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  1. #1

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    I’m doing some pit gigs for musical theatre this year. I like the challenge and I like to play. The people I work with are usually very good. I don’t normally do these, but the next show will be a high school production with people I haven’t worked with before. I got the book about a week ago and I’ve been reviewing the material.

    So yesterday the MD emailed the musicians, saying that any non-student musicians must be fingerprinted before rehearsals begin. I made it this far in life without ever being fingerprinted and was expecting to live out my life that way. I’m considering telling them, “thanks but no thanks.”

    I’m a little torn. I don’t want to be unreasonable, but being that I’ve done nothing wrong this seems pretty intrusive. I don’t want to be nasty about it. It isn’t the MD’s fault. It’s school board policy, and I understand the need to protect students. But these gigs are hardly lucrative and the whole idea kinda bugs me.

    What would you do?
    Last edited by Jonathan0996; 05-01-2022 at 08:31 AM.

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  3. #2

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    I would tell them no thanks.
    Being treated like a criminal is not my idea of a good time.

  4. #3

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    ...sounds terrible for me. What could be the reason to do this? What could be the law, or any legal environment which allows tihs?

    Anyway, it may help you with the dilemma: As a bonus argument, take the human side of the story, would you like to work under the lead of a decision maker(s), who ignores others in such level? Also consider, your fellow musicians will be, who agreed with this humiliation, would you work in this "selected" team?

    There would be many minor or major social situations, where emotional intelligence, ethic, etc will be required from the boss and the team, what would you expect then? This fingerprint thing is just a sign.

  5. #4

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    I would say no. Submitting to oppressive practices not only damages your own integrity, but also makes life worse for others. A school board should not make rules of this kind, and should not be aided by acceptance.

  6. #5

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    "It’s school board policy, and I understand the need to protect students."
    It is very strange but maybe there are reasons for it.
    Can a musician be a threat?
    Maybe they should cancel the production.

  7. #6

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    Tell them the police can take your prints in case anything happened during the event that makes them think they need yours?

    They don't trust you up-front, so why would you trust them with private information? I presume they're already getting your contact info and whatever else they need to pay you; that ought to be enough to find you.

    Though if the gig was really interested I'd be tempted to figure out if it's possible and not too risky to provide them with unusable prints

  8. #7

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    Interesting responses from around the world.

    I think this sort of thing is more common here in the U.S. I don’t know exactly how common this particular requirement is nationwide, but each local school system (city and suburb) has its own elected board that makes up its own rules. I imagine that all employees of this system, from janitors to teachers to principals, are required to be fingerprinted (we’re a very suspicious country.) Given that many aspiring politicians begin their political careers here by running for school board, I guess this sort of thing shouldn’t be surprising. Screwball politics seems to be our unique specialty. If this is actually about student safety, I don’t see how this would make anyone any safer.

    My wife used to work for the local school system (a different one) and she was fingerprinted as a condition of her employment. She thinks it’s no big deal. I don’t imagine there’s any legal risk to me if I comply with this requirement, but it still bugs me. I’m thinking I’ll probably pass, even though doing so would create a problem for the musical director, who works for a neighboring school system and has probably already been fingerprinted.

    Thanks for the input.
    Last edited by Jonathan0996; 05-01-2022 at 08:28 AM.

  9. #8

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    I guess it depends on who does the printing and what they're used to. In this case the only thing that would make some kind of sense (in a context of paranoia) is that they're used immediately to verify if you're not some kind of supposed dangerous, perverse criminal. Doing that based on your name is one thing, doing it based on prints that may have ended up "in the system" for no justifiable reason is a wholly different thing.

    Most government positions here in France do require presenting a summary of your "wrap sheet", or giving the recruiter authorisation to request it in your place. Having to give your prints would probably get all the major unions onto their hind legs.

  10. #9

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    Just say no. In this case, it's that simple.

  11. #10

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    In the district where I teach, anybody who works in a school and could have even minimal contact with students undergoes a background check, takes a TB test, and gets fingerprinted.

    If you are going to work in a school, its par for the course. I wouldn't want anyone working with or near my kids who didn't. The world is a fucked up place. Protecting our kids is important.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    In the district where I teach, anybody who works in a school and could have even minimal contact with students undergoes a background check, takes a TB test, and gets fingerprinted.

    If you are going to work in a school, its par for the course. I wouldn't want anyone working with or near my kids who didn't. The world is a fucked up place. Protecting our kids is important.
    Wow, J,
    Things have sure changed in Chi since the 70's!
    Marinero

  13. #12

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    What Jeff says is standard practice most places here in the U.S. I had to do a background check in order to volunteer at my kids own school. If you want to contribute you need to follow the rules.

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont;[URL="tel:1195454"
    1195454[/URL]]In the district where I teach, anybody who works in a school and could have even minimal contact with students undergoes a background check, takes a TB test, and gets fingerprinted.

