schoolhouse doors these days:

Batavia High School teacher’s fans are rallying to support him as he faces possible discipline for advising students of their Constitutional rights before taking a school survey on their behavior.

They’ve been collecting signatures on an online petition, passing the word on Facebook, sending letters to the school board, and planning to speak at Tuesday’s school board meeting.

Students and parents have praised his ability to interest reluctant students in history and current affairs.

But John Dryden said he’s not the point. He wants people to focus on the issue he raised: Whether school officials considered that students could incriminate themselves with their answers to the survey that included questions about drug and alcohol use.

Dryden, a social studies teacher, told some of his students April 18 that they had a 5th Amendment right to not incriminate themselves by answering questions on the survey, which had each student’s name printed on it.

The survey is part of measuring how students meet the social-emotional learning standards set by the state. It is the first year Batavia has administered such a survey.

School district officials declined to provide a copy of the survey to the Daily Herald, saying the district bought the survey from a private company, Multi-Health Systems Inc., and the contents are proprietary business information.

They did provide the script teachers were to read to students before the test.

It does not tell students whether participation is mandatory or optional.

An April email communication to parents said their children could choose not to take the survey, but they had to notify the district by April 17.

The survey asked about drug, alcohol and tobacco use, and emotions, according to Brad Newkirk, chief academic officer.

The results were to be reviewed by school officials, including social workers, counselors and psychologists.

Why students are being asked these questions is, of course, an entirely separate issue. On the surface, though, I don’t see what was wrong with Dryden reminding his students that they do, in the end, have a right to remain silent.

Read more:http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/teacher...tway+%7C+OTB%29

Quote: Eglman wrote in post #1

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School district officials declined to provide a copy of the survey to the Daily Herald, saying the district bought the survey from a private company, Multi-Health Systems Inc., and the contents are proprietary business information.



Read more:http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/teacher...tway+%7C+OTB%29

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Were they paid for using public money?

Yes,they were,and we all know it,and understand that means that survey belongs to the public and is public business.

Other than you,that is. Seems to me that the school district officials should be forced to repeat elementary school,because they obviously failed to learn basic logic while they were there the first time.

The teacher is right. School officials have become very invasive and controlling into personal lives, just like our government.
It's OK to question something you think might be an invasion of your privacy, but most kids, even teen-agers, don't question these kinds of surverys.

In today's world, anything you say might be used against you in the future. Be careful of how much information you reveal.

Quote: Olivia wrote in post #4

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The teacher is right. School officials have become very invasive and controlling into personal lives, just like our government.
It's OK to question something you think might be an invasion of your privacy, but most kids, even teen-agers, don't question these kinds of surverys.

In today's world, anything you say might be used against you in the future. Be careful of how much information you reveal.

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Most folks will respond honestly to surveys if they are anonymous ones, and I assume the kids will too. In this case the kids' names were on the surveys and very personal questions were being asked and probed. Honest kids were likely conflicted and felt threatened if they had to reveal their minor indiscretions - sneaking a cigarette, trying booze or marijuana - to a piece of paper with their names on it.

I agree with the teacher and the school was stoopid for trying to conduct such a survey.

If I was highly encouraged to fill it out then I'd likely lie and tell them what they want to hear. OTOH, I might refuse and draw attention which, as a kid I wanted to blend in, would be a challenge for me.

I went to some sort of Drug & Alcohol class with a bunch of folks since it was mandatory training. The class had a short survey with it.

They included a "Have you ever" question - relating to getting blitzed and not remembering some things - I thought and remembered a toga party we attended in Germany a number of years previous. We all brought a bottle of booze and mixed it in with juice and ice in a garbage can. We drank heartily and some of us got pretty blitzed. We eventually had an underwear check with some of the women's underwear ending up in the garbage can. So I answered Yes to that question.

I remember at the toga party was a friend who would eventually would become a battalion commander and then a Colonel was standing there talking with a guy with a girlfriend on his lap. Said friend's toga was askance and his little wee-wee was about a foot or so from the woman's face and he had no idea. None of us told him and they continued the conversation. Hilarious memory, thanks for that.

When the D&A class ended, they asked Fred Mertz to remain and had me see a counselor. I suppose I was red-faced for being honest about something that happened a dozen years before. I spoke with the counselor briefly and got out of there as soon as I could. I guess they were just trying to justify their jobs.

When I got back to the office I told Mr. Big, a civilian friend of mine, "Hey mr. big, they asked how many drinks I had a week and it only had two digits for an answer!" Mr. Big said, "put 99 and they'll know."

I went to some sort of Drug & Alcohol class with a bunch of folks since it was mandatory training. The class had a short survey with it.

They included a "Have you ever" question - relating to getting blitzed and not remembering some things - I thought and remembered a toga party we attended in Germany a number of years previous. We all brought a bottle of booze and mixed it in with juice and ice in a garbage can. We drank heartily and some of us got pretty blitzed. We eventually had an underwear check with some of the women's underwear ending up in the garbage can. So I answered Yes to that question.

I remember at the toga party was a friend who would eventually would become a battalion commander and then a Colonel was standing there talking with a guy with a girlfriend on his lap. Said friend's toga was askance and his little wee-wee was about a foot or so from the woman's face and he had no idea. None of us told him and they continued the conversation. Hilarious memory, thanks for that.

When the D&A class ended, they asked Fred Mertz to remain and had me see a counselor. I suppose I was red-faced for being honest about something that happened a dozen years before. I spoke with the counselor briefly and got out of there as soon as I could. I guess they were just trying to justify their jobs.

When I got back to the office I told Mr. Big, a civilian friend of mine, "Hey mr. big, they asked how many drinks I had a week and it only had two digits for an answer!" Mr. Big said, "put 99 and they'll know."

Quote: Olivia wrote in post #4

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The teacher is right. School officials have become very invasive and controlling into personal lives, just like our government.
It's OK to question something you think might be an invasion of your privacy, but most kids, even teen-agers, don't question these kinds of surverys.

In today's world, anything you say might be used against you in the future. Be careful of how much information you reveal.

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The children are being conditioned to believe that there is no division between public life and private life.