California Parents Protest RFID Arm Bands

Parents of children attending Northern California's Brittan Elementary were enraged to learn their children are part of an RFID tracking test being carried out by a local company.

Despite the school board's intent on protecting students, parents are objecting. "Our belief is these children have never done anything to give up some of their civil rights. They've never done anything wrong, and they're being tracked," said one mother.

InCom arranged for the test last summer with the principal and superintendent. Students were ID tags similar to ones worn by employee at many companies, however the tags have RFID transmitters. The school district will receive a payment of an undisclosed amount, thought to be several thousand dollars and future royalties.

The school did not communicate the program to parents. However parents became aware of the tagging when the child of an inquisitive parent accidentally wore the tag home one day. Parents immediately objected to the use of their children in an experimental project of this nature.

The system, InClass RFID, was created by InCom, a company formed by two high-school teachers from Sutters, California. InClass RFID consists of a photo ID card with an embedded RFID tag containing a unique 15-digit code designed to track attendance. Door scanners around the school read the code, relaying data to the school's system. Teachers have hand-held units that show the class attendance.

Superior leadership principles dictate that parents and students should have been made aware of the experiment. By providing parents with the safety aspect of this project, parents would have had a different viewpoint than their perception that the school was attempting some underhanded laboratory effort. Historically leaders that have focused on the good have been able to generate a positive attitude among their people. When parachute workers in WWII were focused on the lives they were saving they were much more energetic and enthusiastic than those that saw themselves as endlessly sewing pieces of canvas. Likewise, one is more positive shaping marble pieces for a house of worship or great cathedral than those simply breaking up pieces of stone.

Anyone in leadership, and we are all leaders to varying degrees, would be served well to seek out professional leadership help when looking at a major change within their organization.

Rick Weaver is President of Max Impact, a national leadership and organization development company based in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Rick is an accomplished business executive with experience in retail, market analysis, supply chain and project management, team building, and process improvement. He has worked with hundreds of companies to improve sales, processes, and bottom-line results. MaxImpact offers leadership and organizational development services along with employee assessments and background checks. Contact Rick at 248-802-6138 or via email, rick@getmaximpact.com. MaxImpact is on the web at http://www.getmaximpact.com