Confidentiality

Although information given by a student to any school employee may be very personal, school personnel do not have “privileged communication” rights. School personnel should have an obligation and a desire to keep such information confidential, but if the employee is required by a governmental agency or court of law to disclose the information the employee will abide by the law.

Surveys

All surveys requesting personal information from students, as well as any other instrument used to collect personal information from students, must advance or relate to the District’s educational objectives as identified in Board Policy 6000: Educational Philosophy and Objectives, or assist students’ career choices. This applies to all surveys, regardless of whether the student answering the questions can be identified or who created the survey.

Third-Party Student Surveys and Questionnaires

Before a school official or staff member administers or distributes a survey or evaluation created by a third party to a student, the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) may inspect the survey or evaluation, upon their request and within a reasonable time of their request.

Surveys Requesting Personal Information

In accordance with federal law (Public Law 103-227), students who participate in federally-funded programs (e.g., Title I remedial reading) are not required to divulge in a survey, analysis, or evaluation of any of the following without the prior written consent of their parents or guardians: a) Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or his/her parent/guardian; b) Mental or psychological problems of a student or his/her family; c) Behavior or attitudes about sex; d) Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior; e) Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom students have close family relationships; f) Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those with lawyers, physicians, and ministers; g) Religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or his/her parents/guardians; or h) Income (other than required to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program).

Physical Exams or Screenings

No school official or staff member shall subject a student to a non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as a condition of school attendance.

Board Policy 5580: Student and Family Privacy Rights