Company gets kindergartners' Social Security numbers, data without permission from the parents

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/011208dnmetkinderprivacy.2c1f955.html

Permission not needed to hand over Social Security info; TEA says it's safe


11:36 AM CST on Saturday, January 12, 2008

By STACI HUPP / The Dallas Morning News
[e-mail]

Texas school districts are handing over Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other sensitive information about the state's kindergarten students to a private software company without permission from the children's parents.

State education officials who set up the unusual arrangement insist that the information is safe. But some educators and parents worry about sending student Social Security numbers to a private company hired to store kindergarten reading test scores.

A privacy expert says thousands of 5- and 6-year-olds are vulnerable to identity theft as a result.

"I would hope that any company that had the financial future of every single kindergartner in Texas would be put through the mill as far as security," said David Holtzman, a former security analyst who wrote the book Privacy Lost.

"This is more valuable than a million dollars in gold coins in the bank."

OZ Systems, an Arlington software company, has received at least $2.3 million in state money to create databases of preschool and kindergarten student records.

FULL story at link.

[kurth]

1. "State education officials who set up the unusual arrangement insist that the information is safe"

LOL.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

3. Ahhh but this is Texas.

[fenriswolf]

2. why are they recording test scores of 5 year olds?

of what possible use is it how fast little billy can sound out the letters? WTF?

[AnOhioan]

4. 217,393,476

TOTAL number of records containing sensitive personal information
involved in security breaches in the U.S. (1-10-05 thru 1-11-08)


http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/ChronDataBreaches.htm