Rules Will Allow Screeners to Remain in Jobs

The New York Times ^ | 12/29/2001 | David Firestone

[tbeatty]

We'll keep the same people and just pay them more. And make it impossible to fire the incompetant ones. And we'll hire based on gender and race rather than qualification. Yeah, that's the ticket to security.

[MinuteGal]

Is anyone really surprised at this?

Up is down, down is up, and politics is politics.

Leni

[weikel]

Our bueracracy is stupid higher El Al's people to run our airport security.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Most significantly, the department will not insist that screeners be high school graduates, a requirement that would have disqualified a quarter of the present work force of 28,000.

For some reason, I feel less like flying now, than I did before.

[TheOtherOne]

uggh!

[ppaul]

Our founding fathers sought to prohibit "titles of nobility" with their lifelong perks and pensions. A federal government job is today's title of nobility - perpetual income and perks granted to the privileged (at the expense of the unprivileged), who cannot be fired like their counterparts in the private sector. This is a grievous evil.

[FractalSphere]

""These screeners are going to be an important line of defense, and it seems to me we should have higher educational standards for them.""

But then the federal government couldn't get away with paying them $6.00 an hour! ..and to think they have the power to (on a whim) yank someone from the line and cause much grief and inconvenience for them. The lower educational standard also makes it easier for them to be programmed with whatever propoganda is needed for them to do their job. Remember, independent thinking is the enemy!

[Dane]

I am probably going to get major flames for this, but here it goes.

What is so great about a high school diploma these days? I would rather have someone who dropped out of high school who has worked for a reputable security company, rather than a brain full of mush recent high school grad.

[Not_Who_U_Think]

I can't wait to see how the Dems answer for this one ...

[Rustynailww]

but they will be union and democrat.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

No flames here, DANE! I have attended a couple of High School graduations here in Anchorage recently, and it is hard for me to see much difference between many of the graduates and the ones who dropped out. Of course there is a difference at the extremes (the graduate who goes on to a good college, vs the drop-out who sells drugs and steals cars), but for the kids in the middle of this distribution curve, the diploma is just a meaningless piece of paper. It has been devalued over and over since the Sixties, and is now practically worthless.

By the way, I don't see a High School diploma as essential for what is going to be a rather boring and meaningless job in the very lowest reaches of the Federal bureaucracy. I'll be happy if they just exclude illegal aliens, convicted felons, and the rest of the Democratic voter base!

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

No flames here, DANE! I have attended a couple of High School graduations here in Anchorage recently, and it is hard for me to see much difference between many of the graduates and the ones who dropped out. Of course there is a difference at the extremes (the graduate who goes on to a good college, vs the drop-out who sells drugs and steals cars), but for the kids in the middle of this distribution curve, the diploma is just a meaningless piece of paper. It has been devalued over and over since the Sixties, and is now practically worthless.

By the way, I don't see a High School diploma as essential for what is going to be a rather boring and meaningless job in the very lowest reaches of the Federal bureaucracy. I'll be happy if they just exclude illegal aliens, convicted felons, and the rest of the Democratic voter base!

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

I did NOT post this twice- may be a glitch in the new server??? (If I had posted it twice, I would admit it)

[RicocheT]

applicants for screening jobs must have a diploma or "one year of any type of work experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position."

The ability to put your "X" on the signature line of any public employee's union card AND on the registration card for the DemocRAT party will suffice.

[freedox]

While I agree that a diploma from today's public school system is an extremely poor yardstick for competence, I would question the overall quality of a younger applicant who had not even had the wherewithall to achieve that simple goal. Actually, I would be more willing to cut some slack for an older worker without a diploma......it seems to me that folks had more valid reasons for dropping out of high school back in the olden days.

Btw, Ranger......did you know you posted that response twice? Smile.......

[MississippiMan]

I've said it before but will say it again: common sense and logic have totally lost their place in the running of this country, and thousands or more of innocent Americans will be sacrificed on the altar of political correctness before all is said and done. The terrorists must sit back and laugh at us. With good reason.

To be sure I understand, this is something that Bush himself has the power to change since it's dealing primarily with the rules of an agency and not law. If so, what on EARTH is the man thinking?

MM

[magellan]

Screw the screeners. We activated most of the military police in the Guard and Reserves. They are, therefore, "Federal" employees. Fire the incompetents and put the men (and women) in uniform behind the X-Ray screen and be done with it.

And if the Feds decide they want to keep the drop outs, give them conditional employement for one year after which they must have earned a G.E.D. or they will be released.

[codeword]

...on the registration card for the DemocRAT party will suffice.

President Bush, who is a Republican, I think, signed this bill. And his drones in the Department of Transportation chose to interpret it to require the minimum of the qualifications specified in the bill--i.e., no high school diploma.