Parents Upset Over Lunchtime Palm Scanner

Parents Upset Over Lunchtime Palm Scanner

$300,000 system leads to privacy concerns.

By MSN Living Editor - Rebekah Schilperoort Fri 8:08 PM

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Parents of students at Carroll County schools in Baltimore, Md., say a new policy that scans kids' palms to pay for their lunches goes too far.

With the PalmSecure system, students hover their hands over an infrared scanner that ID's them by the unique patterns in their skin and registers a sale, according to a report from the Daily Herald.

The Herald talked to Mike Richmond, who has two children at a Westminster elementary school. He said the scanning started before parents were given the chance to opt-out.

"I didn't appreciate how they handled it. I'm concerned about it. I know it's the way of the future, but it's fingerprinting, it's palm-printing."

The district said the goal is to decrease the time it takes to pay for lunches since the children have a limited amount of time to eat their meals.

The controversial system is operating in three Carroll County elementary schools with plans to expand to the whole district within a year. It's also used in many other schools around the country where there have also been concerns about invasion of privacy as well as the cost of the system. Once implemented, PalmSecure will run the Carroll County district about $300,000.

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Photo: Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun/MCT via Getty Images

 

 

[VisionSeeker]

 this.  Our school uses a number code.  Guess what, it's the last 4 of their social.  Palm scanners can't be much worse.

Quoting Aamy:

ok the price tag, wow, but really, i see nothing wrong with it. 

 

[paknari]

The price is too high and the money could've been better spent but the time thing is great. Not to mention the children getting free lunch don't get singled out. When I was in school they had different colored tickets for paying versus non paying. The non paying always got teased for being poor.

[illegallyblonde]

It's the mark of the beast! Lol

My gym has thumb print access, we can charge stuff to our account that way. It's nice bc while working out, you don't want to carry a wallet. As far as the school goes, I don't have an issue with it either if the goal is efficiency and will save money.

[Sisteract]

Many hospitals have finger print controlled access to computers and medication delivery systems.

I guess I'm doomed.

My kids are over age 18 but I would not be frightened by this practice.

It's a brand new world, folks.

Quoting illegallyblonde:

It's the mark of the beast! Lol

My gym has thumb print access, we can charge stuff to our account that way. It's nice bc while working out, you don't want to carry a wallet. As far as the school goes, I don't have an issue with it either if the goal is efficiency and will save money.