This is just so bad on so many levels. Why isn’t this data being de-identified before it is being released? And why aren’t there blaring headlines all over California to alert parents to opt out?
Consumer Bob reports:
Millions of public school students will soon have their personal information and school records handed over to a nonprofit community organization.
The Concerned Parents Association fought for the data in federal district court and won over the objections of the California Department of Education.
The nonprofit said it needs the information to see if California schools are violating the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other related laws. The database it will have access to includes all information on children, kindergarten through high school, who are attending or have attended a California school at any time since Jan. 1, 2008.
The database contain students’ names, social security numbers, home addresses, course information, behavior and discipline information, progress reports, mental health and medical information, along with suspensions, expulsions and more.
Read more on NBC San Diego.
To find out more about the court case and how to opt-out, visit the ID Theft Center’s website at this URL: http://www.idtheftcenter.org/alertcaparents.html. The form, which you can find here, must be submitted by April 1.