Body Scan/Full Pat Down and Children?

[Scrapchick]

I have no idea, but I've accepted the fact I don't have control over everything. We are exposed to radiation just by flying in a plane, yet I don't see posters concerned about that.

 

There's a simple solution to those that object to scanners and pat downs. Don't travel by plane.

 

 

Unfortunately, and I mean no offence, that is such a simplistic answer....

 

Some people simply have no choice but to fly. Many jobs depend on people flying around the country and the world. Businessmen have to travel to do their jobs to get paid to put food on the table and feed their families... The world is far more than just the US. My family is thousands of miles away and I cannot drive to where they are without getting very wet. Skype and internet only goes so far when it comes to keeping in touch. It's a big, global world out there, something many American sometimes forget because their own country is so vast...

 

It's all too easy to say don't fly if you don't like it.... Life isn't that black and white for a lot of people.

[nrs377]

We can all sit here and complain that we don't agree with this but...no has suggested a better solution??? Anyone have one?

[Mack2]

There was a news segment on this by a reporter whose child was subjected to a search.

 

http://www.myvidster.com/video/600891/Video_of_TSA_Screener_Accosting_3_Year_Old_Child_at_Security_Checkpoint

 

He offers sound advice for now. When checking-in, ask the agent at the desk whether your child has been randomly selected for a search, and request that the search be taken out.

[reallyitsmema]

There was a news segment on this by a reporter whose child was subjected to a search.

 

http://www.myvidster.com/video/600891/Video_of_TSA_Screener_Accosting_3_Year_Old_Child_at_Security_Checkpoint

 

He offers sound advice for now. When checking-in, ask the agent at the desk whether your child has been randomly selected for a search, and request that the search be taken out.

I doubt very much an agent will have the ability to deselect anyone from a random search. The searches are there to protect everyone. If we ended up with a corrupt agent removing searches for illegal activities, we will be in a lot of danger.

 

I do not believe the TSA or the family involved handled this situation correctly. It is getting blown out of proportion in the press because the child's father is a reporter.

[Mack2]

I doubt very much an agent will have the ability to deselect anyone from a random search. The searches are there to protect everyone. If we ended up with a corrupt agent removing searches for illegal activities, we will be in a lot of danger.

 

I do not believe the TSA or the family involved handled this situation correctly. It is getting blown out of proportion in the press because the child's father is a reporter.

 

It's around the 2:40 mark of the news report... kids under 12, you can ask whether the child has been selected for a random search, and request that it be changed.

[reallyitsmema]

It's around the 2:40 mark of the news report... kids under 12, you can ask whether the child has been selected for a random search, and request that it be changed.

The report says you can ask and the request can be made but it doesn't say the agent can do it. This child was obviously distressed because of the pat down but the father also admits that the child was tired and upset because her stuffed animal had to go through the scanner. Parents need to prepare children prior to security. It is never going to be perfect because children aren't perfect, they all have their days, both good and bad. This child didn't like the stuff animal in the scanner, had issues going through the metal detector, wouldn't be wanded and then had it by the time the pat down happened. We only saw 17 seconds not everything else that led up to this.

 

Yes, it is upsetting to see but this family needed to have this child conform to some sort of security going through the airport. If she is unable to deal with it, flying might not be a good choice until she is a little bit more mature. The rules as they are now require a pat down after two alarms. Maybe allowing the family to stand aside in one of the little holding areas until they can calm down the child is an option.

 

TSA is there for our safety and is never going to please everyone. We complain that they miss things on their searches and we complain when they increase their security measures. Hopefully, they will adjust their rules in regards to children but we need to meet they half way.

[brazilgirl]

Well said , Reallyitsmema.

[alj1208]

I agree this is a serious matter, and as a parent, I, too am concerned about how this will play out. But, I can't resist a little humor. My 4-year-old DS is the world's wiggliest, strongest, most defiant little dude in the world. When he doesn't want to comply, well, you'd need a straight jacket, LOL. Good luck to the security person who tries to pat him down....

[farler05]

Someone who wants to take down a plane & kill themselves, would be more than willing to kill their child in the process. If it takes me & my son going through a full body scanner &/or pat down, then bring it on. We'll be just fine. I think people are completely over reacting about the entire thing. I really don't think anyone is going to get their jollies seeing this:

 

[babyblue78]

Someone who wants to take down a plane & kill themselves, would be more than willing to kill their child in the process. If it takes me & my son going through a full body scanner &/or pat down, then bring it on. We'll be just fine. I think people are completely over reacting about the entire thing. I really don't think anyone is going to get their jollies seeing this:

 

I agree. I don't think terrorists are above putting a bomb on a child either, so I completely understand why they are doing these. I personally don't want myself and my children on a plane where the passengers have not been screened to the fullest extent possible, but that is my opinion. I know that others feel differently.

