School to fingerprint students to ‘monitor their diets’

This is the earliest article I could find. Fingerprinting students for the lunch program isn't very unusual, according to the article.

Can anyone tell me how this is any different from ID cards issued every year with name and picture of the student?

Funny thing, I work in a secondary school over here in England, Wont mention it but lets just say its a larger sized school that has just undergone a complete refurbish. Before we had our summer break all the staff and students were sent letters saying that we needed to have our finger prints taken so that we could buy things from the school lunch and while most signed off without kicking up a fuss, me and two friends decided to request information about the system that the school would be using and they said 'Under Data Protection and the System Security we cannot answer any detailed questions other than those we have answered previously. We are doing this to ensure lunchtimes run as fast and smoothly as possible.' I decided not to do it, even though my two friends caved and signed up to it and had their finger prints taken.

Now out of a staff of a few hundred, I am the only one who has yet to allow my finger prints to be taken and have stuck to taking in my own lunch but that isn't the end of the story; 3 days ago, I was sent a letter by the governors of the school who want to meet and asked why I'm refusing to give over my finger print, I told them that I didn't feel comfortable giving it to someone who I dont think I will know for many years (Meaning I'm looking for work because I hate my job and only work two hours a day) They asked why I took in a packed lunch and I replied that I couldn't get things from the kitchen because of the new fingerprint system and they seemed to accept that and now things have gotten a little worse.

Friday, I was informed by the school head teacher in a staff meeting, that food brought in from off site, unless its for medical reasons, would be banned. Meaning I could no longer bring food onto the school site. they claimed that I might give some to a pupil who is allergic and would course a legal issue for the school. this comes into force from next term (After Christmas) I've called for a governor meeting but have been told that it would not be something they are willing to remove and that it would be a new rule enforced by the governors.

Now I'm lucky. I work from twelve until two in the afternoon, so I can just either eat before or after but what if I was working the full day. I'd either have to take the dive and cave into their demands or I'd starve all day until I got home. Its insane what they are trying to get away with and parents are just signing up to it with smiles and not worrying.

'When the world close their eyes to the privacy being taken from them, we will all face the fall of freedom'

originally posted by: links234
This is the earliest article I could find. Fingerprinting students for the lunch program isn't very unusual, according to the article.

Can anyone tell me how this is any different from ID cards issued every year with name and picture of the student?

If you have to ask, you clearly Don't get it. The answer is in your question.

Sorry.

Peace

originally posted by: WeAre0ne
I don't see the big deal about this.

Its no different from having a student ID card with a unique number on it. Instead of spending money on new cards every year, and replacement cards when they are lost or damaged, using a fingerprint is the next best thing to a unique ID.

As for tracking their diet, I don't see the harm in gaining info that could better assist the student's health in the future.

On the surface, when you frequent a conspiracy forum, it all seems like a bad idea because you have a specific train of thought. Once you get past that initial shock factor of using fingerprints (which is really convenient) it doesn't seem much different from using a student ID card.

Regards,
Devil's advocate

-1

I guess you would think that if you didn't think that 20 inches of snow is more significant than 8 inches of snow. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that the thing that concerns me most about things like this is that the consequences are cumulative.

a reply to: Cynic

Amerika. Land of the free, home of the oppressed.

This is in England.

a reply to: Danny85

This is old new's in Scotland , having the children finger printed without any form of authorization from the parent's or guardian with the excuse it was for the library etc .

But once done it is there for life ,unless someone was to take their fingers over a carpet gripper as i have done many time's at my work .

I just love to see the anger on a policeman's face when they try and finger print me another thing i have done many time's .

I hope you take you're sandwiches in your car as it is not on school property ! or go to the boundry of it

a reply to: jude11

I agree. I had the choice a few years ago, & I opted my kids OUT! They installed this fingerprint scanner to keep track of the kids lunch accounts, I opted out because of the germs. Just added germs. So I pack my boys lunch everyday, & they no longer buy, which is fine with my boys since the school went ALL WHEAT. I'm highly allergic to wheat, unfortunately, I passed my allergies onto one of my boys, so I don't want him eating the wheat. My other son hates any & all wheat....school doesn't give a choice between different flavored sandwiches or even pizza. ITS ALL WHEAT...Screw the fingerprint scanner. Not allowed to opt out any longer. As a parent, that should be MY choice!

a reply to: neoholographic

I'd rather they scan ID cards.....

a reply to: Danny85

Baloney!! They are screwing with you. I feel for you.You should not have to put up with that. It's wrong on so many levels....

originally posted by: jude11
The insults on my personal views are expected from someone who supports this type of enslavement.

Thanks for proving my point.

Peace

I didn't insult, I simply pointed out obviously simplistic irrational thoughts. Pointing out the obvious is not an insult, its an observation.

Enslavement hahahaha. There you go again. Thanks for proving my point. What's next? Are you going to give us a lecture about the mark of the beast?

a reply to: neoholographic

It'd be easier if they just bar-coded tattoos on the ears of all students.

Then they could be scanned and it could be their "number" as they grow up through life.

