Student RFID Tracking Suspended from School

ewhac writes "As reported earlier, a Sutter County, CA, elementary school unilaterally took the dubious step of forcing students, under penalty of disciplinary action, to wear RFID badges with their name, grade, and photo. The RFID tags were read by sensors placed above classroom and bathroom doors (though the latter had been shut off). The system was ostensibly used to automate attendance-keeping. Well, InCom Corp., the company that provided the tech free of charge to the school, has abruptly pulled out, without explanation. The school superintendant claimed to be, "disappointed," at the development. However, some parents are not mollified, and vow to permanently keep such people-tracking technologies out of their schools."

Wizardry

[jackal!]

Hey, a similar scheme seemed to work well at Hogwart's.

Mischief managed.

J

In other news...

[Dirtside]

...Incom Corp. has announced that it is getting out of the RFID market entirely and will instead start producing starfighters.

Re:Kids these days

[DrSkwid]

I guess an RF sheild would have been my first fun

being in school when everybody thinks you aren't and then you can produce your badge on demand would be fun.

Re:1 Kid Many Badges

[Anonymous Coward]

Untill they start wondering why the two of you spend so long in the bathroom togehter alone.
Or why you enterd the bathroom of the opposite gender than you are.

Hey kids!

[IvyMike]

When they try to pull this next time, remember this handy formula:

RFID badge + 3 seconds in a microwave = piece of dead plastic.

Re:I can't speak as a parent..

[tim256]

If you think about childern(under 12) as little drunk adults, the system isn't such a bad idea.

These devices are used to track childern not to watch them. The school should keep track of their students during the day. I don't see whats wrong with this tool. Although for kids 12 and up, I don't think it's appropriate.

What was the reason?

[EnronHaliburton2004]

Well, InCom Corp., the company that provided the tech free of charge to the school, has abruptly pulled out, without explanation.

Hrm, I wonder if their eventual explanation will involve words like "threats" and "guns".

Anyone have the webpage for Incom, Corp to check out their press releases?

Re:1 Kid Many Badges

[Saeed al-Sahaf]

Hey now, that's a private matter.

I like the RFID idea

[demonic-halo]

Here are some cool things I think can be done with RFID student tracking.

1) If a student was absent from class, automatically email the student the homework assignments for the day.

2) Log times when students enter and exit bathrooms, and share that data with the smoke alarm. Identify which students are potential druggies or smokers.

3) Add RFID scanners to the broom closets, and give teachers RFID badges too, to identify which teacher/students are performing fellatio

4) Use RFID to keep track of room usages for marketing purposes. For example, school clubs are generally hosted in various class rooms. Identifying popular club could lead to better ideas in fundraising events that students would be interested in.

Re:Kids these days

[Anonymous Coward]

I would come home everyday from school and promply 'recharge' that tag in my microwave. I would encourage everyone else to do so also.

Re: As a high school student myself...

[Black Parrot]

> [King Zad's voice?] in an age where reliance on technology is reaching a dangerous threshold, it'd be wiser to spend the money and resources on a new administrator or teacher instead of tagging students.

Yeah, but the tags just make it so much easier when they need to sell a few more students to the organ harvesters in order to make their next payment on the new football stadium.

Re: What was the reason?

[Black Parrot]

> Hrm, I wonder if their eventual explanation will involve words like "threats" and "guns".

Either that, or the students learned to spell l-a-w-s-u-i-t.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off!

[coopaq]

Is the principle's name Ed Rooney? Cause I hear he IS a pedophile!

Re:1 Kid Many Badges

[nytes]

Slip your badge into the teacher's pocket, then. That'll raise a few eyebrows.

Hmm... how about dating-support RFID tags?

[Spy der Mann]

*hummm* girl approaching.
*BZZ BZZ BZZZ!* She watches the same TV shows that you!
*TWEE TWEE TWEE* She's a slashdot reader!!!!

Re:Nothing like a good controversy...

[Gilmoure]

I think the teacher would notice if there was only one nerd kid in their class, duct taped to his chair and bound with 35 RFID tags.

Re:Further

[rsilvergun]

And lets make it so if they remove the sensor around their neck it explodes. And give them weapons. And have them fight for our amusement.

Re:In other news...

[double-oh three]

Screw Luke (and the laws of physics); I want to know when the first X-Wing is going to be on the market.