User:BStarky/TSA snippets

Criticism

The worker rights snippet was removed by user TexasDawg on 29.11.2007, 19:03 with this comment:

"removing uncited sources about worker "rights"".[1]

• TSA's attempt to deny basic worker protection to certain employees rebuffed by MSPB,[2] see Legal Cite 101 M.S.P.R. 564 Decisio# 2006 MSPB 95 April 21, 2006 Blunk and Coleman, Docket Number SF-0752-04-0846-I-1
• The TSA does not allow Transportation Security Officers (Screeners) an independent appeal to disciplinary actions by an independent appeal body such as the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Generally, officers and employees in the Department of Homeland Security all have a right to an independent appeal to the MSPB, including other TSA empolyees other than screeners. See Title 49 United States Code Section 40122g3.

Some of that news did get some minor developments into July–August 2008

Scandals

Much of what is now in the Robert MacLean article was on and off. Users Inmidata and Pogo gap currently maintain the MacLean article.

The Ryan Bird section was removed on 22.07.2008, 23:58

Ryan Bird incident

In late September 2006, airline passenger Ryan Bird was detained by an airport law enforcement officer for writing "Kip Hawley is an idiot" on a plastic bag containing his toiletries. Bird wrote the comment to protest the rule the TSA had recently enacted requiring all airline passengers to store any liquid and gel items in their carry-on luggage in clear, plastic baggies. Bird was detained by the TSA for nearly half an hour before being released. His account of the incident on FlyerTalk.com produced 83,000 hits within a couple of days, and the incident made national news.

Sippy cup incident

This section was added at some time, then rewritten by User:Wilson almighty (so far his four edits) to tone and style that would condone TSOs' choice of action and then finally removed on 21.06.2007, 23:16 by user TexasDawg:

"removing this incident since it did not generate much news attention and is similar to many TSA-related incidents"

I'd say that the incident did create enough news attention, so as to have videos of it available on YouTube and commented on national television. The publication of this incident bears significance, since it forces the TSA to change its policies for TSO's on how to treat travellers.

Granted, the incident does fall under the "mistreatment of passengers" and/or "Failure to use good judgment and common sense" varieties of TSA criticism.

On June 11 , 2007 Monica Emmerson, a veteran United States Secret Service officer, was stopped while going through airport security because there was water in her son's sippy cup. The sippy cup was seized by TSA. Emmerson wanted the cup back because the sippy cup was the only way her son would drink and it was a long flight between Washington, DC and Reno, Nevada where she was going for a family reunion. She was willing to cooperate with TSA employees by offering to drink or empty the sippy cup. Emmerson unscrewed the top which resulted in water being spilled. This lead to her being detained and threatened with arrest. She was ordered to clean the water and proceeded to do so by getting down on her hands and knees. After being detained for 40 minutes, Monica Emmerson missed her flight.