Glenwood Middle School to implement fingerprint scan system

DEBRA LANDIS
Sj-r.com
Tuesday November 20, 2007

CHATHAM — Glenwood Middle School students soon will press their fingers against a high-tech scanner — rather than use a meal ticket — when moving through the lunch lines.

The Ball-Chatham Board of Education Monday approved purchasing the biometric system, which is expected to be implemented in January. Among other things, it is expected to cut down on the number of meal cards students say they have lost, and that the school then has to replace, as well as help shorten the time it takes for students to move through lunch lines.

School officials plan to hold a public meeting to explain the program before January.

School districts around the country are beginning to adopt such an approach, but in some situations, privacy concerns have been voiced.

“There have been some concerns about the influence of ‘big brother,’” acknowledged School Superintendent Bob Gillum.

However, Gillum and other school officials explained Monday that the program involves assigning a binary number to the image of a student’s fingerprint, with the fingerprint image then deleted from the system and the binary number becoming the student’s identification.

The program could eventually be started at Glenwood High School, too. School officials said they don’t see it as something that would be needed at the elementary levels.

Also Monday, the Ball-Chatham board:

Approved funding for the return of a high school newspaper and newspaper sponsor at Glenwood. A group of high school students presented a proposal to the school administration and board. Students said they hope to publish monthly issues.

Heard for first reading policies regarding communication via e-mail among board members and what could constitute violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act.