Wasatch School Board Meeting Tonight - May 15th 6:30 pm

***Letter to my community

 about Wasatch's FERPA Policy Revision***

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

On April 19^th, 2012 the Wasatch County School Board passed a FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) revision (attached) by a unanimous vote.  They did this without hardly any discussion and no public input or 30-day review. 

The FERPA policy is in place to protect children’s information from being given without parental consent.  The policy states conditions in which a student’s “personally identifiable information”* can be given without parent’s consent.  The revision added additional ways and organizations with whom our children’s information can be shared without our consent, as parents.

A few moms in the community, myself included, have made a formal request to Superintendent Terry Shoemaker that the board reverse this change and at the very least put it up for a 30-day review and gather public input and feedback and take time to study the issue. 

Tomorrow, Tuesday May 15^th at 6:30 pm the Wasatch School Board will meet in the Board Room of the Wasatch County School District Offices (the old North School).  Action item number 3.18 is FERPA Policy Appeal.

If you feel that your child’s personally identifiable information should not be released without your consent, please do the following:

1.        Contact the Wasatch County School members of the board letting them know. 

Board President, Ann Horner: ann.horner@wasatch.edu,

Blaid Baird, VP:  blaik.baird@wasatch.edu

Jennifer Kelson, Board Member:  jenifer.kelson@wasatch.edu

Wilma Cowley, Board Member:   wilma.cowley@wasatch.edu

Debbie Jones, Board Member:  debbie.jones@wasatch.edu

 

2.       Attend the School Board meeting on Tuesday, May 15^th at 6:30 pm at the Wasatch County District Offices (101 East 200 North).  FERPA policy  appeal is one of the last items on the agenda, FYI.

I think this is an important matter that the community needs to be aware of and involved in and I hope that you will spread the word (share this e-mail) so that your voice can be heard.  It is important for our elected officials to represent the citizens. 

Thanks and feel free to contact me if you have questions- I can't promise that I'll have any answers.  ;)

Renee’ Braddy

*You might be wondering exactly what is included in “personally identifiable information”?  I have done some research and according to the Federal FERPA Regulation 34CFR Part 99 that was written by the US  Dept of Ed (and did not go through congress) this is what is included:

 (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1232g(b)(4)(A))

"Personally Identifiable Information"

The term includes, but is not limited to--

(a)  The student’s name;

(b)  The name of the student’s parent or other family members;

(c)  The address of the student or student’s family;

(d)  A personal identifier, such as the student’s social security number, student number, or biometric record;

(e)  Other indirect identifiers, such as the student’s date of birth, place of birth, and mother’s maiden name;

(f)  Other information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a reasonable person in the school community, who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty; or 

(g) Information requested by a person who the educational agency or institution reasonably believes knows the identity of the student to whom the education record relates.

(Authority:  20 U.S.C. 1232g(b)(1)(C), (b)(3), and (b)(5))

“Biometric record,” as used in the definition of “personally identifiable information,” means a record of one or more measurable biological or behavioral characteristics that can be used for automated recognition of an individual. Examples include fingerprints; retina and iris patterns; voiceprints; DNA sequence; facial characteristics; and handwriting.