Public school students' data available to anybody

and other identifying information is available to the public but the fact that TPS does not notify parents once a year that they can opt out of having their students names made available to the public.

The African American Parents' Association has asked for and received information concerning students since TPS has been unresponsive to the educational needs of and the zero tolerance policies that affect black children.

We have requested and received the information to inform parents of activities that affect their student.

It would have been nice if Mr. Messina would have contacted me to explain why I, the secretary of AAPA requested the student information. He calls me about other trivial information.

This article was written to inflame the public, when the information is public and parents were not given the information to opt out of having their students identifying information made public.

Ok I understand why everyone is up in arms about this. However I'm going to play the Devil's Advocate on this one and let's see what people feel.

I notice a few law firms have asked for information. Let's say it's because a child in the school system was subjected to something that caused cancer. That child now has lymphoma. And let's say the firm is trying to get the public aware of the danger as well as file a civil action from other students put in danger. However Jack Ford is concerned about the district losing a legal battle so he asks his friends at the Bland to sit on the story which they do.

Now if the above scenario were true would you be in favor or or against the information being available?

MikeyA

I must say I received an "opt out" form for my children. It was sent home by the schools. The parent must complete and return to the school, so the students can be placed on a list for what the parents request to be or not to be available to the public.

Parents for Public Schools has regularly asked for student directory information since its inception in September 2000. We do so we can contact parents and let them know about our organization, the schools their children attend and other school related issues that would impact TPS students.

Our last request which was in written form on PPS letterhead dated October 30, 2006. Well within the time period that the Blade reviewed. So either the Blade excluded our organization (how many others have been excluded) or the district did not give them all the open record requests for student directory information. Perhaps there is a reason for that: TPS probably does not log open records requests made under ORC 149.43, Ohio Public Records Act.

ORC 3319.321, Confidentiality of student information, makes directory information available to all for non-profit reasons.

This is a double edged sword: privacy vs. the public's right to know about the data collected and use the data collected by government and quasi-government bodies.

But if we are to limit the availability of this type of information, then school districts should not be able to use the data except for school related matters.

For example, TPS has for years set up phone banks at the district office so that volunteers can make phone calls to parents to support TPS levy requests. Since the body sanctioning these activities is a political action committee and non school personnel are using the records, it seems only fair that the use of student directory information in these cases cease as well.

Mr. Foley - it not appropriate to be able to cry foul about providing this information when you know that TPS has used the information for levy purposes for years!

But of course the Blade never mentioned how TPS has used this information with non-TPS personnel year after year! Any guesses as to why this was excluded from the story? Okay, maybe we should give the reporter a pass since he probably never thought of it. But hey some good investigative reporting would have identified the issue and included it.

You can read the code for yourself at http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3319

PPS had advocated for years to better inform parents of the opt-out provisions. As a parent, I opted out every year my child was in school.

I don't have kids in school, but I view this "publishing" of information as a tempest in a teapot. If a pedophile wanted to find out such information there are all kinds of ways (including the Toledo Blade) to collect information: MySpace, Facebook, the city directory (which used to include a "backwards" phone directory) among others. If a parent wants to opt out of this directory by all means they should. If they want to provides a more protective environment then they have little understanding of how readily information is available in this day and age.

Paul I most certainly honor your loyalty but as both a journalism student and a long time Toledo area resident I have seen the Bland sit on stories, under-report them, and even bury them.

As I've said in other threads it's legal but journalism ethics only cover what is printed and not what isn't printed.

The above scenario I gave is hypothetical but it is not unrealistic.

I am in favor of giving parents an "opt out" but I'm also in favor of having a student listing available... be it all parties have access to it and parents are legitimately informed of their choice prior to their child's name being published.

MikeyA

although I have had students at TPS for the last three school years, I have never received an opt out form. Not this year either!

Maybe some parents get them and some don't.