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CNN Live At Daybreak

Tracking Kids Spending Habits

Aired August 28, 2001 - 08:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
VINCE CELLINI, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to continue our education day talk.

When your children are meant to be in school, do you know for sure where they actually are? Do you know what they are eating?

As science correspondent Ann Kellan reports, some computer software is making it easier parents to track kids.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANN KELLAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jay gets good grades, does everything right, except one little thing: At lunchtime every now and then, he likes to buy a PowerAid drink. And at $1.50 a pop, mom and dad would rather he drink it at home and save a little money.

So one day his mom logs onto the Internet, and Jay gets caught -- proof of purchase right there on the screen.

JAY SCHULT, JUNIOR, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN: Every once in a while, I try to sneak in like a PowerAid or something.

KELLAN: Minor offense, but this demonstrates a powerful tool -- software called Skyward -- purchased by schools, free to parents -- let's them keep an Internet eye on their kids at school.

For example, once attendance is taken and is entered by the teacher, Sandy Schult can log on and see Jay is in class. Grades work the same way.

SANDY SCHULT, FAMILY ACCESS USER: As soon as the report cards are posted, we can find out what the grades were before the kids even know. It tells what their locker number and combination is.

KELLAN: Some students consider this an invasion of privacy.

UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT: Sometimes it would be too much information

KELLAN: You thought going to the principal's office was punishment enough? Here parents get the red flag as you are heading to the office.

ALAN BEAMER, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: When it comes to discipline, what will happen is that I can literally communicate with the parents 24 hours a day.

KELLAN: And remember that PowerAid? With the swipe of a card, their lunch selection is recorded and the amount debited from an account, most funded by the parents.

ADAM JENSEN, SENIOR, BIG RAPIDS, MICHIGAN: They are paying for your food, so they should know what you are eating.

KRISTIN JOHNSON, JUNIOR, BIG RAPIDS, MICHIGAN: We are high schoolers, and I think that we should be able to choose what we eat and our parents shouldn't regulate it. I mean, it is their money, but it's our stomach. The put your like your contact information and your phone number.

KELLAN: Experts will tell you information over the Internet is vulnerable to theft. That's why the school is thinking twice before putting students' medical records on line.

Despite some gripes, kids admit it makes them think twice before doing something wrong, except for maybe senior skip day.

UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT: You've got to do the tradition.

UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT: It's a tradition.

UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT: ... that you've got to go that one.

KELLAN: Not without a phone call from mom.

BEAMER: If they don't have the phone call in -- unexcused.

KELLAN: You are mean -- very mean.

Catching class skippers and rule breakers helps the principal. Keeping up to date on how children spend their day helps parents.

Ann Kellan, CNN, Big Rapids, Michigan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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