ID Cards in Oz

by Lily de Cuir
(Australia)

Now they are trying the ID cards on our kids here in Oz. In the 1980's the ID card got blown out of the water. But as the PTB (Powers That Be) do, they just bide their time....

This time in 2010 they are trying to bring it in through the back door. Our kids need (according to the PTB), a 'Unique Identity Number' to track their educational results through school.

Hell, if I need to know about my son's school progress I can read his report card, have a meeting with the Principle and his teacher. I don't need my son to have a tracking ID number.

Beware of this Aussies and others - we are a test site here. This is an insidious introduction to ID cards.

Don't sign your kid up for a number in the school system - they will be tracked for life.

This is an introduction to ID cards by stealth. Um, do they propose to erase the information once the kids leave school? Of course they will! (Tongue firmly implanted in cheek here). That is what we'll be told.

I listened to an interview today with our opposition leader Mr Abbot, who ranted on to say it was an abuse of civil liberties and all the stuff I've outlined above.

At the end he said, well, they should at least have a name and not a number.

Do they think we are stupid? Pulleeese!
In other words, it's all OK, as long as they have a name and not a number.

Stand up for this Aussies We are a test case!

International friends, watch this with interest - it will be coming to you soon.

Cheers,
Lily

Article here:

The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)

EXCLUSIVE

A program in which every school child in Australia would be given an identity number so their academic progress could be tracked through their school life is expected to be announced by the federal government as early as today.

The Herald understands the number, to be known as a ''unique student identifier'', will be annexed to the My School program, which publishes the performance of individual schools on the internet.

The number would allow the performance of individual students in each of the core subjects to be monitored for the duration of their school life so their progress could be measured.

The Education Minister, Julia Gillard, is expected to announce the proposal in a speech today at the National Press Club where she will also canvass a draft of the new national curriculum to be released next Monday.

The curriculum, a plank in the government's so-called ''education revolution'', will apply to maths, English, history and the sciences and be taught at all schools, starting next year.

The ''unique student identifier'' is expected to cause controversy and raise privacy concerns.

A senior source said strict privacy provisions would restrict its use to those who needed the information, such as parents. Protections would be built in to stop third parties being able to identify students.

The My School website is updated once a year and grades each school on its NAPLAN performance in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy for years three, five, seven and nine. Parents are sent the NAPLAN test results for their child each year.

The new identity number would allow parents and other concerned parties to access a database documenting the child's performance throughout their time at school, regardless of how many schools they attended and whether they shifted interstate.

A student's strengths and weaknesses could be monitored and addressed as their education progressed.

It is understood Ms Gillard will promote the measure as another way of ensuring maximum school performance. She may also signal the extension of the My School program to year 12.

A source said the identity number would be introduced after the next round of NAPLAN tests in May, possibly before the federal election.

Its implementation will be overseen by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.

Teacher unions, which oppose My School, are threatening to boycott the tests this year.

Web Guy Note:

I remember editing more than one blog that Levi said the PTB will have everybody hold an ID by end of 2010. I've heard Gordon Brown UK PM say it as well. I remember it because I was down at Levi's place and heard him say.. Oh, you bloody think so! (I think he doesn't like authority to much)

But like he says. Just Say No!