Parents in the Aspen School District in Colorado in the USA may soon be able to choose whether their children buy lunch using biometrics – a fingerprint-recognition system.
Aspen hopes to have fingerprint scanners operating by March 2009, according to Superintendent Diana Sirko. It has already purchased the scanners and run a pilot program using the children of employees.
“Parents will be given the opportunity to opt out of the system, but for many it will be something that provides better, up-to-date information regarding their child’s lunch account,” according to a parent newsletter. Students who decide to opt out of the program will likely use a card system or similar program, Sirko said.
The district also has decided to implement an online payment system separate from the fingerprint system, so parents can pay online – and view their children’s purchases – whether or not their children use the fingerprint technology.
The system is relatively inexpensive, only requiring two or three scanners costing $300 each.