 

I received one of these pat-downs in late October leaving the Las Vegas airport. It took about 3-4 minutes and the female TSA was very professional (she told me everything she was about to do before she touched me), and then I was on my way. I didn't feel violated, and it surely didn't approach the feeling of a sexual assault.

[nrs377]

I agree. I don't think terrorists are above putting a bomb on a child either, so I completely understand why they are doing these. I personally don't want myself and my children on a plane where the passengers have not been screened to the fullest extent possible

 

I also agree to this. I think the most important thing to do when flying w/ a child is to prepare them as to what may happen, but also tell them that this is ok only when mom/dad is there w/ them...at no other time should anyone touch them anywhere.

[Onessa]

This discussion can get heated very easily. However, we as travelers have to remember we live in a very different world than we did a decade ago. Technology has changed both for security and also for the terrorists. We have never had a suicide attack where children are used on American soil, and I hope we never do. But in other countries these terrorists organizations use children to ambush and kill other people. Children have to be treated the same way as adults but there are ways we can do it. The TSA have to find ways to help make it easier for families to be comfortable traveling with young children. ...We have the right to travel and the right to refuse searches but we have to make the choice what we want more. I know for sure I want to travel and I want to be as safe as I can be. If it means giving up some freedoms so be it. However, everyone has their own minds and can make their own choices.

 

Single Dad - such a great post (it is a shame I to have to paraphrase). Your DD is very lucky to have you as a dad!

 

. . . I have no problem with security scanning in general, not even the pat-downs, but it is blatantly obvious that the TSA agents have little to no training regarding their "people-skills". At the very least, these people should have some sort of sensitivity training. . .

There are people who are "good" and "bad" at their jobs in all walks of life. The TSA agents are all getting painted by the same broad stroke as being bad or incompetent or poorly trained.

 

As someone who had been physically abused in the past and has been subjected to security pat-downs (I am in a business where I spend a lot of time traveling and visiting federal and state buildings with security). Even the most caulous of the security personnel with whom I've needed to interact has not even come anywhere near to the treament from my abuser. The over-reaction of the public and the media publicity mongers really minimizes the experiences of the victims of "real" abuse.

 

Adults need to grow up and make the decision if this is "too far" for them -- if it is they will need to re-evaluate their careers or other things in their lives because they will not be able to fly unless they cooperate. Parents and others who over-react and vent in front of their children will scare their kids to the point where the experience WILL be "tramatic" for their kids -- not because of the experience itself but because of how their parents' have blown it out of proportion.

[Warm Breezes]

Single Dad - such a great post (it is a shame I to have to paraphrase). Your DD is very lucky to have you as a dad!

 

 

There are people who are "good" and "bad" at their jobs in all walks of life. The TSA agents are all getting painted by the same broad stroke as being bad or incompetent or poorly trained.

 

As someone who had been physically abused in the past and has been subjected to security pat-downs (I am in a business where I spend a lot of time traveling and visiting federal and state buildings with security). Even the most caulous of the security personnel with whom I've needed to interact has not even come anywhere near to the treament from my abuser. The over-reaction of the public and the media publicity mongers really minimizes the experiences of the victims of "real" abuse.

 

Adults need to grow up and make the decision if this is "too far" for them -- if it is they will need to re-evaluate their careers or other things in their lives because they will not be able to fly unless they cooperate. Parents and others who over-react and vent in front of their children will scare their kids to the point where the experience WILL be "tramatic" for their kids -- not because of the experience itself but because of how their parents' have blown it out of proportion.

 

Sometimes it's not the parent that scares the kid, but the news media. We will be flying on Wednesday. I have purposely not said anything to DD(13) about the enhanced screenings so she would see that are not letting anything different bother us. She is already nervous because she had a screw put in her foot this year and this is her first time going through security with it. We were watching TV yesterday when the news came on. The first story was on the new scanning and pat down process, interviewing people who say they are getting molested by the TSA agents. She started getting real nervous right there. How am I supposed to make it less traumatic for her after seeing stuff like this on the news? It wasn't the parent blowing it out of proportion in this case.