Over the last year or so, we have received a number of inquiries from K-12 schools that are interested in using a kiosk-based, unattended visitor badging system.  While our EasyLobby SVM software has a very robust and configurable Kiosk mode, we believe that self registration at a Kiosk is just not the safest way to protect our children at school.

Why Kiosks are too risky to use in schools

We understand that school offices are typically understaffed and everyone is very busy doing multiple jobs, and thus there is some initial appeal to the idea of using an automated, ‘self-service’ kiosk for badging visitors.  However, there are a number of shortcomings that every school should consider carefully before making such an important decision regarding the security of the school and everyone inside it.  In fact, use of a kiosk in a school environment could add risk rather than reduce it:

1. It is very important for someone in the school to make direct eye contact with everyone entering the school, and be able to ask them why they are there and who they are visiting.  This is your first and best opportunity to notice if someone looks ill-at-ease or out of place, or is behaving nervously or suspiciously (which usually means they are up to no good and don't belong there).  If visitors are simply directed to check in at a Kiosk, you may not have the chance to notice if there is anything unsettling about the person.
2. While a Kiosk system can be setup to screen each visitor name against available sex offender registries, it is far too easy for a registered offender to just use a fake license, enter a different name (or a different spelling of their name) or a different date of birth, to avoid getting flagged as a match.
3. Why make it easier for a person who is planning to do something wrong to gain entry into the school?  They may not be a registered sex offender; they may just be hoping to walk around looking for the opportunity to steal something (a purse or wallet, or god forbid a child).  The kiosk is not going to stop this person; it will just make it easier for them because they won't have to interact with a school staff member to get a valid visitor badge.  The kiosk will happily badge them and send them to roam the halls like they belong there!

Kiosks cannot do an adequate job of screening visitors to our schools the way a person can.  Yes, this means that someone in the office will need to spend 20 seconds or so processing each visitor face to face.  But isn't that time well spent if the goal is to maximize the safety of our children?

Simply put, safety in schools is far too important to leave it up to a machine.

Keywords: visitor management kiosk, school visitor management