Arbitrariness

I went to West Brook earlier this week to pick up David because he felt bad.  I felt bad, too, so I was in a lousy mood after texting with a teenager who was supposed to be in class but was instead giving me a hard time.  By the time I got to the school I was just unhappy.  I had to call my mom because I didn't have a way to get there so that was even more frustrating.  But then I went in the office.

When you enter schools in BISD with the intention of walking through the campus to get to, say, the attendance office to check out your child you are asked for your license so they can scan it with the RAPTOR to make you a visitor badge.  After scanning, they hand you your license back.  This system does a quick background check as well.  I have used it and I agree with the system.  I don't have a problem with letting you scan my license so I can go through the school.  Not one problem.

What I do have a problem with is West Brook and their arbitrary policies that no other school in the district follows.  West Brook asks for your license every time you enter the campus; other campuses scan the license and keep it in the system so they can look you up when you come in and print you a visitor sticker.  The system is set up to do this and it works.  I know.  I have used it.  I'm not just throwing this shit out there.  I have sat at the reception desk at several schools and have used the system.  And this isn't all.  They have gotten even more arbitrary.

This week when I went in the school I handed the receptionist my license as usual...only this time she didn't hand it back.  I was told they needed to keep it now.  But that's MY LICENSE.  It is my identification and it is identification that if used improperly can cause me harm.  I don't like that they kept my license.  When I walked out of the office, in my lousy mood, I told them they were fucking crazy.  Yeah, I know.  Too far.  But so what.

I sent the principal an email when I got home.  It read:

Mr. Maxwell,

Although I know that Ms. Broughton would not use my driver's license in a way that is illegal, I feel that keeping it while I went to the attendance office is out of line.  No one has the right to hold my driver's license unless they are a member of the law enforcement community.  This practice is ridiculous and just falls in line with all of the other stupid things that happen at West Brook.  I mean, you have an entire driveway no one can use.....why?  How stupid is that?

I will not surrender my driver's license to anyone at West Brook in the future, so you have a choice to make.  Allow people from the office to go get my child when I want him...because he is my child no matter how many hours he is at West Brook and if I want him, I will get him....or allow me and all other parents to proceed to the attendance office to check them out without surrendering our identification.  You have it on file, you do not physically need it.

His reply:

Based on the training that we have been given, it is proven that when you have an active shooter in your building the police force will need to know immediately who is in you building.  Secondly it is a way to monitor how long a visitor has been in your building.  Returning to get your license is a way for us to know the amount of time you have been in the building.  Safety is a must when we have the possibility of school shootings.  I respectfully hope you reconsider. 

I told him I would not reconsider.  The basis of my thought process after his response....it is proven that when you have an active shooter in your building the police force will need to know immediately who is in you building...this sentence.  The office having my license prevents me from being identified in case there's a shooter in the building and I get shot.  A shooter isn't going to give the office his license.  A shooter is going to walk in the office, shoot everyone in there, and then proceed to the rest of the building.  How is taking my license helping that situation?  See.  Arbitrary.

I was then told that I would not be allowed to go past the office and that it would take longer to get my child.  It better not take too long and you better go get him when I want him because he is mine, I gave birth to him and your keeping him from me is paramount to kidnapping.  Period.  Call your BISD cops...call whomever you think you need to.  I will call the media.  I will be at administration with a camera crew faster than you can say boo.  

West Brook and their arbitrary rules are really pissing me off.