Biometric Fingerprint Scans

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northernsoul
Posts: 68
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:51 pm
Location: CORNWALL

Biometric Fingerprint Scans

Post by northernsoul »

Just come across an article about our favoured state school having introduced a system for fingerprint scanning to pay for school meals and to record 6th form attendance. Feeling rather uncomfortable about it. Is this common practice in state secondaries now?
moved
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Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Post by moved »

DD's school operate a thumb print system. We put money on through the internet. Children with free school meals automatically have money on theirs, so eliminates the opportunity for other children to be aware of this need.

DD's also has that she has coeliac disease so if she inadvertently picks up some food that she should not eat the computer can tell her.
hermanmunster
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Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

I know quite a few schools who do this - also need to use fingerprint (instead of ticket) to get library books. I am normally pretty anti any biometric data on databases but the kids seem remarkably relaxed about it all....
doodles
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Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Post by doodles »

At least my DS wouldn't be able to lose his thumb..... I hope.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
mike1880
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Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Post by mike1880 »

Master 1880's school started this at the beginning of this term, he seems to think it's pretty cool. I can check online to see what he's been buying. I can't believe how fast he eats his way through 50 quid though :shock: .
MasterChief
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:01 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by MasterChief »

No experience of this yet but my natural paranoia wouldn't allow me to be very happy if my children had to use it.
"We've got a date with Destiny and it looks like she's ordered the lobster."
andyb
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Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by andyb »

DS's school have used it in the library for ages - prevents boys "borrowing" each others tickets and then losing the book. They are changing to fingerprint recognition in the canteen after half term - can't lose a finger (hopefully - although they did scan 2 fingers just in case!), free school meals credited automatically and deducted exactly the same way as everyone else, list of allergies/intolerances etc recorded so child can't accidently pick something up with the wrong ingredients. Record of purchases held so parents can see what their children are spending all that money on! (Mike1180 - DS is topped up with £20 on an almost weekly basis - he is so scrawny though - eating his way through that much he should be the size of a bus :shock: )

I know it sounds a bit "big brother" and just a step away from DNA testing but we have assurances that the info is only held for the specific purposes of library and canteen and I'm satisfied with that.
yoyo123
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

doodles wrote:At least my DS wouldn't be able to lose his thumb..... I hope.


:lol: :lol: :lol:
heartmum
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Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by heartmum »

MY DCs school use it for their library books .... they think it's great!!!

It's becoming the way of the world - it won't be long before we get rid of keys, plastic cards etc ... it will all be with our fingerprints (even eye scanners)!!! :shock:

Beam me up Scottie!!! :roll:
Heartmum x x x
Chelmsford mum
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Post by Chelmsford mum »

I have no objection to it in principle.It has been in place for a while at DDs' school.
I did find that they were spending money faster.They are not allowed to go to the canteen every day due to budget constraints and I found they were spending their allowance quicker.When I asked them things like
"Well how much does a bottle of milk cost ?"
They were vague,
"Don't know, just used my finger"

So I no longer top up via the internet.I give them the cash to load in pound coins into the coin meter type thing on the days they are allowed a canteen lunch.As we are on a tight budget, I think it is important that they remember there is real cash invoved in the process!
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