Student privacy issues have become an often occurring topic in the news. A recent opinion article addressed why students who were expelled from a school did not have their names published in the local paper. The author cites the FERPA law as protecting certain student information from public release.
Our own Polk County School Board offers means for parents to protect their children’s information from being released against their wishes. They offer a Directory Information Opt-Out form to keep from disclosing a child’s educational records and directory information to anyone not allowed by law (including military recruiters and other schools) without direct consent. They also offer a Student Image and Technology Opt-Out form to prevent a child’s image or information from being photographed or video taped by the school. The school form states they information could be blocked from release in a yearbook, website, displayed school work, or in any other manner. It also allows for a parent to refuse to allow their child access to the PCSB computer systems.
With the influx of identity thefts, past privacy breaches, and fraud, who could blame a parent for being too cautious these days?
Leave a comment