Biometric Scanning

[luciemule]

Hi - just found out last night, when I noticed DDs library book only had a bar code and not a date due back page, that they are doing biometric scanning in the school library. DD said that her thumb prints were taken last year but I received no parental consent form or information about it at all.
Apparently, whilst not illegal to take your child's thumb prints, the schools are advised by DCSF to involve parents and offer an opt out option. None of this was done at our school.

I don't know much about this but it does sound a little odd not to have even been told this was happening, yet alone check permission?

that's what I thought.

We use this. It's not biometric. It's a picture of the print and not v reliable, frankly - it doesn't work at all without also using the initial of their surname and even then gets siblings confused on a regular basis. But I can assure you that the children find it very exciting. If you opt out, every other child in the library at the time would be aware. It's really nothing to worry about.

I have been registering children at the junior school I work at this week, but we sent a letter asking parents for permission - so far out of 216 children 126 have replied, only one has said no - but we won't be using the thumbprint system unless we have a signed permission slip.
Which system do you use lizipads? - we are using Junior Librarian's identikit, which doesn't store an image of the fingerprint, it creates a mathematical template from four points on the fingerprint.

One point to note is that although it is currently legal (though not recommended) to take a scan of a child's thumb without the parent's permission, the new government have stated their intention to require schools to gain permission before doing so.

The system just takes some measurements and turns it into a code. The initial print is then destroyed.
However it frequently doesn't work with children, the younger they are the less likely it is to work.

Sorry: my mistake on how the system works, but I really do believe it's nothing to worry about. It's not much use to the school (as per mummytime's post on its reliability) so isn't really what I'd term biometric data, which implies that you could actually identify someone from it.

lizi - you could if prints were stored or at least steal identity from the computer system storing them.
Typical of our school though - they come up with what they belive to be good ideas (and I'm not totally against it) however, they think they're beyond asking permission/opinions for most things and just crack on. If someone then questions them/headteacher, they are shot down in flames!!! That's the bit I'm not keen on .