Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, TX last month instituted a policy that requiries students to wear ID cards implanted with a radio-frequency identification chip. Sophomore Andrea Hernandez was not feeling the idea of her school tracking her every move during school hours and refused to wear the RFID tagged ID. She was suspended.
The Rutherford Institute, a non-profit civil rights and liberties organization, came to the aid of Hernandez to reverse her suspension. Hernandez said she feels her privacy and religious rights are being violated by wearing the RFID tag.
Following her refusal, John Jay High School told Hernandez she would be required to transfer to a school that does not require RFID tags.
John Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, discussed the school district's decision to implement RFID tags and Hernandez's suspension:
“There is something fundamentally disturbing about this school district’s insistence on steamrolling students into complying with programs that have nothing whatsoever to do with academic priorities and everything to do with fattening school coffers.”
With the help of The Rutherford Institute, the suspension was reversed and John Jay High School is not allowed to kick out Hernandez for refusing to wear the RFID tagged student ID.
Would you feel comfortable wearing RFID tags in your school or workplace?
