Thumbprints Used To Check Books Out of School Library

krou writes "Junior students at Higher Lane Primary in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, are in a trial of a system that uses their thumbprints to check out and return books from a library. The thumbprints are 'digitally transformed into electronic codes, which can then be recognized by a computer program.' The system was developed by Microsoft, and is being trialled elsewhere in the country. NO2ID condemned the system, saying it was appalling, and that 'It conditions children to hand over sensitive personal information.' The headmaster has defended the scheme, saying, 'We have researched this scheme thoroughly. It is a biometric recognition system and no image of a fingerprint is ever stored. It is a voluntary system. The thumbprint creates a mathematical template. All parents have been written to and we have told them what the system is all about. From the responses we have had there has been overwhelming support. We hold a lot of information about children because we are a school. This is no different.'"

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It's worth mentioning ...

[krou]

... that it's more widespread than the article Snip:

Many schools are fingerprinting pupils without parents' permission, teachers have warned.

It is thought around 100 schools in the UK now use fingerprint identification systems for registration, borrowing library books and cashless catering.

But there is no legal requirement for schools to seek parents' consent for using biometric technologies.

Riiights...

[vvaduva]

"All pupils' details are erased when they leave school."

They promise...this time is true! For real!