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WJZ and WBAL reported that the Crofton High School feeder system will debut bus badges Wednesday as Anne Arundel County Public Schools experiments with the technology. A stock photo of a school bus is shown here. (Shutterstock)
11-06-2023 4:21pm
Experimental School Bus Badges Debut In Anne Arundel County: Reports
Jacob Baumgart
Editor
CROFTON, MD - Reports said Anne Arundel County is experimenting with a new bus badge system, where students scan ID cards when boarding and exiting their school bus.
WJZ reported that this pilot program will debut Wednesday at these six schools, which make up the Crofton cluster:
- Crofton High School
- Crofton Middle School
- Crofton Elementary School
- Crofton Meadows Elementary School
- Crofton Woods Elementary School
- Nantucket Elementary School
WJZ said the badges have a radio-frequency identification chip, but officials said the card will not be used for location tracking.
"It's important to know that this program does not provide real-time data on school bus ridership, bus location or things of that nature, and it is not an app that family can track daily," Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Bedell said, according to WBAL. "This is another thing that we are beta testing, and if we believe there is value then we believe this is something that can be replicated across the clusters once we get our data."
WBAL said bus riders won't be turned away if they forget their badge.
"The goal of this project is to examine the potential benefits of a systemwide initiative should we decide to implement and potentially expand it," Bedell said, according to WJZ.
To learn more about the program, read the full stories from WJZ and WBAL.
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Replies
Kim Chambers
Neighbor
11-07-2023 7:59am
More of big brother for us. Pouring dollars
into the three R's? Reading, 'Riting andReconnaissance. The chip can beprogrammed to do many things, it just hasto be activated. I can't see putting all thatmoney out for just one purpose. Maybe they got a grant from the war department.
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YourPatricia NameGraves
Neighbor
11-07-2023 9:37am
Instead of show us your papers, it'll be show us your badge. Really sickening how schools are turning into something that no one recognizes anymore. If they're not going to be used as trackers, than what would be the purpose at all??????
Joan Smith
Neighbor
11-07-2023 9:16am
Unless there is some problem with kids boarding the wrong busses or kids getting on busses & not getting off, why would the School District implement this? Sounds like a good way to get the next generation used to being tracked & chipped! And a good way to blast them with more electrosmog. But the kids will forget & loose their cards, just like homework & retainers. Sketchy reporting since this system obviously isn't being implemented just to try it out. The reporter should have asked more questions.