    If you are going to work in a school, its par for the course. I wouldn't want anyone working with or near my kids who didn't. The world is a fucked up place. Protecting our kids is important.
    I agree; protecting kids is important. I’m not sure I understand how fingerprinting protects kids. It seems to me a criminal background check would be more effective. It’s something that employers do all the time. A fingerprinting requirement sounds like something aspiring politicians do so they can say they’re protecting kids.

    As part of the normal process they’d have my name, address, contact information and Social Security number for tax purposes. I wouldn’t be hard to find. A background check would be more costly, but more effective than having a school employee take your fingerprints. If the goal is to weed out dangerous people, fingerprinting would only help identify them after something horrible happened. I’d probably go along with a background check.

    I would be onboard with this if I thought it actually enhanced safety. I have played other high school productions without being fingerprinted. I have also made presentations to student groups and interacted with students and teachers as part of my job before retiring last year. However, the fingerprinting requirement is a new one to me.

    I may just end up going down there and getting my fingerprints, but frankly these gigs require a lot of time and a lot of commuting for very little compensation. Adding more time, driving and rigamarole just makes me less inclined to bother. I’ve got another show coming up in June. I may just wait for that one to roll around.

    Thanks for your perspective.

  15. #14

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    I'm pretty sure they run your prints through a database of unsolved shit.

    And then of course, they have them should you be accused of something.

    The world is a nasty place, and the amount of adult/student inappropriateness that happens in high schools is sickening.

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont;[URL="tel:1195468"
    1195468[/URL]]I'm pretty sure they run your prints through a database of unsolved shit.

    And then of course, they have them should you be accused of something.

    The world is a nasty place, and the amount of adult/student inappropriateness that happens in high schools is sickening.
    Hmmmm….

  17. #16

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    I work in a very safe neighborhood, low crime. But guidelines had been put in place from a level higher than the administrators I've worked with. I don't like it but it's SOP.
    Parents pressure lawmakers to protect their kids. Laws are put in place to make them feel safe. Incidents may have happened peripherally and actions in court may have shown this step may have been necessary, or helpful.
    It's not an easy situation.
    Don't take the gig. Unless it feels comfortable.

  18. #17

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    What a depressing state of affairs. People wanting to crash the schools so they can hurt kids. Fingerprinting is required for anyone who wants to help kids. What’s next, barbed wire?

    Between all this and the commercials for Senate primary candidates, I’m about ready to go live in a cave.

  19. #18

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    If you’re planning on a straight life of no crime, what difference does it make if they have your fingerprints?

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by jazzkritter;[URL="tel:1195475"
    1195475[/URL]]If you’re planning on a straight life of no crime, what difference does it make if they have your fingerprints?
    That’s one perspective. If you’ve done nothing wrong, why not let them search your home, your car, your pockets? Let them take your prints, test your blood, track you wherever you go.

    Maybe things have gotten so bad that civil liberties don’t matter anymore. I hope not.

  21. #20

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    If it stops someone doing something terrible to a child, or catches a miscreant, seems like a good deal. IMHO.

  22. #21

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    They are asking to take your prints to run thru a data base before you interact with people's kids. I get where you are coming from (not sure I would want to do it), but it probably has prevented many instances of child endangerment so it is probably worth it. Predators love to work themselves near children in helpful capacities. Think of the boy scouts, church youth groups, coaches etc. It's a rough world.

  23. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by jazzkritter
    If you’re planning on a straight life of no crime, what difference does it make if they have your fingerprints?
    Fingerprint inks contain nanobots that take over your brain and make you into Nazi commonist zombie droids. This is the way it works. I think there was proof from a source I saw in a senate hearing.

  24. #23

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    Seriously though, it might be part of the screening. If you know these measures are in place, it discourages convicted offenders from even going through the application process.
    I find airport screenings a pain in the butt. I hate them. I grew up in a time when they just didn't do it. Now at least I figure the guy behind me isn't going to try to bring a javelin rocket launcher through the screening gate.
    I still hate it.

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonathan0996
    What a depressing state of affairs. People wanting to crash the schools so they can hurt kids. Fingerprinting is required for anyone who wants to help kids. What’s next, barbed wire?

    Between all this and the commercials for Senate primary candidates, I’m about ready to go live in a cave.
    Plato says you already are. Pull up a seat, right here next to the fire....

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    In the district where I teach, anybody who works in a school and could have even minimal contact with students undergoes a background check, takes a TB test, and gets fingerprinted.

    If you are going to work in a school, its par for the course. I wouldn't want anyone working with or near my kids who didn't. The world is a fucked up place. Protecting our kids is important.
    Completely OK the background check, the TB test also, but maybe fingerprinting falls to an other category.