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Original poster

Biometrics, stay alert!

32 replies

Thomouse · 25/01/2015 16:31

Something to watch out for is the Biometrics option (and it IS an OPTION!) being introduced into schools. Supposedly to ease dinner Q's and Library access. What you need to watch, is that you have inadvertantly signed up to a whole child profiling system running in the background. To include the recording of everything from psychological problems, who they sit with to finger print recognition, palm print, iris recognition, academic performance, general behaviour etc, etc.
It's an open back door to watching and recording your children from cradle to grave.
Just because your school ISN'T doing it now, doesn't mean they won't slip in the extras later.
STAY ALERT. ASK QUESTIONS!
The good news; It comes under the Data Protection act, Government guidelines, which allow one parent alone or the child / children to withdraw from the scheme. The school HAS TO HAVE an alternative system for you to use! It is also coveredby; "The duties on schools in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 set out in
this advice come into effect from 1 September 2013."
To see an example Google Minted Box Education.
This group created the Website for the Company doing the catering for the Secondary/comprehensive school in New Milton, Hants. I suspect the catering company is using their finger print scanning equipment.
Just a bit too cosy?

OP posts:
basildonbond · 25/01/2015 17:49

Do you wear a tin foil hat, thomouse?

TeenAndTween · 25/01/2015 17:24

And actually, if there was more joined up info, maybe my DD's school would have spotted trends across subjects in where she was struggling, rather than waiting for me to point them out?

TeenAndTween · 25/01/2015 17:23

Personally I think there are much bigger things to be worried about (if you so choose) than some school software making access to information about a child easier for teachers.

How about

  • mobile phone records
  • all the info people give away on facebook and the internet incl mumsnet
  • Tesco club-cards and the like
  • credit card info

However, 'luckily' big computer projects joining up data are notoriously awful, as people over spec and things get over complicated etc. This is why if you have an accident in Newcastle they won't be able to tell from your records in Dorset that you are allergic to nuts. Or why children end up slipping through child protection nets because info from school, social services or whatever isn't joined up, especially when a child moves area. Or why even different government departs aren't very good a sharing information.

So, why so worried about this particular piece of potentially useful technology?

Original poster
Thomouse · 25/01/2015 17:06

Try and move past "finger print."
Try and think about that nearly useless word Democracy or try Transparency.
If I said to you prisoners on Death Row had less detail recorded about them, as an example, would that mean anything to you?
Or how about you read in the Newspapers that the East German Stasi had been recording the the whole life cycle of their children from cradle to grave?

Down the road aways, your child's mistakes in junior school or elsewhere, (calling someone a fag, or a lez.) marked them out as unsuitable for certain careers?

You're going to tell me "they wouldn't do that and anyway, it's supposed to be destroyed when they are 18 or leave college."
Yes, for how much longer and would you know if they did change it?
I'd liketo know which responders to this, as we go along, are actually involved in it.
Please, just look at Minted Box Education, and use your imagination a little.
It's only a blessed dinner Q or Library for goodness sake, they're not trying to break into Fort Knox!!

OP posts:
PotteringAlong · 25/01/2015 16:52

I think you're a bit overly invested in this. It doesn't store their actual fingerprint, it's just an easy way of buying a sandwich.

PeaStalks · 25/01/2015 16:50

Oh just chill. It's a simple way of paying for dinners.

TeenAndTween · 25/01/2015 16:40

Can you explain more clearly what you are actually worried about?

Schools obviously need to record academic performance and behaviour. Having that linked to SEN or whatever makes perfect sense.

DD's school also uses fingerprint recognition technology for the canteen. To do this, it doesn't of course store the actual fingerprint, only a code generated when the print was originally registered.

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