Schools and privacy

The article Parents pull children as letter expresses ‘major governance concerns’ at school (Oct 27) highlights parents’ concerns about the use of digital technologies by a Christchurch school. Privacy is another concern that parents should have. Whether schools are complying with the Privacy Act, such as whether they have the legal right to disclose students’ information to other agencies, is questionable.

My child’s school’s Responsible IT User Agreement Guidelines state that parental consent is required for internet use. I have never given my consent, but he is still registered for online services and he is logged in using someone else’s log-in.

No relevant government agency is willing to investigate the alleged privacy breaches and the school continues to assert its right to register my child for on-line services. The Ministry of Education’s local office suggested that, if I disagree with this, I homeschool my child.

Who gave schools, public or private, the mandate to outsource their core role to overseas private sector companies to, whatever extent, deliver the curriculum? Taxpayer-funded schools are funded to do this and the privatisation of this role must be a public policy issue. If not, there is nothing democratic about the implementation of digital technologies by schools.

ELLEN PEOPLES Lower Hutt