An Argument for Prohibiting Fingerprinting or Bar-Coding of Students for Lunch Participation

How much further must we go before somebody, somewhere puts the foot down and says “NO.” This legislation would “just say no” to friendly fascism.

(SALEM, Ore.) - An Oregonian named Ed Johnston has drafted a letter for the Oregon Legislature highlighting serious concerns over fingerprinting and bar-coding of students for school lunch purposes.

A group called Cascade Consulting has already managed to sell this concept to Bend, Oregon schools. Johnston says it is a serious violation of Civil Rights, and he plans to pursue to matter until it is changed and that change is reflected in Oregon's laws.
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An argument for prohibiting fingerprinting or bar-coding of students for lunch participation

Dear Senators and Representatives: It is with shock and sadness that I propose legislation to prohibit the taking of student fingerprints and also ban the bar-coding, on their body or persons or property, of students in Oregon schools.

That matters have come this far towards “friendly fascism” is bad enough: the procedure of doing fingerprints in one school in Bend, under a contract with Cascade Consulting of Terrebone, is not some movie fantasy, it is real and happening.

That fingerprinting of Oregon citizens without any crime having been alleged or committed, and that the possibility of actually requiring students to have on their hand or arm or perhaps school lunch bag or backpack, a barcode, rendering them no longer even “consumers” but another commodity that is tracked, numbered and metaphorically consumed, is bad enough. But that it should be the students of our schools, who are in our care and trust—we being the state and hence the taxpayers of Oregon—makes this even worse.

Fingerprinting without probable cause that the person fingerprinted has committed a crime nor even any alleged crime is clearly a violation of the Fourth Amendment right to be secure in our persons, houses, papers and effects—whether imposed on adults or youth.

It also clearly is an assault upon the idea of “innocent until proven guilty,” in that it makes the students’ fingerprints now public property, and potentially places those prints into circulation in and among many offices and departments of state government—as I predicted would happen if the legislature passed SB 449, nearly a decade ago, which provided for sharing of data among state agencies, for the student’s own good, of course. Then there is the cost.

Cascade Consulting purports this technology would reduce school costs by regularizing school lunches. But at $170 to $200 per student per year, Cascade Consulting would end up charging large school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars, small districts tens of thousands, each year.

We have lost our art and music classes, our wood and metal shop classes, our auto mechanic classes, and our home economics classes. If we have the money for this totalitarian business, we can easily find better uses for it.

There is the story of the Arab and his camel. It is a cold night and the Arab, about to go to sleep, is surprised when his camel sticks his nose in the tent. “It is cold outside and my nose is freezing,” said the camel. “Do you think I could keep my nose in the tent?” The Arab said yes, and was about to fall asleep when the camel asked, “my eyes are freezing. Could I move my head into the tent.” The Arab again said yes. Next, the camel asked to get his neck; and then his whole body, into the tent. Eventually, the Arab was outside and the camel inside, the tent.

How much further must we go before somebody, somewhere puts the foot down and says “NO.” This legislation would “just say no” to friendly fascism.

As to the rest of this bill, please recall that I submitted this earlier, at it became SB 26.

School questionnaires or surveys that ask students about their alleged drug and alcohol use and about the alleged drug and alcohol use of their parents remain a totalitarian intrusion into family life and personal privacy. Even if for good intentions, to see how well we are doing combating Alleged teen drug and alcohol use, for instance, there are other metrics available—such as drug arrests of youth.

We do not need to make “informers” of our students to fight dangerous drugs and youthful drunk driving.

Finally, we certainly do not need to ask kids to inform if their parents own guns. There remains the Second Amendment, which the Supreme Court has sustained in operation via the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. I should think that case makes it clear that we do not have the right, as a state, to turn children into informers on their parents if their parents are doing something legal and constitutionally protected, like owning firearms.

Similarly, we do not have the right to make kids inform when their parents are breaking the law, with alleged drug use or bad alcoholic habits. Bad as these things are, it is up to children to be children, police officers to be police officers, and we confuse the two at great risk to our children, our citizens, our families and our freedom.

NOTE: Matter within { + braces and plus signs + } in anamended section is new. Matter within { - braces and minussigns - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within{ + braces and plus signs + }.

SECTION 1. { + (1) As used in this section, 'informed parentalconsent' means consent given after the parent or legal guardianhas been provided a copy of the survey that the school districtdesires to administer to the student.

(2) A school district may not administer, without prior writteninformed parental consent, any survey that asks for or revealsinformation concerning:

(b) Sexual behavior, activity or attitudes of the student or amember of the student's family;

(c) Guns or gun ownership by the student or a member of thestudent's family; or(d) Criminal activity by the student or a member of thestudent's family. + }

SECTION 2. { + Section 1 of this 2001 Act shall first apply toschool districts for the 2002-2003 school year. + }----------

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Daniel January 16, 2009 2:40 pm (Pacific time)

Vic dont give them any ideas !

Subvet416 January 13, 2009 2:46 pm (Pacific time)

This is a slippery slope, because new fingerprinting technology is coming very soon, called the DESI system. See this Economist article http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11880466

Being Vigilant January 13, 2009 1:45 pm (Pacific time)

I agree that our rights are being trampled/abused by all those in power, it's just that those on one side have been involved in the most onerous of abuses. Currently Rep. Rush, democrat from Illinois (also a founding member of the Black Panthers) has introduced a bill that will make gun ownership (including ammo that he wants stamped with serial numbers!) much more expensive and for some financially impossible. I will not go into the boilerplate of this bill, but it's very similar to those crafted in DC, Chicago, and frankly most large urban areas. The political leadership of these locations ain't conservative. Once again the burdensome restrictions they are applying fly in the face of the Supreme Courts ruling on the 2nd Amendment and most importantly the majority of Americans. Plus we have well-documented stats that gun ownership reduces crime rates. Just compare crime rates in urban areas with those locations that have no restrictions on their 2nd Amendment rights. Quite clear. Furthermore criminals ignore gun laws, so any new laws are irrelevant to how criminals will respond. As far as the Patriot Act, which was passed unanimously by all sides, well that has not been a cause of any significant rights being abused. . Please consider that if they can alter the 2nd Amendment, nothing will stop the power grabbers to pursue our other rights they deem unacceptable. Yes simply watch what they do, not what they say.

