Does this school security measure seem a bit much?

[cjeanette]

At the beginning of the year our school for a buzzer system where we have to buzz, office answers, we have to state why we need in the building. Then they have to buzz us in two doors. Sign in. Buzz us out of the office into the school. The school secretary was my pre-school teacher and has known me since I was effing 3. I still have to say "I am here for chat n chew" before she can buzz me in.

Starting this week there is now an added measure. We have to scan our drivers license when coming in which does a "limited background check". Then it generates a sticker with our DL on it! We wear that and have to return to the office. Once we have done that once for the school year we just have to pick up our button when we return. Which sounds like a cluster within itself.

I am feeling pretty irritated by this. Like wish I was eloquent enough to write a letter to the district administration over this.

[Deleted]

I would be displeased with them having a copy of my ID around. That seems like identity theft waiting to happen.

[Deleted]

What if you don't have a DL? Or an out of state DL?

[cjeanette]

Feb 4, 2015 15:05:20 GMT -5 @mrsspunky said:

What if you don't have a DL? Or an out of state DL?

Out of state would still scan just fine.  If you don't have a DL they can use another ID and make an exception on a case by case basis.  I can't imagine any visitors in our school not having one though.

[matildasun]

Feb 4, 2015 15:03:55 GMT -5 cjeanette said:

At the beginning of the year our school for a buzzer system where we have to buzz, office answers, we have to state why we need in the building. Then they have to buzz us in two doors. Sign in. Buzz us out of the office into the school. The school secretary was my pre-school teacher and has known me since I was effing 3. I still have to say "I am here for chat n chew" before she can buzz me in.

Starting this week there is now an added measure. We have to scan our drivers license when coming in which does a "limited background check". Then it generates a sticker with our DL on it! We wear that and have to return to the office. Once we have done that once for the school year we just have to pick up our button when we return. Which sounds like a cluster within itself.

I am feeling pretty irritated by this. Like wish I was eloquent enough to write a letter to the district administration over this.

I have to get a new one of these every time I go into A's school, and when I tutor. It doesn't print my D.L. info, just my name and picture, and my name isn't even correct.

[InBetweenDays]

The buzzing in seems like a lot, but I know our school security is much more lax than many others areas of the country (which I'm ok with). But all volunteers do have to do an online training and have a background check done. Then we each have a button that we pick up/drop off any time we're in school. I think its a good idea to do background checks on anyone working with the kids.

ETA: I agree that I wouldn't want my DL number on my button.

[spk926]

Seems normal to me.

We have a buzzer system AND you have to go through the office to get into the school. All doors are locked at 8:30 am. Next year we are implementing the DL scanner thing that prints out a badge. It's one of those "better safe than sorry" things.

[madringal]

Our school has that system too, but we only get buzzed in one door.

I like the DL thing, but it is a pain when there is a school assembly where all the parents are invited. It takes forever to scan in, print, and pass out hundreds of name tags!

[Deleted]

Our office keeps your DL/ID and trades you a badge that you have to wear. I don't mind it, but I can see how if I was there often it would be a pain.

[drloretta]

DD's preschool had a similar setup. You had to either be buzzed in, or they had a fingerprint scanner they set up when your kid first started.

[cjeanette]

Feb 4, 2015 15:11:06 GMT -5 madringal said:

Our school has that system too, but we only get buzzed in one door.

I like the DL thing, but it is a pain when there is a school assembly where all the parents are invited. It takes forever to scan in, print, and pass out hundreds of name tags!

Days like that exceptions are made and the doors are opened.  So if you want to cause harm check the school calender for the days you can get in I guess.

[cinco]

Our schools have this as well. I just figured it was the norm these days. We had quite a bit of security at my H.S. (pre 9/11) but it was from not being in the safest area.

[redheadk]

I have no issues with Raptor. We had parents/grandparents of students at my school that were sex offenders, including child sex offenders. They were still allowed to come for conferences and the like. Raptor catches things like that so that those people are not allowed to roam the building.

The buzzing thing is weird. I'm in and out of a number of schools for work and all have been built or remodeled so that you must enter the front office first. The receptionist scans your license (or has you sign in if you are a badged volunteer or employee from another campus) then buzzes you in to the main part of the school through another door. They always ask the purpose for your visit and your destination is printed on the Raptor tag below your name with your DL picture to the side.

A variety of licenses and id cards work with raptor, including ones from Mexico. I've scanned Mexican DLs myself when I taught and was up in the front office as part of my internship for my masters.

[Ashley&Scott]

The sticker badge is your entire driver's license? I would not like that part.

ETA: Full name & picture would be fine - but address, DOB, DL#, etc are all unnecessary.

[auntie]

Something like this would have the potential to have stopped Adam Lanza.

FWIW, I had to show a DL and sign in at the high school for IEP or teacher conferences even before this happened. Annoying, but such is the world we live in. We never had to show ID to attend games or concerts.

[redheadk]

Feb 4, 2015 15:14:07 GMT -5 cjeanette said:

Feb 4, 2015 15:11:06 GMT -5 madringal said:

Our school has that system too, but we only get buzzed in one door.

