Texas Schools to Offer Child DNA Test Kits to Help Identify Students in Emergencies; Is it Safe?

• Texas lawmakers have passed a law allowing school districts to provide child DNA test kits to families to help identify children in the case of an emergency. It is mandatory for schools to offer but voluntary to use.
• The benefits of child ID kits are 1) the role they can play in helping identify children in an emergency, 2) the ability to choose where the identity information is stored, and 3) the peace of mind one can gain from having fingerprints or DNA samples readily available.
• Some of the drawbacks are 1) the kits do not help locate missing or exploited children, 2) fingerprints and DNA samples cannot be replaced if exposed to a criminal, and 3) child ID kits contain lots of personally identifiable information (PII).
• Parents and guardians should avoid paying fees to collect, store, or process fingerprints or DNA samples. They should also consider storing fingerprints or DNA samples in a secure location at home or another easily accessible location.
• To learn more, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center toll-free by phone (888.400.5530) or live-chat on our website idtheftcenter.org.

With student safety top of mind for many parents, some are looking at implementing new processes in case of an emergency at school. Texas lawmakers have passed a new law that allows school districts to provide child ID kits that include DNA collection to help families identify children in case of an emergency. According to Gizmodo and the Houston Chronicle, the child DNA test kits can be stored at home or given to the school or local police.

While the new Texas law makes it mandatory for schools to offer child DNA test kits, they are voluntary to use. If parents or guardians decide to take advantage of fingerprint or DNA storage, they should be well informed about the pros and cons.

Pros

• Child DNA test kits used for identification purposes can help law enforcement identify a child (if they are found and the prints can be matched) if they are missing, injured and incapacitated, or deceased.
• Parents or guardians can choose where to store the identity information – at home, with law enforcement or with another designated government agency.
• Some parents may gain peace of mind from having fingerprints or DNA samples readily available in the event of a tragedy.

Cons

• Fingerprints and DNA samples do not help locate missing or exploited children. Fingerprints and DNA samples are used to determine where people have been or identify people who are incapacitated or deceased.
• Fingerprints and DNA profiles are biometric identifiers that cannot be replaced if exposed to, or obtained by, identity criminals. Someone can get a new driver’s license number but cannot get new fingerprints or DNA.
• If filled out in its entirety, child ID kits contain other personally identifiable information (PII), including Social Security numbers, physician and dental office contact information, and date and place of birth.

Recommendations for Parents and Guardians

With all of that said, there are two recommendations the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) has for anyone who has the option of using a child DNA test kit or is considering it:

1. Avoid paying fees to collect, process, or store fingerprints or DNA samples. A company offering these services for money is a fed flag. (Whether it is to digitize fingerprints, store them for parents, provide copies of the scanned fingerprints, etc.) In Texas, school districts can collect (and waive) a “reasonable” fee that is not defined under state law.
2. Strongly consider storing any fingerprints and DNA samples or profiles in a secure location rather than providing the biometric information to a third party, including law enforcement. A company offering to store fingerprints or DNA puts a child at risk of an identity crime. Avoiding this step will protect the privacy of the child. Also, do not store a copy of the scanned fingerprints in a wallet or purse. If the wallet or purse is lost or stolen, so are the fingerprints, posing an identity theft risk for the child. The same is true for storing a child’s fingerprints on a thumb drive.

Contact the ITRC

These programs have good intentions and are in place to help everyone. However, criminals could look to take advantage of the programs, and all parents and guardians want to make sure they are doing everything they can to ensure their child’s safety. If anyone has additional questions about child DNA test kits, the pros and cons, or believes their information was used in an identity crime, contact the ITRC. You can speak with an ITRC expert advisor toll-free by phone (888.400.5530) or live-chat. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started.