COMMENT ON COUNTY COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE BY CLLR JEREMY HILTON, LIBERAL DEMOCRAT GROUP LEADER (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

COMMENT ON COUNTY COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE BY CLLR JEREMY HILTON, LIBERAL DEMOCRAT GROUP LEADER

September 10, 2007 3:15 PM

I welcome the introduction of a Council policy on this serious issue which would not have been possible if Liberal Democrats had not raised the matter at a recent Council meeting. However, my colleagues and I do feel that the guidelines could have gone further. Although the final decision on whether to introduce this technology in schools rests with the schools themselves, we would have liked to see the Council at least make recommendations against it. As it is, the Council does not state a view."

"We amended the original draft of the guidelines to ensure that schools have access to information other than the sales pitch of the manufacturers, particularly the views of experts and campaigners who see risks in this technology for schools. I thank my colleagues on the panel for accepting this amendment. Using biometric technology in schools introduces a number of serious and unnecessary risks, ranging from children becoming used to freely giving away personal data to the distinct possibility of identity theft in the future."