Fingerprint Scans for Lunch at School
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There is growing use of fingerprint scans in schools to pay for lunch. This is a way that the school can speed up the lunch process, keep a data base of what each student has selected for lunch and eliminate the necessity of the pupils having to handle money. There are, however, some objections to the process:
“…Last fall, Stoll tried to start fingerprint scans at Boulder’s Columbine Elementary at lunchtime, but nixed it after parents and the Boulder County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union raised concerns about privacy issues and identity theft.”
link: Lunch line biometrics on hold in Boulder Valley
There are some other issues that should be examined. What is the cost of such a biometric system? Is this the best expenditure of school funds? For example, does a speedy lunch trump more educational material, funds for another staff member and a whole list of other items that require funding? Another question is ‘what is wrong with students learning to handle money in school?’. Paying for lunch may not be high finances but it does teach responsibility and consequences. What better place to teach these basic economic lessons than in school?
Perhaps the priorities within school are shifting. A speedy, biometrically controlled lunch is less headaches for the staff. The kids can learn about money and responsibilities elsewhere. Let’s make sure the lunch line moves along.
Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster: http://flyinghamster.com/
[tags]schools, lunch, biometrics, fingerprint scans, money, lessons, privacy, identity theft, education[/tags]
2 Comments
computrout
October 9th, 2007
at 12:27pm
In the school district I work for, all of our cafeterias have moved from scanning a card to the students punching in a code. Amazingly enough, our students are doing a great job rembering their number (including the younger elementary students). Once a student puts in their code, a photo shows up on the cashier’s computer, so they can verify that the student is not stealing from another students account. We did look into biometrics, but found it to be to much of a hassel, too expensive, and too time consuming to set up. As technology improves, we may look into this again.
Richard
July 18th, 2008
at 6:23pm
In all too many public shools, if students bring cash to school to pay for lunch the only lesson in “handling money” they’ll get is how to say “Goodbye” to it as the gangbangers releive them of it.