Mr. Moran
AP Rhet
5 February 2015
Should TSA employment requirements increase After the attacks on 9/11, America was taken back and many wondered what would change due this malicious incident. In response, the TSA, transportation security administration, was created in 2001 in order to increase security in American airports. Though this act was passed in order to increase protection for citizens, the requirements to become a TSA employee is significantly lower than a government job concerning the welfare of the people should be. Therefore, TSA employment requirements should be improved because of TSA misconduct increases, the improper training of TSA agents, and the ineffectiveness of current programs. As a result of unqualified workers, TSA misconduct has shown a significant increase in just 3 years. From a study for GAO, between the years of 2010 and 2013, there has been around a 26% increase in the misconduct of TSA employees. (USAToday)More than one third of cases have been the failure to uphold absence protocol,10% of misconduct has been for abusive language, and at least a quarter of the of misconduct cases are for negligence, thus shows a lack discipline in the employees (CNN). In addition, letters of reprimand has been given to 47% of cases. These stats show that the requirements for decent workers have been at best, proficient, and as a result, proper training and higher requirements should be held for TSA employees. Furthermore, improper training and incomplete background checks create incompetent workers that are suppose to be in charge of the lives of travelers. According to TSA requirements, the only education background one needs to become a TSA agent is to have a basic education background; however, this does not include a high school degree (airsafe). In addition, according to New York Times, around 2,800 TSA agents have been confirmed to not have the comprehension-training program (nytimes). This demonstrates the upmost lack of regulation in the screening for TSA employees, and thus creates an ineffective system.
Though some might say that TSA agents new programs such as SPOT, Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques, have been increasing effectiveness; however, after several reviews, it has been shown that programs such as SPOT have no evidence that prove they have been effective (washingtonpost). According to GAO, It takes one to be properly trained in order to have an objective view to use programs such as