SOUND BITES FROM CITIZENS

Short comments from concerned private citizens

Keep 'em coming

It's a fascist idea and it targets the wrong people.

Hazel Littlefield
Parent, Grandparent, Great-grandparent
Jackson
When we trade in our rights in the name of security, we soon find that we have no rights left -- and no security. Any time we give up rights to someone in power, we knock holes in the constitution that will never be repaired.
Jane Pieriboni
Mother, Grandmother
Dover-Foxcroft
I sympathize with your dilemma on fingerprinting wholeheartedly. I am not employed within the educational system but find this law to be another precursor to the "Big Brother" syndrome. But why isn't this being challenged in court? I think if it was the court would agree that the law does violate basic constitutional rights.
Rob Michael
Yarmouth
I believe that to require teachers to be fingerprinted is one of the worst pieces of legislation to be enacted in recent years (remember MBTE). 

I am a retired engineer who worked for a large Company.Our Personnel
Department checked applicant's references (background checks) with great
success. Why isn't that responsibility being handled by any one of a large
number of school administrators?


I would suggest that a level playing field would include a requirement that
all legislators, candidates for office, and the present governor also be
fingerprinted, but needless to say that is a pipe dream.


I only hope that you can, if you have not already done so, make your views
known and are attempting a strong effort to correct this situation.



Regards, Charles Dyer

Cape Elizabeth



".....the law is NOT clearly thought
out and it quickly becomes a convoluted one.  Truly it strikes at the core
of our inherent right to self-governance.....I am amazed at how easily our
long 
treasured rights to self determination have eroded over time and barely an 
eye is blinked!"



Deb Deschaine,RN

Wales, Me



"I personally feel it infringes on one's civil rights." 

 

Kimberley Merrifield,

Professional trainer dealing with trauma issues,

Auburn, ME



"There is something fundamentally wrong with this fingerprinting idea.  So
many of our teachers have spent years in their positions with nothing but
accolades from their students and the parents they serve...Lets take a
realistic look at the issue, and take rational common sense steps to
address it through background checks, referrence checking, etc., and lets
abandon the idea that our teachers are potential felons by fingerprinting
them."



Liz Coburn,

Parent & professional working in the Health Care field



I also feel that if they must sling ink, that they include daycare
providers, doctors, foster care parents, DHS workers, boy/girl scout
leaders, camp personal, therapists, and not to leave out everyone who finds
themselves pregnant. Perhaps it could be part of the prenatal care with a
group rate so they can also check out all of the happy couple's  family
members, friends and neighbors.  My point is that if they want to
fingerprint, they should not be exclusive and just target teachers.  There
are many more people ( just a few mentioned above) who have a much more
"private" access to children.    I agree, where will it end if we allow
this foot in the door, a crack in the armor of our constitutional rights
that would grow into a Big Brother battle/revolution.  




Shirley L. Parker

LADC (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor)