School lies about seeking consent!
15 05 2007Our local MP, Mr. Mike Wood, has written on my behalf to the Head of Learning at our local (Kirklees) council, seeking further information about the school fingerprinting debacle.
The letter he received in reply was quite interesting! They explain that they “require schools to consult with parents who in turn have to give their agreement for their child to have their fingerprint recorded and used”.
The letter then goes on to explain that they contacted the Head teacher of Birkenshaw First School, who assured them that parental consent was sought. No consent was ever sought, never mind any sort of consultation with parents! The head teacher has blatantly lied to them!
I have already written to the council explaining the situation, so let’s see what happens. Nothing much I suspect, as I feel there’s a lot of arse covering going on.
Oops… I mentioned the name of the school now. Too late… :)
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Morley High School has just got the cashless system in an used biometric fingerprinting and photos of all our kids and said that it did not need parental consent our civil rights are being erroded
The way that the fingerprint system was so slyly introduced into MORLEY HIGH SCHOOL without any prior parental consultation is *very* suspicious in itself.
The parents have been treated as if they don’t have any say in the process! This is absolute Rubbish!!! of course they have a say!!!
Where was the consent form? We as parents, are constantly asked to sign consent forms for many trivial things. Yet something as *SERIOUS *as this and *NO PARENTAL CONSENT FORM WHATSOEVER*…….. It stinks !!!!!!
Disgusting behavior?
Yep it would be true to say that kids get sent to the isolation unit for things which are totally trivial in comparison to this.
But it gets worse:
To hear that pupils have been bullied in many ways to hand over extremely personal information.
So personal, it remains with them for lifetime. Shame on you Morley High School !
To grab the kids fingerprints & photographs so quickly & without ANY PARENTAL CONSENT is an absolute outrage
Believe me, I am only one parent OF MANY, one day the TRUTH WILL BE OUT about this
From another angry parent who’s kids unfortunately attend Morley High School
Taking our childrens biometrics without parental consultation and explicit consent is a blatent violation of our Civil Liberties and without wanting to be pessimistic its seems like the thin end of the wedge, if we consider the governments plans for the near future, for example in 2008/9 they intend to introduce Checkpoint, a huge data base in which every child in the country will have a number and on the data base will be stored highly personal and sensitive information such as biometrics, school achievments, any contact with social services etc the risk of identity theft and false indentity is real. Also it would seem that this information gives the state a huge amount of power and the balance is tipped hugely in their favour. The question now is what are we going to do about it? It is time for us all to come together and speak out and defend ours and the next generations freedom. To do nothing is to be complicit in the loss of our civil rights.
I hope that you can have access to the morley observer this week and respond this all helps in the fight for our basic human rights.
This is all quite a worrying trend. The clandestine way the schools seem to be handling this is just deplorable.
I did eventually get a reply from the Head of Learning at the council, but only after our local MP, Mike Wood, intervened. All communication prior to that was ignored! They basically re-iterated that the Head teacher has done nothing wrong, even though what she claims was completely false!
Looks like our complaints just fall on deaf ears. However, more people need to raise their voices. I speak to plenty of parents about this at the school, and although they are annoyed with the whole thing, none are prepared to do anything about it, citing that it’s too late as the kids have been fingerprinted already.
Not sure what else I can do really. Although, I have forbidden them to take prints of my kids, and they said that they will honour my wishes. I know a couple of other parents have done the same.
If you get enough parents at Morley High School to complain and ask for their kids prints to be removed from the system, they may take notice. I know some schools have already stopped using the system due to complaints. Feel free to use the letter I wrote as a template from this article.
wow i am a student at morley high school and now see why no letters were sent out, the ironic thing about this system is that in our school it dosent even work as expected because if multiple students use there fingerprints at the same time the orders get mixed up and so many people have to pay for things they havent even purchased also the machines used to calculate the money have broken down many times this week already this is the fith week since they have been set up and the head teacher is reported to be one of the best in the local area
morley high just got tis system and we never got asked about mums and dads permsion say said we had to
I am a student at Morley High too and i think it stinks that we have to use the cashless system. Firstly there is always a massive que at the machine where you put money into your account. Also that machine has broken down already. And Where was the consent forms ???
