Compulsory Education by Self Incrimination

School administrators and teachers in Batavia, Illinois apparently think it is perfectly OK to require students at the local high school to possibly incriminate themselves by answering in writing, with their names printed at the top, a list of survey questions about, among other things, their private emotions together with their use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs during their free time.

In short, these statist compulsory education government goons are systematically violating the federal constitutional rights of students by asking them to reveal private, personal and potentially incriminating information which is none of the school district’s god damned business.

District Superintendent, Jack Barshinger justifies the practice by claiming it is supported by local teachers as a way to stem an increase in student suicides, since many of them reported not being able to tell when a student was having emotional problems.

He insists that the information would not be shared with the police; the answers would be reviewed by social workers, school counselors and psychologists. “We can’t help them if we aren’t aware of their needs,” said Barshinger.

But the proper mission of a public school district, which compels children and parents by law to participate in the system, is to provide its young students with a basic education, not to snoop around into their intimate private emotions and invade their personal privacy by violating their First and Fifth Amendment rights.

John Dryden, a social studies instructor at the school, seeing the situation for what it was, took it upon himself to do the right thing by advising students of their right not to incriminate themselves before giving them the survey questions list which had each student’s name printed on it.  “I made a judgment call,” he explained. “There was no time to ask anyone.”

This is one teacher who really was looking out for his kids.

But for that he now faces disciplinary action and a black mark in his employment record from the school district which thinks that the children under its jurisdiction have no constitutional rights or that even if they do, such rights may be violated with impunity.  

So advising children of their constitutional rights is not considered part of the learning experience in school districts practicing compulsory education by self incrimination.