A MOTHER of two has been outraged by a scheme to fingerprint pupils who take school dinners in Flintshire.
Mold Alun and Buckley Elfed are piloting the biometric security system.
The aim is to create a cashless canteen, eliminating the need for pupils to carry cash or a swipe card, which can be lost or stolen.
But in a letter to the Chronicle, mum Sophie McKeand, of Mold, who has two children at the Alun High School, said the system meant children were being treated like criminals.
She added: “My children are not criminals or terrorists and have the right not to be treated as such.”
Sophie is contacting Delyn MP David Hanson to protest about the fingerprinting scheme.
She wants parents who share her concerns to contact her.
Sophie claimed the biometric security system had been introduced without parental consent, adding: “That such important and sensitive biometric data is being taken from children for a matter as trivial as buying lunch is absolutely absurd.”
But a spokesman for the council said: “The introduction of biometric technology in schools is not illegal.
“It is widely recognised schools have over the last few years begun to use automated fingerprint identification systems for registration, library book borrowing and cashless catering.
“Fingerprints are not essential to the applications but unlike swipe cards they cannot be lost.
“Parents have received a letter explaining how the system works and also provides parents with the option of their children using a Pin rather than the biometric data.
“If any parent is unhappy with either of these options, arrangements can be made for pupils to pay for their school meal by alternative means.
“The introduction of the system into the Alun School, Mold follows extensive consultation with the governing body, a focus group of parents, the school council, the sixth form council and the PTA.”
At the time of going to press the school were unavailable for comment.
Article
