“New Hampshire schools have redirected the purpose of school, and the primary focus is not on academics.”
Marge Chiafery, Superintendent of Schools;
I appreciate your response that you have provided and appreciate the open dialogue about data collection and social, emotional, and behavioral programming (SEL) in the state of New Hampshire. After reading the regulations for FERPA, it appears that personally identifiable information (PII) collected at the local school district level in the state of New Hampshire (i4See Data Collection system) can be shared without parents knowing about it. Knowing that social, emotional and behavioral programming is being initiated in the state, I believe the sheer magnitude of sharing sensitive, personal, and private data brings the legal issues of privacy, safety, and security to the front of my concerns. I’m sure you would agree.
Although it appears that schools and the New Hampshire Department of Education tell parents and communities that the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. §1232g, is a Federal Privacy law designed to protect the privacy of students’ educational records. Regrettably, regulations were changed without Congressional authority where data mining of our children is permitted for research and development without the knowledge and consent of the parents. I believe it is important that parents are informed about this loophole in the regulations. Protecting children and families should be of utmost importance particularly if children are being used as research subjects. When you stated in your letter, “We have been, and will continue to be methodical in our research and in the application of research into practice….” your comment sheds light on exactly what is happening in our classrooms…methodical research into practice. Professional ethical protocols require informed consent when researching, assessing and treating subjects.