Tell me I am being paranoid

[proud2BlibKansan]

The night custodian at school told me today that some guys in a white van came on Friday night and installed new phone lines. They came at 4:00, when almost everyone was gone, and worked till 10:00. He said the thing that caught his eye was that they were from some communications company he had never heard of. He wondered why the phone company wasn't installing the lines. We both thought it was odd that they did it at night, when no one was there to watch what they were doing. The workmen usually don't hesitate to interrupt classes to do maintenance. (One year they painted our entire school during testing week. We had to move everything out of our rooms and stay out - with the kids - for two days while they painted. And we were testing!)

We also didn't realize anything was wrong with the phone lines.

So am I being paranoid?

[Poll_Blind]

1. Maybe, contact the school board possible? n/t

PB

[redqueen]

5. Or just the administrative office.

It does sound quite strange...

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. I could ask my principal

[playkate]

25. Yep--you could! Great place to start!

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. No I am not comfortable doing that

[babylonsister]

2. No. I'd be paranoid, too. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Thanks for understanding

[Quakerfriend]

3. Does sound a bit odd. Is this a college, or what?

I would call around and see what you can find out about the Co. name and etc.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. public elementary school

[playkate]

28. LOL! What on earth do you think anybody'd want with...

...your phone lines in an elementary school???

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. I have no idea

but I don't trust anyone these days.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Outside contractors. Its all the rage. I think you are being paranoid n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. I am considering that

[flvegan]

6. Maybe it was an upgrade. Are you sure it was phone lines?

Here, they've been doing a ton of upgrading work (though mostly putting lines underground). I'd check with the school board, or better yet, if you're friendly with any of the teachers/admin who probably got a notice that this would be going on.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. The custodian is sure it was the phone lines

He would know.

[verse18]

7. You're being paranoid!

Somebody had to.....:)

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. LOL

[MichiganVote]

8. Sounds like you've been assimilated

by new cable/telephone lines. But ask your techie person to be sure.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Assimilitated with who? or what?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

17. You Should Definitely Be Inquisitive.

Is there any way to continue through the chain to get more factual information? It would be interesting to learn the facts of the matter.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. I can ask my principal

and I can ask around to see if other schools in the district are having their phone lines updated.

[MsUnderstood]

18. *hands over a tinfoil hat*

Are you in the IT/Phone department? If not you probably aren't aware of why they did what they do and neither is the custodian. Sometimes I simplify what we are doing to "We're installing new phone lines" to non tech people so I don't spend hours explaining why we had to upgrade to a voice t1 to improve the cost and add caller id to the system.

And when I schedule work to happen, I try to do it after hours; plus our local phone company LOVES contractors. Setting it up on the friday helps prevent downtime during working hours (we'll have 2 days to recover from a bad install).

If you are in the IT department and work directly with the phone contractors then I'd be worried...otherwise be happy that people are doing their job so you aren't interuppted.

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. Thanks for that info

That makes me feel better. No I am just a teacher, not a tech.

[mikelewis]

36. I'm pretty sure the poster is right...

even though it sucks for us contracting installers, we sometimes have to work strange hours; especially in a school. I wouldn't put any of my guys in a school during business hours. I trust my guys but letting them loose in a school full of kids just isn't smart. It's asking for headaches I don't need. If your concerned about it though, find out the name of the company and we may be able to find out who they are. I know many of the distributors throughout the country and usually can find out a lot on just about anyone I want to. I wouldn't be too concerned but hell, in today's world, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

[proud2BlibKansan]

37. Thanks Mike

I'll see what I can find out.

[gator_in_Ontario]

19. I know here in Florida, they install lines at night sometimes

to avoid interruption of service and because it is cooler. Doesn't mean you are being paranoid though

[Ilsa]

20. Investigate, but only very carefully.

Find out what's going on, but you might try doing it without asking questions. Or ask questions with a compliment attached to disarm them.

[woo me with science]

22. or wear a squirrel costume. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. LOL

Sure :rofl:

[Fleshdancer]

29. I second the squirrel costume idea...

but the pictures have to be posted in the lounge. :D

[patriothackd]

21. Phone people always drive white vans.

So does the cable guy. You don't know where they had to string cable. Would you want a bunch of ankle-biters running around while you are stringing cable?

Surprising about the painting while school is in session though.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. Welcome to DU!

Yes, their normal pattern is to interrupt the school day to do maintenance. This year, they turned the water off one day for several hours to fix a plumbing problem - in the middle of the day. When we complain, they tell us they can't afford to pay overtime to have the work down outside the work day.

[Neil Lisst]

23. you're surely a target of surveillance, having been to Camp Casey

So you're not paranoid. You may be wrong in this instance, but you're not paranoid.

Let's suppose they want to prove you're using government assets to promote your anti-war agenda.

I can imagine reasons they would want to monitor you at your work station, but I really don't think they'd need to install anything to do so. They can do some remotely.

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. Well since I use my time at work to do my job,

they surely aren't going to find out that I am promoting any agenda besides education.

And I don't suspect they are after me personally. I just find it odd that they are updating a phone system that is fairly new and they are doing it outside of the normal workday.

[Jose Diablo]

31. Maybe it's part of DHS,

the part that has been in the news recently for trying to seduce underage girls. Maybe they want to snatch a few for political reasons as well as for their own twisted fantasies.

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. LOL

[Jose Diablo]

35. Yes, you are paranoid

but that doesn't necessarily mean they are not out to get you. Paranoia is a high survival trait in a hostile environment.

[Nicole]

38. Yes

I wouldn't post on DU on the school's computer though, just in case. :rofl:

[Marie26]

39. I see why you'd be concerned,

but if they wanted to spy, couldn't they just intercept all Internet & phone calls anyway w/the NSA program? Why bother installing new phone lines?

[Freedom_Aflaim]

40. Definitely Suspicious You should consider one of those

gizmos that light up when your line is being tapped.

Im trying to remember what they are called, but I've seen them in the inflight catalog magazines(you know the ones they stick in all the airplane seatbacks)