Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

Student privacy threatened by two school forms

As summer draws to a close, Maine’s secondary school students will soon be back to school and filling out registration forms. As they do so, parents and students should be aware that student privacy is threatened in two important respects.

Part of the No Child Left Behind Law requires schools to release student contact information to the Armed Forces — unless the student or parent has explicitly requested otherwise.

We view releasing student contact information as a violation of student privacy. Contact information is defined as student names, addresses and telephone numbers. We believe recruitment should be limited to recruiting stations and never in our schools.

Ideally, schools’ emergency cards will include an “opt-out” item, where it will not be missed (rather than on a notice on school websites). A form sent home or buried in student backpacks can be easily overlooked. In any case, families and students must be vigilant in protecting student privacy.

Sadly, this year, students must actively protect their privacy in another respect Beginning this fall, the Maine Department of Education will begin collecting and storing student Social Security numbers as a means to track student progress — beyond their school years and into the work place. Families and students, however, can also opt out of releasing this sensitive information to the schools.

Ideally, parental and student permission would be required before releasing any sensitive information at all about students — and certainly before releasing it to the military. In reality, parental awareness and vigilance is of paramount importance.



Thomas C. Sturtevant, volunteer

 Program on Youth and Militarism

American Friends Service Committee

Winthrop