Molrey High Just got this system and they never asked are mam&dads permison, and this system dont even work we should scrap it!!!!
I agree with adam D it doesnt even work .
Scrap It !!
i agree with adam and scott… dinner was fine before this system was even brought to this school and has caused even more chaos to the school…. and even bigger ques to put money into the machine!
And Yeahh…. our parents didnt even know about it and still they let us go ahead with it! absoulutley stupid! what the hell! it doesn’t even make sense why u r even doing it in the first place.
As you guys/girls have discovered, this fingerprinting system is not infallible. You do get false positives with the system, which is what you’re experiencing I suspect.
I wonder how much money your school has paid for this? I bet your Head is wondering why they even bothered now. :) I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
The machine does not even work 4 times it has rejected me and you can not even draw you money back out so you could be loosing alot of money!! which will go to Morley high school.
I am pleased that there has been some reaction from the children of MHS so far complaints have been from parents that are upset by the fact that they were not allowed to be involved in the initial process and also that they could opt out with the safe knowledge that there would be a facility to still provide our chuildren with a meal.The head has written back to me saying ” that at no time will Morley High School be run according to the vote of parents,” and has also said that if I am not happy with the way he runs the school I am quite within my rights to find another school. Please I say to all parents and children put pressure upon your local MPs and stop this madness in our schools.
As a MHS student, I think that this new CCS is actually easier, quicker and more convenient for staff and students at break and lunchtimes.
Even though there are a few concers like the system accasionally not working properly there are also lots of advantages, some of which include …
You can request a full print out of what your childs has been eating, and how much they spend, it is easier for dinner staff, as there is no need for a float and it is easier for the bursar , if a pupil has forgotten thier lunch, if they have money on thier account then they can purchase thier lunch.
Also, It has a positive impact on pupils who have Free school meals, which they can be non-identifiable to other students.
I personally find it much easier to buy my lunch now, than before this new high tech system was introduced.
Interesting anonymous that your veiws are that of a governor, what about queing twice and the machine not identyfying your finger. Not to mention that the print out would not include jam donuts and iced ginger breadmen and the rest of the unhealthy food that gets served.why is it easier for the canteen ladies?
It has been interesting seeing the comments made regarding MHS. But getting back to the original subject of biometrics in schools around Britain and beyond and the plight of parents facing up to education Authorities and Councils. How have you got on Tarique with the Kirklees Coucil and the local MP, I have not heard anything back from Mr Challen or Ed Balls as yet and Leeds Education insist that Schools do not have to gain parental consent. This exreme behaviour for schools to have adopted is costly as it looses parents trust and I think very unnecessary for the sake of registration, library and lunches.
The person at Kirklees Council, Janet Bolton, doesn’t seem to think the school has done anything wrong, despite the fact that I told them that the school did not in fact seek consent from the parents.
Our local MP, Mike Wood, is equally horrified with this development and is chasing things up his end. So, in short, nothing much yet!
I think the school and the Head of Learning at Kirklees are hoping to just brush this under the carpet.
Yes I believe this is what is going to happen everywhere not much of a democracy is it ? Thank you for letting me sound off.
Morley Parents
Is your child missing a hot meal at school or has your child experienced any problems with the new ‘fingerprint’ system at Morley High School? If so please email morleyparents@yahoo.co.uk (anonymity assured)
http://morleyparents.blogspot.com/
Hello,
It would be easier for dinner staff, as they no longer need to handel money, and it is much quicker to get through each student.
Queing twice hardly takes that long, I qeue twice all the time, and it never bothers me, and as for the machine not identyfying your finger, this only happens on rare occasions, if that.
The full print out of what your child is eating can be viewed by parents/carers and will show what your child has eaten … including do-nuts/cookies, as I have already seen mine.
The food is not all unhealthy, yes they sell do-nuts and cookies and the odd muffins, but its only unhealthy if you eat them in excess.
I think this new procedure is a great way of purchasing your lunch and I will be supporting it.
And may i ask, How are my views like that of a governor’s?
I think the point here is not so much how efficient or inefficient the system may be, but rather how safe that fingerprint data is. At the moment, it’s not particularly safe. The schools have been given very little advice, not to mention that the whole thing is completely unregulated.
