News

Actions

Is your child's personal information at risk?

Posted at 6:28 PM, Feb 18, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-19 10:13:30-05

SAN DIEGO -- Your child's personal information, including their Social Security numbers, could soon be released to a nonprofit organization. However, a local lawmaker is working to put a stop to it.

A federal judge recently ordered records released to a group fighting for students with disabilities. Ten million children enrolled in California public schools since Jan. 1, 2008, could be affected.

"It's a lot of kids, it's a lot of records," San Diego-based Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez wants a law prohibiting school districts from collecting sensitive unnecessary information, except when required by federal law.

"Social Security numbers, medical information, disciplinary information; so things that you just don't want a third party having," Gonzalez said.

Parent Denise Short said she will do anything to protect her children's privacy.

"Because people can totally steal their Social Security numbers and do God knows what with it; steal their identity, open up bank accounts, do a bunch of stuff with it," Short said.

Short agrees with Gonzalez. 

"Yeah, I agree with it. They're not adults. If they're adults then they can make that decision by themselves and that's their decision. It shouldn't be anyone else's."

In the meantime, parents can fill out an "Objection Form" here. Forms will need to be mailed out before April 1.