Imagine your 12-year-old daughter, or son for that matter, coming home from a trip with their friend and their family and the first thing they tell you about isn’t the sites they saw while away but how they were hauled off by airport security on the way home. Then finding out when she tells you what happened that she was put through a body scanner and not just any body scanner – the one that sees through your clothes!
This St. Petersburg Times article doesn’t get into exactly what happened but it appears this young lady from Baltimore who was travelling with her friend and her friend’s father was separated from them without proper explanation or the adult guardian being told that she would be taken to another scanner. It also doesn’t say if she was told what they were going to do or explained how the scanner works. If she wasn’t, that’s just wrong!
Now I know that there is always the question about flight safety and you never know who you can trust and blah, blah, blah but come on, this is a 12-year-old girl. Yes, there are some tards out there who strap illegal substances, or worse, to their kids or put them into baby carriers and these people should just be …well never mind.
Signs posted or not about the use of body scanners, when you’re about to scan a kid I think it’s their job to ensure that the parent or guardian of the child is fully aware of the options available and their right to say no to the scan. Not that a full body pat down is any better, trust me I’ve had it done while flying home from Portland, Oregon. (They don’t appreciate you telling them they could have at least bought you dinner before the grope, by the way)
I think the security people in this situation really messed this one up. I know they don’t always have time to fully explain what’s going on but when it comes to children I think they need to make the time.
What are you thoughts?
TM
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