Monday, August 13, 2007

Gloucestershire County Council rethinking recent UK Government guidelines

Despite the UK Government recently issuing guidance for schools using biometric systems Gloucestershire County Council are deciding whether to issue their own guidance to schools in their area.

With a total of 8,400 children already fingerprinted in the Gloucestershire area, some just four years old, members of all political parties in the county council have created draft guidelines to help schools decide whether to use fingerprinting.

This article reports that Gloucestershire County Council, "...strongly recommends schools should consider the implications of the biometric data before making a decision.Liberal democrats at Gloucestershire County Council have welcomed the draft guidelines, but say they should go further.

Lib Deb leader councillor Jeremy Hilton, said:

"Using biometric technology in schools introduces a number of serious and unnecessary risks.

"Personally I would encourage schools not to introduce fingerprinting."

Jackie Hall, lead cabinet member for children and young people, will decide whether to endorse the [government] guidelines in September.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, I live in Gloucestershire and have just found out that my son was finger printed with out my knowledge or consent and I am furious. Keep up the good work, we are not paranoid delusionists as some might think, just concerned parents.

Pippa King said...

I know you are not paranoid or delusional, comments made from people that say so about parents that have concerns about biometircs in schools are simply ignorant and uneducated in this area.

Many technology experts have concerns too see http://www.leavethemkidsalone.com/opponent.htm

Unsurprisingly the only people for biometrics in schools are some government ministers, biometric technology vendors and people that do not offer informed opinion.

There are many parents that feel as you do, including me! :)