Speechless

From Knight Ridder:

Beat cops and detectives aren't the only members of the Wichita Police Department who are being issued Tasers.

School resource officers are, too.

By the end of the month, all 22 SROs in the Wichita schools -- seven in high schools and 15 in middle schools -- will carry the controversial device.

And a timeline from This Modern World:

February: Wichita Police introduce tasers into schools.

Early March: Students at Wichita West High School discover this and are understandably concerned. Organized by Hope Street, they gather 250 signatures on a letter to the school district asking about health effects and the district’s use policy.

March 16th: A 15 year-old student is tasered during a confrontation at another high school, Wichita North. However, no one except those involved know at the time because the school district covers it up.

The next week: The tasering becomes public thanks to an anonymous tip from a teacher. The Wichita Eagle criticizes the school district for trying to hide it.

Today, March 30th: The Wichita Eagle reveals two other attempts to taser students, including a 14 year-old girl.

Lastly, from Amnesty International via the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON - The number of people who have died in the U.S. after being shocked by police stun guns is growing rapidly, Amnesty International says in a report that catalogs 156 [deaths] in the past five years.

Deaths after the use of Taser stun guns have risen from three in 2001 to 61 last year, the international human rights group said....

. . .

Tasers deliver a 50,000-volt jolt through two barbed darts that can penetrate clothing.

Consider this future situation:

• It's illegal to leave school before age 18 unless you graduate, but new graduation requirements make that impossible in many districts due to teacher shortages. This is the pending situation here in Michigan.
• No choice as to where your kids are warehoused-- er, attend school.
  
• Daytime curfew laws as in San Diego, to enforce school attendance.
  
• An increasingly controlled school environment with no respect for the 1st amendment even as an abstract principle, let alone in practice.
• Typically, no constructive attempts to halt bullying, sexual harassment, or student violence.
  
• Tasers being used on students.
  

Welcome to the Hitler Youth camp, here's your bar of soap.