Protecting NYC's Kids

I posted this a few days ago at Stop the ACLU, but I thought it was worth posting here as well.

The mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg has announced that police, equipped with metal detectors, will be making unannounced sweeps of students at schools throughout the city this month.

This will be done as students arrive in the morning at secondary schools that do not have permanent metal detectors. The city will post notices outside schools alerting students that they can be searched on entry.

“Our reasons for doing this couldn’t be clearer or more compelling: we have zero tolerance for weapons of any kind in city schools,” said the mayor.

It certainly sounds reasonable. One would think you have a right to expect your children to be in a safe environment while they’re being educated. However, I guess that’s not one of those rights that makes the ACLU spring to action.

“We intend to ask the Department of Education a series of questions to clarify exactly what this program entails and what measures are in place to minimize the intrusions on student privacy,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “Schools teach by example. It would indeed be unfortunate for us to raise future generations to expect that they have no expectation of privacy.”

When I enter a government building and many commercial establishments, I forego certain rights of privacy. I know I may have to pass through a metal detector, be monitored and perhaps even be shadowed by security personnel. Why should a child have a greater expectation of privacy than an adult?

It is because we want to see our future generations grow up that we need programs that will keep our schools free from weapons. The example for them to see is that their right to live is our priority. What is truly unfortunate is that the ACLU has different priorities.

Hat tip to the New York Times.