I’m not talking about a certain type of security in general (i.e. metal detectors, cameras…etc…}, but I hvae been thinking a lot lately and it’s been bugging me that I’m beginning to feel more closed in and restricted than protected.
Go to a private school and indeed, there are cameras scattered all over campus. There are rent-acops, administrators and all sorts of non-sense rules and excessive punishments. The rules are too many to possibly remember and even if you do exactly what you are supposed to be doing, they still manage to catch you on something that’s not remotely wrong.
it’s almost sick how much they junk up the computers with web block ( on chats, Aol, yahoo, geocities, angelfire… everything else…) - our computers even have a block where you can’t chage setting for the background or icons… The computers are all screwed up and slowing down - they’re almost un-usable.
The Administration of the school is also for more security… well… a couple weeks back- I posted about two girls in my home who were stalked right on campus… our security system was junked up and not working and anyone could have strolled right in…
Is it really possible for a place who advocates so much security - really secure? I feel almost insecure with all of cash they’ve used to install cameras on every hall and staircase…
I can’t do anything online… and I’m surprised the SDMB hasn’t been banned already…
How much is too much?
~ Mollycoddle
Not in my case. After 911 my workplace started new “security measures.”
These consisted of things like holding family members at the entrance to the building until employees can come and claim them. (This was and remains a public building in which public meetings are held) They started to require everyone who worked here to wear a tag with their picture on it. (There is no sensitive information on the premises, in fact we are subject to FOIA) Thousands of man hours have been lost because of this next one. If a person is visiting the building on official business a full time employee (30 - 60K / year) must accompany them throughout their visit. Yes they must have a babysitter from the time they enter the building until they leave. This include trips to the restroom. These are often reps from a business here for a meeting, officials from Federal agencies, etc.
In a time of budget contraction over the last two years they have added a large security staff and the management to oversee them. Purchased sophisticated keyless entry systems for doors that were previously left unlocked 24/7. etc.
Now the clincher. When called on it the people in charge of this policy admit that there is no security threat. They will tell you that the buildings are still as much at risk as they were before to someone with terrorist intent. In fact they don’t care about how secure the buildings are, only how secure they look TO THE EMPLOYEES. The whole effort is as they describe it a “morale issue”
So in a time period when our workforce has been reduced by 1/3 these clowns have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to create the illussion of a safe workplace for those of us who remain.
In my message of complaint to those responsible I quoted Ben Franklin, “They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
I think we as Americans need to adopt that as our new motto.