I like the DL thing, but it is a pain when there is a school assembly where all the parents are invited. It takes forever to scan in, print, and pass out hundreds of name tags!

Days like that exceptions are made and the doors are opened.  So if you want to cause harm check the school calender for the days you can get in I guess.

We did that the first year we had Raptor but then they started scanning for parties and assemblies. It takes so long! I'm sure it's frustrating.

One thing I like is that they ask if you plan to take your child home after the party or assembly. If the answer is yes, your name goes on a list and then after the assembly, you stop by a table with your child. Your name is checked against the list and you turn in your badge. MUCH faster than having to check your child out at the end through the front office.

[mrsjuleshs]

Our schools do the same thing minus a button. They just scan our id 1 time and then print a sticker. We turn the sticker back in when we leave. The next time, we just show the id & they print up a new sticker. The stickers have our photo and name & visitor written on them.

[savan]

Wow. This is fascinating to me. My kids go to an open air school where I still walk them right up to their classroom door.

[cjeanette]

Feb 4, 2015 15:17:03 GMT -5 redheadk said:

I have no issues with Raptor. We had parents/grandparents of students at my school that were sex offenders, including child sex offenders. They were still allowed to come for conferences and the like. Raptor catches things like that so that those people are not allowed to roam the building.

The buzzing thing is weird. I'm in and out of a number of schools for work and all have been built or remodeled so that you must enter the front office first. The receptionist scans your license (or has you sign in if you are a badged volunteer or employee from another campus) then buzzes you in to the main part of the school through another door. They always ask the purpose for your visit and your destination is printed on the Raptor tag below your name with your DL picture to the side.

A variety of licenses and id cards work with raptor, including ones from Mexico. I've scanned Mexican DLs myself when I taught and was up in the front office as part of my internship for my masters.

Our building was rebuilt in the 2000s so the only way to get in during the day was always through the office, the main doors were locked.  So it seems extra silly.  I sort of get it for the schools that we built in the 50s but they are busy knocking all those down anyway.

[mlt]

It annoys me because it seems so pointless. I am not worried about a sex offender getting my kid in the middle of the school day. I'm worried about a family member or friend abusing him right under my nose. That's how it almost always happens.

And I think there is little any of us can do to stop a crazy with a gun. I guess, sure, try. But school shootings keep happening despite all these measures. Sandy Hook had locked doors and Lanza got through them.

[Deleted]

That's been the policy at my old high school since 2000 when my state passed a comprehensive school security law. Must have ID plus legit business at school to visit.

[cjeanette]

Feb 4, 2015 15:27:15 GMT -5 mlt said:

It annoys me because it seems so pointless. I am not worried about a sex offender getting my kid in the middle of the school day. I'm worried about a family member or friend abusing him right under my nose. That's how it almost always happens.

And I think there is little any of us can do to stop a crazy with a gun. I guess, sure, try. But school shootings keep happening despite all these measures. Sandy Hook had locked doors and Lanza got through them.

This was what my ex-military H said at the beginning of the year.  He pointed out all the ways a gunman could get into that building if they wanted.  

Or just walk onto the playground - only the K one is fenced.

[InBetweenDays]

Feb 4, 2015 15:25:15 GMT -5 savan said:

Wow. This is fascinating to me. My kids go to an open air school where I still walk them right up to their classroom door.

Same here. Well, it's not an open air school but many parents walk the kids to the classroom and there is no formal check out system at the end of the day. They just leave with their parent/walk to the bus or after school transportation.

Adults have to sign in when volunteering, but during assemblies and performances we don't. And the kids don't check in or out for those.

[madringal]

Feb 4, 2015 15:27:15 GMT -5 mlt said:

It annoys me because it seems so pointless. I am not worried about a sex offender getting my kid in the middle of the school day. I'm worried about a family member or friend abusing him right under my nose. That's how it almost always happens.

And I think there is little any of us can do to stop a crazy with a gun. I guess, sure, try. But school shootings keep happening despite all these measures. Sandy Hook had locked doors and Lanza got through them.

I agree, but I think a lot of it has to do with "did the school at least try?"  If a shooter got in through all these measures, no one is going to point fingers at the school.  But if you can just walk into a school, no questions asked, and something bad happens - people are going to place blame on a lax security system.

[ijack]

They do this at most hospitals

[cjeanette]

Feb 4, 2015 15:40:48 GMT -5 @this said:

What if your state lists your weight on your DL?!?!

That was the first thing I said last night when discussing this with other PTA moms!

My next thought was I look like a drug addict or something in my picture.

Of course my DL # and such being on there didn't occur to me or worry me.  Priorities.

[cjeanette]

Feb 4, 2015 15:45:38 GMT -5 ijack said:

They do this at most hospitals

It's been a year since I visited one but other than buzzing into the maternity ward and saying who you are here to visit they did nothing.

[gretchenindisguise]

I'd be annoyed.

What evidence is there that this increases safety above and beyond what they already have in place?