Guest Opinion by Jen Dillion of Bonner County
As the scheduled implementation of the SmartPass system at Sandpoint High School draws closer, growing concerns from parents and community members have sparked a heated debate. While the district has presented SmartPass as a tool to improve security and streamline student movement, many are questioning whether the risks it poses—particularly to student privacy, safety, and mental health—are too great to ignore.
The SmartPass system, developed by Raptor Technologies, is designed to replace the traditional hall pass process by digitally tracking students as they move throughout the school. While it is marketed as a way to improve safety and monitor students more efficiently, critics argue that it creates significant privacy and security risks that cannot be overlooked.
Privacy and Data Security Concerns
One of the most pressing concerns with SmartPass is the potential for data breaches. The system collects sensitive personal data about students, including their movements and potentially other private information. In the event of a data breach, this information could fall into the hands of malicious actors, putting students at risk. This concern is far from hypothetical—earlier this year, Raptor Technologies experienced a massive breach in which the personal details of over 4 million students, teachers, and parents were exposed. This breach included sensitive data like evacuation plans, medical records, and even lists of students deemed to be potential threats—information that could be exploited for malicious purposes.
Parents are understandably worried about the risks associated with this data being stored and handled by third parties. While Raptor Technologies assures users that the data is hosted on Google Cloud, a platform that is certified for security, the history of data violations by tech giants like Google only deepens these concerns. Google has faced multiple legal challenges for mishandling children’s data, including a $170 million settlement in 2019 over privacy violations related to children’s online data. Additionally, in 2024, Google settled another lawsuit related to the unauthorized collection and storage of biometric data from students. Given this track record, it’s difficult for many parents to trust that their children’s sensitive information will be adequately protected.
Psychological and Mental Health Risks
Beyond the risks to data security, there are significant psychological concerns that need to be considered. The constant surveillance associated with SmartPass could likely cause unnecessary anxiety, stress, and insecurity. Research has shown that surveillance environments can negatively impact mental health, leading to heightened stress and impaired cognitive function. When students are constantly under this kind of draconian surveillance, it creates an atmosphere of fear rather than trust which is not conducive to an effective learning environment.
Instead of fostering self-discipline and personal responsibility, the implementation of SmartPass encourages a culture of distrust and over-reliance on external monitoring, as well as hinders the students’ ability to develop essential life skills such as self-governance and decision-making. Mental health professionals, including those cited in Psychology Today, have warned that such surveillance can contribute to higher levels of stress, depression, and insecurity in young people—risks that should not be ignored.
Compliance with Legal Protections
In addition to the privacy and psychological concerns, there are also potential legal issues with the implementation of SmartPass. Critics argue that the system may not comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which mandates that students with disabilities must be provided with equal access to educational opportunities. If SmartPass inadvertently discriminates against students with disabilities—either through its design or its implementation—it could violate these legal protections and result in further inequities in the school system.
No Opt-out Given & No School Board Approval
Another major concern raised by parents is the lack of an opt-out process for SmartPass, coupled with the fact that there has not been any school board oversight or approval for the system. Many parents are frustrated that they have not been given a clear option to opt out of the program for their children, leaving them feeling powerless in the decision-making process.
The Highschool Assistant Principal has suggested to a couple of concerned parents, that they come in to discuss an opt-out process for their own children, but this is on an individual basis and only because they insisted on there being an opt-out option. Some parents have insisted that an opt-out process be clearly communicated to all parents, but this has not happened.
Furthermore, the absence of school board approval for SmartPass raises questions about the proper procedures being followed before implementing such a significant change. Parents believe they should have a voice in whether their children participate in a system that collects and tracks their personal data, yet no clear mechanism for opting-out has been provided. The lack of transparency, combined with the absence of formal approval, only deepens the concerns about the SmartPass system and its potential impact.
A Call to Action: Sign the petition and Stop the Implementation
With the scheduled implementation date of February 27, 2025, rapidly approaching, parents and community members are urging others to take action now. The concerns raised by those opposed to SmartPass are not trivial—they involve the privacy, safety, and mental health of our children. Concerned parents are urging the community to sign the petition and speak out against SmartPass before it is too late. The full petition and additional information on the Raptor Technologies data breach can be found at https://chng.it/ynwFksgYrP.
For parents and community members who want to take action, the message is clear: Protect student privacy, halt third-party data mining, and prioritize mental health over digital surveillance. It is time for the community to stand united and demand that the district halt the implementation of SmartPass before it becomes a permanent fixture in the school.
