Comments on: A Look Over the Horizon? Look All Around!

By: RS

RS — Mon, 14 May 2007 19:41:57 +0000

I totally agree that a school for children should not require this. But as a business owner, it would be within my right to request this. And if you do not wish to comply, you can feel free to take your business elsewhere.

By: RS

RS — Mon, 14 May 2007 18:41:57 +0000

By: Joy Robinson-Van Gilder

Joy Robinson-Van Gilder — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 19:06:53 +0000

In Aug 2005 our Public school decided to start using biometrics. New technology in a town of less than 500 school students."This will put us on the map" We were told. Probably not the way they expected due to the several problems I had with the way this was presented upon the children & community. . First the children were to scan, parental consent was not needed or an option. They dont scan ,they dont eat, is what My husband & I were told at registration. We stated our children were not to scan and believed it was against there rights. Meanwhile a few days later on Aug 20,05 our youngest daughter was born. My oldest children Brooke (11 yrs old) & Gunner (7yrs old at the time)Were still brown bagging it. In Sept my son Gunner was told to scan, he tried to explain that he was not to scan. Therefore he was hushed and told to scan anyway. Gunner came home and told me what had happened. Then the excuses started coming in from administration within the school district. I had explained that not only my childrens rights were being violated but the other students rights were as well. We did not appear to be getting very far with our concerns so I contacted the local newspaper, met with the board of education in Dec. (which stated at the meeting this was the first time it had been brought to the boards attention). I then started contacting Illinois legislation and faxed a letter as well as letters from the Superintendant that stated my 7 year old willingly gave up his finger. I was literally amazed at the audacity of an administrative authority passing the blame unto a 7 year old child. Since then SB 2549 was introduced by Senator Miguel Del Valle -now session sine die. A story aired on CBN Nov 7, 06 about our situation here in Earlville,IL. I continued to make phone calls and send the CBN link as well as newspaper articles to legislation and the media explaining the story again and that Senator Miquel Del Valle stepped down and we needed a law that would require parental consent and rules and regulations for the schools who were using or planning on using this technolgy. I was invited to Washington D.C. where I was fortunate enough to tell this story and meet people that stood up for privacy on a regular basis and have been a great asset and help with this fight to protect childrens rights. Illinois Legislation now has two bills that have been introduced. HB 1559 introduced by State Rep Bob Pritchard & SB 1702 introduced by Senator Kim Lightford. As these bills continue to go through the house & Senate and vice versa I will give an update as soon as I recieve more information. I do not believe technolgy to be the problem, the problems start when people asssume that because they have the technolgy or are a school district that that in fact means they have control over the childrens unique identifying information and or the right to take the rights of the children away. How wrong they are, A law is definatly needed to protect these childrens rights and to be there so a school district will have guidlines to go by and cut out this We have the power over your children and do not require parental consent theory. I allowed my finger impressions to be scanned as an Illinois licensure requirement , I am also a mother of 5 (including my step-son) and over the age of 30 . I am not a minor (child) trying to purchase a hot lunch at my school.
Hopefully I will have another update at the end of this week.
Joy Robinson-Van Gilder

By: Joy Robinson-Van Gilder

Joy Robinson-Van Gilder — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 18:06:53 +0000

In Aug 2005 our Public school decided to start using biometrics. New technology in a town of less than 500 school students.”This will put us on the map” We were told. Probably not the way they expected due to the several problems I had with the way this was presented upon the children & community. . First the children were to scan, parental consent was not needed or an option. They dont scan ,they dont eat, is what My husband & I were told at registration. We stated our children were not to scan and believed it was against there rights. Meanwhile a few days later on Aug 20,05 our youngest daughter was born. My oldest children Brooke (11 yrs old) & Gunner (7yrs old at the time)Were still brown bagging it. In Sept my son Gunner was told to scan, he tried to explain that he was not to scan. Therefore he was hushed and told to scan anyway. Gunner came home and told me what had happened. Then the excuses started coming in from administration within the school district. I had explained that not only my childrens rights were being violated but the other students rights were as well. We did not appear to be getting very far with our concerns so I contacted the local newspaper, met with the board of education in Dec. (which stated at the meeting this was the first time it had been brought to the boards attention). I then started contacting Illinois legislation and faxed a letter as well as letters from the Superintendant that stated my 7 year old willingly gave up his finger. I was literally amazed at the audacity of an administrative authority passing the blame unto a 7 year old child. Since then SB 2549 was introduced by Senator Miguel Del Valle -now session sine die. A story aired on CBN Nov 7, 06 about our situation here in Earlville,IL. I continued to make phone calls and send the CBN link as well as newspaper articles to legislation and the media explaining the story again and that Senator Miquel Del Valle stepped down and we needed a law that would require parental consent and rules and regulations for the schools who were using or planning on using this technolgy. I was invited to Washington D.C. where I was fortunate enough to tell this story and meet people that stood up for privacy on a regular basis and have been a great asset and help with this fight to protect childrens rights. Illinois Legislation now has two bills that have been introduced. HB 1559 introduced by State Rep Bob Pritchard & SB 1702 introduced by Senator Kim Lightford. As these bills continue to go through the house & Senate and vice versa I will give an update as soon as I recieve more information. I do not believe technolgy to be the problem, the problems start when people asssume that because they have the technolgy or are a school district that that in fact means they have control over the childrens unique identifying information and or the right to take the rights of the children away. How wrong they are, A law is definatly needed to protect these childrens rights and to be there so a school district will have guidlines to go by and cut out this We have the power over your children and do not require parental consent theory. I allowed my finger impressions to be scanned as an Illinois licensure requirement , I am also a mother of 5 (including my step-son) and over the age of 30 . I am not a minor (child) trying to purchase a hot lunch at my school. Hopefully I will have another update at the end of this week. Joy Robinson-Van Gilder

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:35:51 +0000

So the school’s couldn’t track exactly what the kids were eating before the biometrics were implemented?? Almost all school lunch lines use some sort of ID method which would track what kids purchased anyways. Biometrics are simply a faster way of moving kids through the line.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:35:51 +0000

By: V

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:34:22 +0000

The first thing is an attempt to keep kids out of malls. It has nothing to do with ID.

By: V

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:34:22 +0000

The first thing is an attempt to keep kids out of malls. It has nothing to do with ID.