[senco-forum] Should I be Concerned? ( Not SEN)

From: Janet Barlow <janet.barlow at talk21.com>

Apparently schools do not have to have your permission to fingerprint your
children so there may not have been a letter at all.  The data protection
law states that they just have to have the child's permission if they
consider the child is old enough to make the decision.

If you really want to be worried have a look at
http://www.leavethemkidsalone.com/, the web site of a campaign to ban this
practice.

Jamie

> From: Janet Barlow <janet.barlow at talk21.com>
> Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2007 09:59:30 +0000 (GMT)
> To: senco-forum <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
> Subject: [senco-forum] Should I be Concerned?   ( Not SEN)
> 
> Not SEN but I would welcome your thoughts.
>    
>   My sons' school has introduced a new system for borrowing books from the
> school library which involves them using their thumb print - rather than
> scanning in the book's bar code or an alternative system.
>       I'm a bit uncomfortable about the idea - a thumb print seems to be a
> step towards the 'big brother is watching you' scenario.
>      I'm not sure if parents were consulted or if agreement was asked - it may
> have been and I've just signed it without really thinking about implications
> or it may be there was a letter which my dyslexic boys failed to bring home or
> worse still there may have not been a lettter in the first place.
>      What do you feel? Has anybody any experience of such a system? Am I being
> unnecessarily paranoid?
>   Thanks,
>   Janet
> 