Who Should Have Access to Student Records?

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The federal government is not "taking steps to make the data more secure." Quite the opposite -- the Obama Dept. of Education has issued new regulations that gut the primary federal privacy statute and remove practically all restrictions to sharing personal student data with myriad government and even private entities.

Jane of GA 12:39PM February 01, 2012

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. Several Education Bloggers I know have been reporting on this for a year.. In fact Sandra at Grumpy Educators quoted Fordham in a blog last January.
Believe or not the reality is even worse than this article suggests, among the things Duncan's DoEd wants included are Blood Type, Hair & Eye Color, Parents Religion, Voting Record.. Exactly the same data Hitler collected
Note the comment "...and change a culture quickly" Why would the US Government want the ability to to control our culture- that concept is straight out of the novel 1984..
Duncan has also stated that not all the required data can be obtained overtly- therefore the government would need to resort to covert measures to obtain some of the information he deems critical-- As in spying on Americans..
When a child leaves school Duncan wants to turn the data over to the Dept of Labor. At some point Tom turns 40 years old, applies for a better job and his new employer finds out he tossed a spit ball at Mary in third grade-- His teacher noted sexist tendencies in her digital grade book. His potential employer won't know that he and Mary have been married for twenty years-- and Tom won't know that info is in his permanent record.
But thirty years after that, when he's 70, the clerk at the Social Security office will know.
None of this is Constitutional-- the Forth Amendment absolutely blocks it.. However bureaucracies have been given the power to write regulations, and do so in secret with little if any Congressional oversight-- It makes it simple to ignore the Consitution

Grumpy Elder of FL 12:09PM February 01, 2012

My last name is Buffington. I have recived mail addressed to Huffington, Buggington, Fuffington, and probably others I can't remember. Fuffington is the most recent and now I get duplicate mailings from every organization.
Can you see what would happen with just one entry error in a letter or number? This data collection with 38 reasons for listing incidents of prohibitive behavior. Would you want something that you did at age 12 to be on your report forever for everyone exceopt you and your parents to see? This is crazy!!!

Audrey Buffington of ME 10:32AM February 01, 2012

There is no doubt in my mind how damaging this can be ...they just manipulate data to make it look how they want it too. Parents need more control over this information and if we decide to homeschool we should receive funds to allocate to appropriate education for our children. The schools aren't doing it.

allin of OH 10:40AM January 29, 2012

The data can be an absolute game changer,” she says. “If you have the data, and you can invest and engage children and their families in this data, it can change a culture quickly.”
Data can be used for many ends. The same data that can be used to hang a teacher, not enough progress, may exonerate, high percentage of ELLs, IEP and Low-Income students. The real question becomes access to information and the right to use data about another person to defend or advocate for oneself.
The idea that the majority of students would use comparitive data as a competative spur is pure rhetoric.

Jim McAdams of MA 8:04AM January 27, 2012

You can bet the government is busy selling this information to private enterprise.

QuacknDuck of CA 4:56PM January 26, 2012

Can't a parent file a freedom of information request to see these records?
It is outrageous that people can't see their own records. 1984 is here.

American Thinker of FL 2:47PM January 26, 2012

A) What is the constitituional basis for the collection of educational records by the federal government? There is none.
B) What is the constitiutional basis for keeping unconstitutionally-collected records private from the individual (and parent/guardian)? There is none.
The federal government no longer operates under the pretext of few and defined powers, instead it operates under a concept of all-encompasing totalitarianism. Considered in that light, this article makes perfect sense.

Peter Franks of NV 10:36AM January 26, 2012

Who should have access to student records? NOBODY .. unless approved by student or parent, period.

Goldbug36 of IL 12:36AM January 26, 2012

The privacy regulations are about keeping information about your child FROM you, not helping your child. If it is learned that you attended a tea party rally, that could cause them to target your child for 're-education'--don't think they'll do it? Despots always target the children of dissidents.

Trudy of AL 3:06PM January 25, 2012