CHINA SPRING, Texas (KXXV) — One China Spring ISD parent is raising concerns over a form she came across while enrolling her children in school.
- "Just because the public is allowed to have information doesn’t mean they need to have everything," said Rosie Rotenberry.
- According to the Texas Public Information Act, a school district must provide information to a requestor promptly.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“The address of the child and the current grade," said local China Spring ISD parent Rosie Rotenberry.
These are some of the items Rosie Rotenberry said are listed on the China Spring ISD form for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). It's a form she scrolled across while enrolling her children for the upcoming school year.
She said she has some concerns.
“It’s okay for vendors and things to know about, like just like the photography, but I think there are other things where just because the public is allowed to have information doesn’t mean they need to have everything," said Rotenberry.
Rotenberry is referring to the wording on the form. The district states it will release a student's directory information if a request is made through the proper process of a requestor, which can be a vendor or a person.
According to the form, directory information includes a student's name, address, phone number, photograph, date and place of birth, grade level, most recent school attended, and other similar information.
“The Texas Public Information Act is what allows the public to have access to the inner workings of the government and records created by the government," said Laney Hawes, political and advocacy director for the Texas Public Information Defense Fund.
According to the Texas Public Information Act, a school district must provide information to a requestor promptly, but Hawes said when it comes to children, there are some exceptions.
“Unless it’s something very legal that they have to withhold, like FERPA, that’s one of them, or attorney-client privilege…those are pretty much any reason they would like to argue to withhold documents. If they don’t get that letter to the Attorney General's office within ten days appealing it, they have to give me the records," said Hawes.
Under the Texas Public Information Act, school districts may define their own directory information policy, and certain items, such as a student's address or email address, don’t have to be included in directory information.
On the form, China Spring ISD allows parents 10 days to opt out of the release form. Rotenberry said she wants more parents to be aware of the form.
“I don’t know how many people know about the fact that they have the option to not consent to this and that it’s separate from the vendor consent," said Rotenberry.
