Protecting student data has become a daunting task as practically every application that we access has possibilities of breaking privacy laws that we must keep in public schools. “A recent report from the nonprofit Internet Safety Labs found that 96 percent of apps used regularly in K-12 schools have data-sharing practices that are not adequately safe for children” (Thompson, 2023). These companies share students’ personal information breaking student privacy laws, and they often do this without the knowledge of schools or the students. It is crucial that teachers abide by the policies put into place by their Informational Technology department as they have searched out these educational platforms to ensure that they are not breaking any privacy laws often requiring them to sign confidentiality agreements. Even if the technology department does everything right on their end it will not protect everyone 100%; because it takes everyone being cautious and following established guidelines to keep student data confidential and to keep systems up and running (Walsh, 2022). This includes the vendors holding up tight security around the clock, students being careful of what information they post online, and teachers abiding by the rules set forth by their district. Just as teachers have expertise in educational matters, the district technology department has been trained and is knowledgeable with the rules and regulations and should be respected for their decisions regarding student privacy. This problem will only grow more complicated with every school year, so it is important to understand privacy laws and how they affect everyone in the school district.
References:
Galarita, B. (2022, July 28). How To Protect Your Student Data In College. Forbes Advisor. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/protecting-college-student-data/
Thompson, R. (2023). 6 steps to protect student data privacy. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/protecting-student-data-privacy
U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Protecting student privacy. https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/
Walsh, M. (2022, April 22). ‘There Are So Many Issues’: Why Schools Are Struggling to Protect Student Data. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/technology/there-are-so-many-issues-why-schools-are-struggling-to-protect-student-data/2022/04
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