Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports: Principals and some other educators in Topeka Unified School District 501 could until last week illegally access data that identifies which of the district’s students come from low-income families. Four of the district’s schools also displayed the same information — which is protected under federal law as confidential — on color-coded, wall-hanging…
Category: Youth & Schools
Comptroller DiNapoli: Schools Must Do More to Limit Access to Sensitive Student Databases
Yes, it’s as bad as I’ve been saying for years. Now if they will just audit the NYC Department of Education, too. Employees in six upstate New York school districts had inappropriate computer access to sensitive student data and were able to change student grades and attendance records without proper authorization, according to an audit released today…
When privacy hysteria cripples education
Another perspective. Greg Stevens writes: InBloom could have revolutionized our national educational infrastructure. Instead, it’s been taken down by paranoia and misunderstanding, a move that’s stalled significant progress in the realm of edtech. The fall of inBloom is a sad tale about political activists latching onto conspiracy theories and using scare tactics to advance their…
School Social Media Policy Sparks Mixed Feelings from Students and Parents
Kelly Gorrigan reports: Parents and students weighed in Thursday on a recent decision by Glendale school officials to continue monitoring students’ public social media posts this school year.Throughout last school year, the Hermosa Beach-based company Geo Listening sent Glendale Unified emails whenever students’ posts were related to bullying, suicide, vandalism or drug use, among other…