Colleges keep watch over troubled students

[FreeStateDemocrat]

Source: AP/MSNBC

'Threat assessment' teams aim to curb deadly rampages like Virginia Tech
AP
updated 2:55 p.m. ET, Fri., March. 28, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. - On the agenda: A student who got into a shouting match with a faculty member. Another who harassed a female classmate. Someone found sleeping in a car. And a student who posted a threat against a professor on Facebook.

In a practice adopted at one college after another since the massacre at Virginia Tech, a University of Kentucky committee of deans, administrators, campus police and mental health officials has begun meeting regularly to discuss a watch list of troubled students and decide whether they need professional help or should be sent packing.

These "threat assessment groups" are aimed at heading off the kind of bloodshed seen at Virginia Tech a year ago and at Northern Illinois University last month.

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Database listing created
Although the four cases discussed last week were the ones administrators deemed as needing the most urgent attention, a database listing 26 other student cases has been created, providing fodder for future meetings.

Students are encouraged during their freshman orientation to report suspicious behavior to the dean of students, and university employees all the way down to janitors and cafeteria workers are instructed to tell their supervisors if they see anything.




Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23847510/

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Now this is scary, one wrong move, one controversial paper and bingo you may be viewed as a potential homicidal maniac. With electronic data basing and sharing of information this would likely end up in a least a FBI database and may follow you for the rest of your life. I imagine they would immediately be placed on the no-fly list. Big Brother is not only watching and listening but also labeling, and making a permanent record of visualized/conceived behaviors.

[mike_c]

1. interestingly, this was a topic of conversation in a faculty mtg...

...in my department today. Someone went off during an exam a couple of weeks ago, and we were informed today that there are a dozen or so students on the university radar who have known anger management issues, prior histories of violent behavior, etc-- no used the term "watch list," however. Interesting times.

[selador]

2. and as usual

civil rights conflict with people's desire for safety. it certainly gives me pause to think that administration (especially in a public school) are that interested in mental health issues (which is generally an extremely well protected privacy interest) of students. not saying it isn't justified, but i'd have to see how narrowly the policy is applied, safeguards, etc. in general, mental health information is VERY well protected, or should be if the law is applied properly.

[pattmarty]

3. Threat Assessment Teams; probably run by the young republicans.