Parent urges board to reconsider biometric scanning policies over privacy and access concerns

During public comment at the June 5 joint meeting, James Johnston — a parent with three children in the Anchorage School District — urged board and assembly members to reconsider the use of biometric scanning systems in schools.

Johnston said his family experience and his background in Ireland led him to see biometric check‑in systems as a potential barrier for visitors and for families who lack U.S. identification. “My mom comes over regularly to visit her grandchildren...she doesn't have an American ID, right? So, how is she meant to scan in to that system?” he asked.

He also said biometric databases could be vulnerable to subpoena or hacking and warned the assembly and school board to “take a hard look at how data harvesting and AI systems can threaten not just privacy but equal access to families” and urged code changes to prevent exclusion.

Why it matters: Biometric access systems raise both equity and data‑security questions; school policy decisions affect whether visitors and family members can participate in school activities without unintended barriers.

Next steps: The district did not announce an immediate policy change at the meeting; Johnston asked officials to modernize code and ensure access protections are in place.

Source: Public testimony by James Johnston, June 5 joint meeting.