Henry Ruark January 13, 2009 11:41 am (Pacific time)

Vigilant: Public record since Bush's first stolen election surely does NOT confirm yours re who is attacking Constitutional freedoms. Depends, of course, on which ones you feel are endangered--and why, too. Re 9th Court, if you wish to compare leanings try relative elevation-measure vs four of the Supremes --and hold your hat if ever there gets to be a 5th as now leanings-seen by national authoritative observers. Fact is fact, and brutal fact here is that abuses come from both sides, which demands our constant surveillance with little excuse for personal political preference.

James January 13, 2009 10:50 am (Pacific time)

Revelation 20:4 Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of God's word, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with the Messiah for 1,000 years. As for me and my family, we will not be receiving any "marks" regardless of who is giving them out.

Being Vigilant January 13, 2009 8:26 am (Pacific time)

The 1st Amendment rights of students have been substantially eroded and I fear this erosion shall continue with them and the rest of society. From my west coast perspective, it has been the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that have quite often aided this erosion of personal privacy. As most know it takes quite sometime for legal issues to get to the Supreme Court who by the way frequently overturn the far left-leaning liberal 9th circuit. The below poster was right about the CHL's wanting to keep their privacy, but it is the left that is trying to not only stomp their rights but also others. As is often stated watch what they do not what they say. Just look at how many urban area's have ignored the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the 2nd Amendment. These area's are being "ruled" not "goverened", and they by their very actions appear to care less about what the below poster stated: "WHO has it and HOW they then use it...better we should keep Constitutional freedoms while we still have 'em, don't you agree ?? What is the true ideology of these usupers of our Constitutional rights? They ain't conservatives! So who are they? It's a real easy question to answer.

Vic January 13, 2009 7:54 am (Pacific time)

Maybe we should voluntarily submit our personal fecal samples to Cascade Consulting. Im sure they will glean important personal information from the samples.

Henry Ruark January 12, 2009 4:18 pm (Pacific time)

Mike: With good reason from some of the Comments, might work well here at S-N, too... You think that's a good idea ? Founders would disagree, as a simple reading of First Amendment will confirm. Despite some few for whom I would love that weapon, does not belong in quiver here, and there are other places, too, such as schools where it might serve well to deny and defy aleady public law, as some few will know and understand. As with all such re both free speech and privacy, depends on WHO has it and HOW they then use it...better we should keep Constitutional freedoms while we still have 'em, don't you agree ??

Mike January 12, 2009 7:43 am (Pacific time)

Fingerprinting and collecting DNA samples from all citizens could remedy many of our nations problems, including areas in criminal justice, voter identification and illegal immigration to name a few. Millions of Americans are in fingerprint databases, e.g., all people in the military, veterans, law enforcement and some healthcare service personnel, etc. . Just look at your credit report and see how many organizations are snooping into your background. Get over it, we need to know who people are, and if you are not a criminal, then there's nothing to worry about. In Oregon over 100,000 conceal handgun licensees have their prints on file, and this group of people are big on staying anonymous, though various groups including the governor want there licenses to be public record. It's the media and democratic political party puppets who want to invade your privacy people. Just look who the people are, not who you think they are. Where are the unions, why are they not putting up a bigger stink? Of course barcoding is over the top in my opinion, but strong forces are coming to effect this. Just a matter of time.

Daniel January 11, 2009 11:16 pm (Pacific time)

In a county where they examine your personal body fluids , to determine if your fit for a minimum wage job , i saw this coming years ago . The home of the brave and land of the pee. Bar coding the babies and implanting chips , which they have started , is coming to your local neighborhood . But its for your protection ! They tell you . Yes lets find out who THEY, the creators of this are , in this case Cascade consulting and there supporters ,and rally against them . Put a little light under there rock .

Editor: Daniel, I agree with you 100% and I like that slogan; it really tells it like it is. Perhaps new media will be able to help enlighten people about what is going on, it leaves me beyond words.

Joe Mann January 11, 2009 6:03 pm (Pacific time)

I am 59 years old, have lived in Bend for many years and raised two daughters here. I passionately agree with this article. Let's spend our money on education not on this kind of nonsense please. George Orwell is turning over in his grave I am sure.

Henry Ruark January 11, 2009 5:48 pm (Pacific time)

Has anyone thought to check the fingerprints of the Cascade gang, for possible ties to organized crime ? Might just be wise to do so, since this has all the facets of their approach, familiar to any "old Chicagoan". Since they sponsor this malign monstrosity they can hardly object to that simple precaution --possible at no cost except a bit of ink, and some attention via any police agency.

stephen January 11, 2009 3:44 pm (Pacific time)

A chip, a cashless society, the chip wont work to get your money if you dont follow the rules, or dont pay carbon taxes etc. How much of this has to happen until people understand what is going on?

Jens January 11, 2009 3:08 pm (Pacific time)

This is shocking- how can this go so unnoticed? We live in America, did somebody forget that? We have the right to privacy, this absolutely walks all over that. I hope it is stopped before the terrible idea spreads any further.

Glen January 11, 2009 1:59 pm (Pacific time)

Amen to this regarding fingerprints. Fingerprints should be as protected as SSN.

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