Some people might feel that in effect, they are being conditioned to accept that it's normal to surrender private biometric data to authority figures. When robocop comes up to these kids in 15 years time asking for a fingerprint, to scan into his national database, they'll think "that's OK, it's just the same as what we normally do in the library."
What this system gives us is an exciting, quick and efficient system for recording which books children have borrowed from the library. All children will be able to use the system easily and independently. They will not have to find a library card, or ask a teacher for their library card, and there will be no problems with lost library cards. (You can imagine the very real problems we would have with four hundred and thirty plus library cards in use in the school). This is why the system has been used very successfully for a number of years in thousands of schools across the country as well as here in Cambridgeshire. Junior Librarian is highly recommended by the Cambridgeshire School library service.
To date, parents have NEVER been told that there are in fact at least FOUR ways to use the system. For example, barcode stickers on the back pages of homework books, or a laminated A4 sheet kept in a folder in the library with details of a whole class, etc. And they certainly haven't been told that thumbscanners aren't even a part of the basic system. They are an expensive optional extra. "Ultimately, this is an optional module - the system works perfectly well without it." Andy O'Brien, managing director, Micro Librarian Systems
Many of you will have received a letter which was being handed out by parents of a child in our school at the school gates at home time yesterday. This letter made a number of false claims about the introduction and use of Junior Librarian in the school which may have caused you some unnecessary concern.
I have repeatedly asked the Head Teacher to point to a single substantive false claim in my original letter, so far without success.
Good communication between home and school is essential and I believe this is a two way process. If parents have concerns I like them to come to me to discuss them fully. This represents positive healthy communication. Unfortunately I was not given the opportunity in this instance. As the claims in this letter may have caused undue worries I feel it is important to deal with each of the points raised.Unfortunately, parents were not given the opportunity to opt into this scheme but were told "we have decided" With school trips, uniform, etc etc we are given slips (and follow-up reminder slips) ad nauseam, just not where fundamental issues of civil rights are concerned.
The main concern raised is that the use of the system has implications for your child's civil liberties
which it has, for whether or ... to be continued, sorry!
, that your child's biometric data is being stored on computers in school and may be vulnerable to misuse or theft now or in the future. This is not true. The system does not record an image of your child's thumbprint and therefore no image of your child's thumbprint is being stored on a computer. The software uses your child's thumbprint to calculate a number each time they place their thumb on the reader. It is this number alone which is stored on the computer. The number cannot be used to reconstruct an image of the thumbprint. The number works like any other ID number or password. It is also deleted once the child leaves the school.The letter is correct to say that the system is not compulsory - the school has no intention of forcing children to use the system if their parents object and is not doing so. This is why Mrs Steel wrote to all parents before half term to let you know that Junior Librarian was being introduced to the school and invited parents to meet with her if they had any concerns or wanted to know more. However, the parents of only three children raised any concerns with the school. I hope the points outlind in this letter show that there is no reason to object to your children using Junior Librarian and that there are many advantages.
There was an implication made that the school had introduced this system 'unthinkingly'. This is not true. The school has been planning to introduce the system from the beginning of its library project which began before I arrived in January. The school has thoroughly investigated the system and any issues concerning security and data protection.
There was even a suggestion that the introduction of the system may be illegal. This again is not true. The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has scrutinised the technology and stated "I would encourage you to employ the system" as it "allows users to verify their identity without the risk of intrusions into privacy... I would certainly like to be able to point to it as an example of good practice.
Many of the issues raised by the parents are concerned with the issue of identity cards. Whatever our own views are on this issue, it should be recognised that this is a separate matter and should not be confused with the introduction of a library system which will have very real benefits for the children of St Matthew's Primary School, just as it has in thousands of schools already.
I hope this letter has eased any concerns that may have been raised. Both myself and Mrs Steel are very happy to discuss the introduction of Junior Librarian with you if you wish - contact the school office to make an appointment.
Thank you once again for all your support for the library develpment over the past year. This will be a very exciting project for the school which will have real benefits for the education of our children.
Yours sincerely,
Tony Davies
Head Teacher