Thu, 21 Sep 2006 School in Balham, London (name supplied to LTKA)

"Fingerprinting took place in my daughter's school today without my knowledge or consent. When it came to my daughter's turn to be fingerprinted today she refused to get up off of her seat. Telling her science teacher that she will not be bullied... A voice came over the school loudspeaker system, informing the whole school that a child had refused to get it done and my daughter had to sit there fighting her principles, literally, whilst other children were laughing at her. But my daughter stood her ground... Well, I thought that this government have a strict policy on school bullying, whatever form of bullying takes place."

Fri, 11 Aug 2006, concerned pupil via email

"Though I understand your site's purpose is primarily to alert parents, I am 15 years old. Having been alerted myself to the implications that fingerprinting may have on my future, I am infuriated that my school did not a) ask my parents for their consent or b) make me or other students aware of the risks when they fingerprinted us all two years ago."

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 School in Chichester (name supplied to LTKA)

"I know another school that does this. Mine. They started doing this about... oh... 2 or 3 years ago. Our parents weren't informed, and being younger and less aware of things I just went along with it, like everyone else."

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 Sixth form college in Crowthorne (name supplied to LTKA)

"I am writing to you because of a great concern I have which is very closely linked with your articles of vast amounts of schools kids being fingerprinted. It came to light recently at our sixth form, that our head of year is implementing a fingerprint scanning scheme that we must all conform to - or be excluded from school permanently. This is very worrying because myself and a group of fellow students feel that this is a breach of privacy as we believe we have the right to hold onto our own biometrics and only have the right on who we shall disclose them to - this especially since we feel we are being threatened and bullied into it due to the threat of exclusion, which is rich from a school that prides itself on its anti-bullying policy." "Our head of sixth form has already had the systems installed in the sixth form block without the consultation of any pupils or parents - which is quiet significant considering it will be a great change to the school environment and also represents a huge amount of money that could have been spent on other, more useful, resources and equipment such as books, ICT facilities and much needed maintenance work to the sixth form block."

" What is chilling further that is all of the pupils like myself that have no choice on the matter of the system are under 18 - and yet no parental consent, consultation or opinion is being sought. Which makes me wonder if our head of sixth is deliberately attempting to silence us because he is indeed well aware that he cannot force this upon us or exclude us for not participating." "In a time when we are constantly being told to beware of identity theft and the value of our personal data it is quite alarming that our sixth form is telling us that our biometrics are of little worth and that we have no choice and the matter and should therefore hand over our personal biometric data. Unlike PIN numbers that can be changed on a whim we have to give up our personal biometrics that once stolen are gone forever." "We feel that this is a great concern to us and many other students in the country that are increasingly being asked to give up sensitive and personal data on us and have no opinion in the matter whatsoever. I gather you are very informed on the matter and any help that you can provide would be greatly appreciated in this matter that means a lot to me and many other people in the country."

* The three pupils who objected most strongly were split up and called in to see the Head Teacher, one at a time. After a great deal of media attention - the story went international - the school backed down slightly claiming, as in all such cases, a 'misunderstanding'. Pupils were told they could opt out of the system, but only with written parental consent, though they were all aged 16+.

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 Village College near Cambridge (name supplied to LTKA)

"Ours is actually one of few schools who asked parents for permission. But this turned out to be a meaningless gesture, as parents who withheld their permission quickly found out. The parent of one student says that the school handled parents who objected as dissenters: "It was obvious they were trying to railroad the system." Assurances were sought that students would not be discriminated against for a decision their parents had taken. But none were provided, and expectations were confirmed when the school year started."

"Another parent's experience was that, particularly in the first term, the children whose parents had withheld permission became the object of derision and forced to wait until all the other students had registered electronically, and generally "treated as a nuisance". They were subjected to a number of inappropriate comments, mainly from a few individuals who maintained a systematic harrassment."

"That is, until the parent put in a formal complaint, when the behaviour ceased abruptly. But there are fears that in the next academic year, with different teachers, all this could start again."

Some examples of parents' complaints that they were pressured by schools into accepting fingerprinting.

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 School in Doncaster (name supplied to LTKA)

"My son and daughter came home from school today and told me the school had tried fingerprinting them. At no time have any of the parents been consulted or even notified about this, let alone asked permission. I came across your website a while ago and warned my two if they were ever asked to give their fingerprints, they should politely refuse and tell the school to contact me. Needless to say the school hasn't been in touch, and the kids were allowed to refuse (so far) although it was stressed repeatedly to my 6yr old that she would not be able to use the school library without it."

* After the parent above complained, the school subsequently sent a somewhat misleading letter to all parents informing them of the fingerprinting plan but implying that the printing was to take place after Easter. A meeting for concerned parents was held, giving just a single day's notice. As a result only one parent was able to attend; he faced the head, deputy head, school librarian and one other teacher all extolling the virtues of the system. After considerable pressure from parents and the local newspaper, the school printed slips allowing parents to opt out of the system, and has backed down over the threat to bar pupils that are not fingerprinted from the library.

(This is fairly typical of the way in which schools 'manage' parental concerns, one assumes with assistance and advice from manufacturers, though as yet we have no evidence to that effect. We have received many similar accounts, including a parent in Hull, who was prominent un the PTA, but was cold-shouldered by staff for three months after questioning the introduction of fingerprint scanners.)

Here is the full text of a letter written by the head teacher at Bedminster Down in Bristol to a concerned parent:

Dear Hannah,

Mauris Frank
Headteacher

A few more typical examples, taken from emails received during a single week in January:

Fri, 26 Jan 2007, concerned parent via email

"My three primary aged children were fingerprinted sometime during early summer last year. I found out about it by accident and have requested their prints be removed from the school. I was assured by the Headteacher before Christmas that this would be done."

"On checking with my children earlier today I found they are still using fingerprints to check books out of the library! I will be speaking to the head again on Monday... (All this in a school with 120 pupils!)"

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 School in Bedfordshire (name supplied to LTKA)

"The school is fingerprinting 5 year olds without express consent from parents. The librarian there is pro-fingerprinting. I wish to remain anonymous as I fear reprisal and my position with the school would be compromised."

Sun, 21 Jan 2007, concerned parent via email

"I have just found out after asking one of my children, having read the issues from your website, that she had been finger printed in order to attain library books and you're right, the school did not inform me. My concern is this, where do the biometrics end up?"

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 School in Ipswich, Suffolk (name supplied to LTKA)

"My daughter goes to [name of school], Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 5HD. She was fingerprinted over 18 months ago, and I have only just found out."

In the same week, a parent from another school in Suffolk told LTKA that his son, who had been instructed by his father to refuse to have his fingerprints taken, was ordered by teachers to comply or be sent out of class.