"moo"

I am surprised some of you don't cry about giving kids a first name and last name (ID) that they grow up with the rest of their lives. God forbid a school tracks your kid by their first and last name.

I don't think the fingerprint part is that bad if its for tracking as you can choose not to use the terminals. The problem it chips/remote access, you don't have any choice when you are scanned.

My problem with this is they are using social trickery. First they say cashless, then healthy and then catering, it went from free, to emotion and then to assured paycheck. They wouldn't want to track poor eating habits if they didn't seek to control. what they have now is kids parents spending 70 per month on kids food or none as the kids get sent with a lunch the school didn't sell. What they want is to make it a "one price fits all" and have all the kids eating the same thing for 100 a month. They will use emotional blackmail.

If this goes trough, the meals that are forced on kids will be great....then slowly lose quality but the price will be the same or more and because its a "service" you don't have control over the cost and they will not rip a system out once its in place.

originally posted by: beezzer
a reply to: neoholographic

It'd be easier if they just bar-coded tattoos on the ears of all students.

Then they could be scanned and it could be their "number" as they grow up through life.

"moo"

All my life the same set of number's seem to follow me around the place in the army [very briefly ] oil rig construction yards / even the jail and library 620 xxx every where i go that same 6 pop up .

who needs a tattoo

My son's school has had this for the last two years. It's fantastic. Not only is it cashless, in that you can pay online, but the child can also "charge the balance" of their account at the school office.

We (the parents) can see what our son is eating.

Those who think suspicion and fear at this type of development should.

1. Consider the beneficial application of technology.
2. Get a family of your own.
3. Stop thinking every development in tech is bad. Some of the comments so far are priceless!
4. er, that's it.

Regards

originally posted by: WeAre0ne

originally posted by: jude11
The insults on my personal views are expected from someone who supports this type of enslavement.

Thanks for proving my point.

Peace

I didn't insult, I simply pointed out obviously simplistic irrational thoughts. Pointing out the obvious is not an insult, its an observation.

Enslavement hahahaha. There you go again. Thanks for proving my point. What's next? Are you going to give us a lecture about the mark of the beast?

You did insult him, and went on to further insults in the same post where you say you didn't insult him. You are a nasty piece of work !

Oh, and have you noticed that your opinion on the topic does not fit with everyone elses ? Perhaps you are on the wrong site and ought to go elswhere.

originally posted by: WeAre0ne
I am surprised some of you don't cry about giving kids a first name and last name (ID) that they grow up with the rest of their lives. God forbid a school tracks your kid by their first and last name.

Oh dear, more insults. Move along why don't you.

a reply to: neoholographic

Letting biometric data out in the wild is NEVER a smart move - which ever were the initial applications. Eventually the data can be used to defraud and for identity theft. Once you let it out to private 3rd parties - the djini is out of the box - and you do not yourself have any control of where that information will end up. And that piece of data can be used to defraud new style passport which contain embedded biometric data. And biometric data has a very long validity period...

Scenario:

(1) get hold on somebody else's biometric data as a bit-stream by either hacking or phycial intrusion to school's systems
(2) create a fake passport and insert that biometric data there
(3) acquire image/print of actual fingerprints
(4) produce silicon copies of the actual fingerprints (so that your "fingerprints" match the biometric data in the passport)
(5) live a happy and prosperous life - using the id of this poor kid - both in US and EU - travel, buy, steal, kill, what ever - the kid will take the hit (leave fingerprints, sign electronically, etc etc)

One can then relate if it is that a smart move to take all this risk, just for the sake of being seemingly interested of dietary habits. A normal ID card from a school does not really have this sort of risks.

Biometric data on EU passports

originally posted by: WeAre0ne
I don't see the big deal about this.

Coming from the US perspective I tend to agree with you, to an extent. I would like to know specifically what information is being recorded and how that information is accessed / reasons for access by people with access to the system.

If its passive / benign, IE allows a parent / school to monitor whats being eaten etc I don't see any issues with it, provided its not used to punish a person. Using biometric data as login ID etc is being introduced to the US, albeit slowly.

Its like the programs here in the states where local law enforcement offers fingerprinting free to school age children. Some parents do it, some refuse to do it because they fear its used for something sinister.

As technology evolves we are going to see more and more resistance based on an "blanket mentality". Just because one school / group misuse the system in one area, we have a reaction to the extent that it must be occurring everywhere.

I am assuming they have the same parent teacher group setups in the UK like in the US. Get involved people.. go to the meetings, let the schools know what you think. Ask them about your concerns and see how they answer the questions and go from there.


To be honest the other area I think this setup should be applied to is school medical services and local hospitals. I dont see any issues with student medical information being attached to the students biometric issues should something happen at school. While the first action after getting medial assistance is to contact a parent, sometimes that is not possible right away.

I could see a system to assist in this area being beneficial. Same with student medications. Go to the school nurse, access where the student medication is via the school nurse and students bio info that logs date and time and dose and go from there.

It is interesting that hideo kojima writing is solely coming true every metal gear game has allot of truth.