The school board has given middle and high school students 10 days to begin using the hand-scanner identification system to buy lunch in the school cafeteria, or they can dig out that old Harry Potter lunch box and pack from home.

The hand scanners -- which use biometrics to read points on the students' fingers -- were installed for this school year. Such scanners are common in the workplace to replace time cards, said solicitor Tom King.

The school board voted 8-1 Oct. 27 to take a hard line with middle and high school students who refuse to use the hand scanners that identify them for school lunches. The board voted that, beginning Nov. 15, students who do not use the hand scanners cannot buy any food or drinks in the cafeteria, and must pack lunches.

Business Manager Jill Swaney said the hand scanners were installed this year to keep lines moving in the cafeteria and to ensure that students were able to buy lunches. The district paid more than $4,000 for nine scanners.

Previously, student identification cards were used in the lunch program. But there were frequent problems when students forgot their cards and could not have lunch, she said.

"[The scanners are] working for 98 to 99 percent of our students. They aren't forgetting their fingers," Ms. Swaney said.

However, approximately 10 students in the two schools are refusing to be scanned. And, since the old machines that read the ID cards have been removed, the cashiers must input the information manually, which holds up the line, she said.

Board members debated whether to allow those students to use their ID cards, or to tell them to pack a lunch instead.

"If we allow them to use their photo ID, and they forget it, then we're back at the same situation as last year," Ms. Swaney said.

"We have 10 people who don't want to go by our rules. Fine. If you don't want to scan, bring your lunch," said Ross McConnell. "The bottom line is we're not going to change our rules for 10 people."

Christian Ola said allowing the 10 students to use their ID cards was "not cumbersome." But others questioned what would happen if more students followed their lead, or if the students forgot their IDs.

"I don't want to use lunch as a punishment," said Dayle Ferguson. "I don't want to tell somebody, 'You forgot your card so you can't eat.' "

Board President Kim Geyer said the students were "making a choice" and should have to live with the consequences of that choice.

The motion to require students to either use the hand scanner or pack their entire lunch -- including drinks -- passed 8-1 with Mr. Ola dissenting.

Letters will be sent outlining the policy to those students' parents, and all sixth-grade parents will be alerted to the procedure before the end of each school year. The scanners are used in grades seven through 12.

District officials said they didn't know why the students have refuse to be scanned. Ms. Swaney said it was a "parental decision."

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