Also, you don’t know what intentions the authorities may have with regards to this data. The fingerprint templates that the schools use are the same templates in use by various authorities around the world, including our police force.
What’s stopping the police from obtaining that data from the school, once a crime relating to one of it’s pupils has taken place? Sounds like a good idea initially. However, consider the fact that fingerprint templates are not accurate. You get false positives. So, you could be accused of a crime you didn’t commit.
So, the issue is not about how well the system works. It’s moral.
I agree totally with what you are saying Taz how are any of us going to know what happens to the templates. Also the erasing of the fingerprints when our children leave school are they going to be erased by a computer cleansing company as stated in some of the recommendations. What about people hacking in and abusing this in the future. Why on earth do politicians seem to be evading all questions and just referring us to BECTA etc all of the time.I would like to see some legal action and the results.
Wow - just seen all the comments here!
Glad to see so many comments, for too long this has been going on without anybody disputing these systems. Great to see the other side of the schools and biometric vendors spiel on these systems.
The £1000’s that are spent - for what? Apart from all the other serious issues that biometric systems raise associating giving over ones biometric data for food, knowledge and movements is a powerful message that is being sent to the next generation…
If it doesn’t even work properly what a waste of ‘reportedly’ £24,000 of tax payers money, times that by the possibly 20-30% of the nations 25,000 schools… that’s a tidy sum that surely could be better spent on our pupils!
By photographing and fingerprinting these children without consent, the school has stripped them of their dignity and privacy. Why is the Headtecher so anxious to impose the biometric system? Is it just an ego trip or is it sinister unwritten orders from above?
Is it too much to ask that concerned parents and older pupils protest a bit more loudly or have the British people forgotten what protest is? Back in my 80s schooldays this biometric sysyem had it been around would never have gained a foothold
Max said…Why is the Headtecher so anxious to impose the biometric system? Is it just an ego trip or is it sinister unwritten orders from above?
Maybe someone held a gun to his head?
The way the system was introduced into the school was definitely dodgy
agreed Alan,It is very dodgy,no wonder parents weren’t asked about consent.
All risk and absolutely no bloody benefits to the kids whatsoever. Kids should come first not bloody money making rackets.
as so many others have previously said,simple just scrap it.jez
bad!
ye this system is really stupid
i hate townsley
Then do something about it, don’t people stand together anymore?
Max,
People are trying to do something about it. You need to check out Pippa’s blog and this site: http://www.leavethemkidsalone.com/.
grub
John Townsley (Head Teacher - Morley High School) is the classic School Bully. He’s well in with the council and uses his connections to get whatever he wants. The council and schools operate like some Freemason network. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are all masons. Townsley is effectively a finance manager who sees the school as an underperforming commercial business that he has to turn into a successful profit making venture. He will step on anyone in his way. Radio 4 covered the Morley High School debacle and he initially said “We have given parents an opt out. The opt out is that you don’t have to have anything to do with the system whatsoever and that you then heave the responsibility as a mum, dad or carer to provide a very healthy alternative to your child.” Of course this was deemed unacceptable and possibly against the law by The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and an about turn was made by the school but not before the embarrassment of becoming a national media story. His latest venture is to build a floodlit 5-a-side football pitch in the school, apparently as a community venture when we all know it is to make money - after all it will be for general public useage. He is also going to hire the school out to the local leisure centre as they are having a rebuild - how kind but wouldn’t we all rather go to a leisure centre than some School? I’ll certainly be using South Leeds Stadium as it’s always gonna be better than Morley High.
Anyway Townsley is a compulsive liar and can’t stop himself. He has got a very red neck as well (perhaps an indication of his political leanings?)
i go to this school and because of this stupid machin i just dont eat at school nomore its too much hasse you have to que to put money in and que once again just to get food the school is a complete joke the rules need an imense change mr townsley needs the sack he should have got it after he was apparently sleeping with the head p.e teacher and got caught(not shore if true) but at the end of the day he is horrible and also has apprently ragged multiple pupils by the back of there shirts if thats a good headteacher then sorry human rights in this day and age have seriously fucked up GOD gets me so angry and they wonder hy im never bloody there