[CS-FSLUG] Fingerprint system

[Vincent Danen]

* David McGlone <david.mcglone at att.net> [2007-09-24 19:31:54 -0400]:

Let me pick on some words here and see if it helps.

>On Monday 24 September 2007 6:35:24 pm Warren Sanders wrote:
>> David McGlone wrote:
>> > Hi All,
>> >
>> > I have no clue how to explain this, but I'll do my best. And forgive me
>> > if this sounds idiotic but I am genuinely concerned about this issue.
>> >
>> > My 3 kids school have started a fingerprint system where the parents can
>> > send their kids lunch money etc, etc to the school and the school will

You say "can send their kids"... is this a requirement?  Is there a way
to opt out and have your kids go to school with cold hard cash or will
they refuse to feed them?  Is there something against your kids bringing
a bag lunch or *must* they use the cafeteria?

In short, is the school mandating that a) your kids must register their
fingerprints, b) your kids must *not* bring cash to school, c) if your
kids want to eat in the cafeteria they must use biometrics, and d) the
kids are not allowed to eat anything in the school other than what comes
from the cafeteria?

Look at that closely.  If any of those are true, I'd raise a stink.  If
they're not... well, send your kids with pocket change or send them with
a bag lunch.

>> > use the kids fingerprints to access their money in the cafeteria and
>> > such.
>> >
>> > I for one am not a big fan of this, but I don't know how to express my
>> > concerns to the school. I worry about many things and my main concern is
>> > the Bible. Can anyone refer me to some guidance in my bible?
>> >
>> > I hope I can get some feedback as soon as possible, I will be meeting
>> > with someone on the school board tomorrow morning and I want to be
>> > prepared.
>> >
>> > Thanks
>>
>> I certainly feel your pain.  However I'd be more concerned if they
>> wanted to implant chips or tattoo our children.
>
>That's my bigger worry. I'm worried that this fingerprint system is just the 
>beginning of implanted chips.

It could be... but not anytime soon.  Biometrics is a fad.  I actually
don't mind it.  My deadbolt at home is a biometric lock... the wife or I
can swipe our finger to unlock the door or tap it to lock it.  Great for
taking walks around the neighbourhood without clunky keys.

I have had 3 laptops over the last few years with fingerprint scanners.
They're actually quite nice, because I can set some abhorent password
that I don't really need to remember, because I swipe my finger to
login.  And no one else can get into my stuff as a result.

Biometrics in and of itself isn't evil.  I honestly think we're going to
see retinal scanners as the fad before we see chips and tattoos (well,
chips... I'm not sure what a tattoo would accomplish in the end-world
global economy as a means of keeping track of money).

Also, unless you're talking college, there is absolutely no way that
kids will be chipped or tattoo'd in high/elementary school before the
rest of the world.  The world has just gotten onto the bandwagon of
giving kids their own credit cards; chips are still some ways off I
think.

>> These are signs that we 
>> are getting ever closer to the times mentioned in the Bible.
>
>Very true. I'm sitting here thinking that whether I say anything or not, I 
>cannot stop it from happening. But at least I can protect my child some way 
>or another in the process.

Absolutely.  If you feel that strongly, don't go along with it.  Express
your concerns and beliefs to the school, and ask them, quite candidly,
the questions I noted above.  Again, if any of them are a yes, then
raise one heck of a stink.  If not... like I said, give them a bag lunch
or pocket change.  I imagine that's no different than what you're doing
now.

>I have seriously considered home schooling them, but I am afraid I am not able 
>to give them the quality education that someone with the credentials could. 
>And I cannot afford private or christian schools.

A bag lunch is probably easier than home schooling.  =)

Also, have you looked into private/christian schools?  Some may have
financing available.  The school my daughter goes to (and my wife is now
the secretary at), costs quite a bit to go to... about $2000CAD/yr per
child.  Now, I can afford that (not super easily, but I can do it), but
there are others who go to the school who can't.  One family has 3 kids
there and they paid about 5% of the tuition; the school gave them a
break on the other 95% because they just couldn't afford it (keep in
mind... 3 kids is $6k just in tuition... the school effectively gave
them about $5800 *off*).  Now, this school may be special in that
respect, but it never hurts to ask if they have any kind of financing or
discount program for families that can't afford it.  At a christian
school, you might be surprised at the result (and it never hurts to
ask).

>> I'm sure 
>> many point can be brought up in regard to Biblical warnings on this
>> subject, but there are also examples where others were very flexible to
>> the request of society.  Such as the name change: "to Hananiah,
>> Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego." Yet they did
>> not bend on eating the royal food.  Ultimately our freedom to spread the
>> Good News still stands.
>
>This is where I'm confused. I don't know whether to ask them not to include my 
>child in this, or consider removing them from the school or just go along 
>with it.

Well, you likely can't stop them from implementing it if that's what
they want to do.  But if they *don't* disallow actual money, then what
difference does it make?  Instead of using the "new fangled biometric
system", your kids keep a few dollars in their pocket.

-- 
Vincent Danen @ http://linsec.ca/