Before School Starts, Think About Student Data Privacy
Update: here's a very good opt-out form from World Privacy Forum to use to opt your child out of some or all directory information in SPS. Look for that FERPA form in your first-day packet and include this one as well. (I am checking on the issue of if not allowing directory information will opt your child out of yearbooks. I do not believe so.)
end of update.
A good article appeared in yesterday's NY Times that "the email addresses and search queries of the nation’s schoolchildren are a hot commodity."
States are starting to get hip to this fact - with conservatives and liberals both having concerns, not to mention parents. Unfortunately, tech companies and companies that make public education technology their business are as well and are rushing to create "Parents Bill of Rights" that basically are a lot of hot air and not much else.
I would like to get such a bill in front of the Washington Legislature but I hesitate because of McCleary. Will anyone listen? I know some legislators would sponsor it (on both sides of the aisle) but will anyone be willing to pay attention? I would prefer a state law over any federal law as the feds would Seattle Schools Community Forum: Before School Starts, Think About Student Data Privacy: