About four years ago I left my employment with RBS due to a disagreement that I had with their policy of using thumb print recognition to log onto company computers.
At one of their flagship sites in Scotland, RBS were also asking staff on a 'voluntary' basis to have their iris recognition taken all in the name of improved site security. Needless to say I refused to enter that building during my employment.
I have never been a supporter of the national ID card or the retention of DNA by police from suspects that have either been released charged or been proven through the courts not guilty and am a passionate supporter of civil liberties.
On Monday evening travelling from work to the Children & Lifelong Learning scrutiny committee meeting there was an alarming item featured on the news where a child from Chase School was denied from joining in the school Christmas meal because his parents refused to let the school take his thumb print.
This item was raised at the scrutiny committee but I do not think that it is enough to have a 'reassurance' that the scheme is 'voluntary' and no child would be discriminated against should it not participate.
I'm pleased that isn't the case as I wouldn't send my daughter to any school which has a policy of show me your finger print or starve.
It appears that four schools in Southend use thumb print technology for the purposes of either obtaining a book from the library or a school meal.
Whilst it is disgusting enough to finger print children in the same cold manner that we do to criminals, it seems that Governing bodies can introduce such intrusive measures as they have overall control of the school and not the local authority.
I have serious profound concerns as to who has access to this data, if the technology is secure, will the data still be retained once the pupil has left school as well as the rights of parents and children. I also question how much information was given to parents who gave consent to this practice.
Let's be absolutely clear, these systems are an intrusive waste of public money where the money could be better spent on books, equipment or teacher salaries
I personally feel that collecting biometrics of Children and dismissing parents concerns by the Governing bodies concerned is nothing short of wierd behaviour.
Schools should be about places of learning not another government body obtaining biometric data retained for the life of the subjects, probably in defiance of EU law, and being passed on to be added to larger and larger databases, without the subjects knowledge or control or freedom to opt out.
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