Opinion
Ed-Tech Policy Letter to the Editor

The Indelible Student-Data Footprint

August 22, 2017 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

As a counterbalance to “Maryland Dad Wants June 30 to Be ‘National Student Data Deletion Day’” (June 30, 2017), it might be good for Education Week to review and expose all the data that schoolchildren give away online to Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, as well as how much of that information can becollected and sold by unknown companies. It should be noted that some data-collection items as listed in the article, including browsing history, schoolwork, student-created emails, and other data are stored in multiple places—on vendor sites, in cookies on the individual computer, within the internet-filter systems that are designed to keep the students safe, and by the recipient of electronic communications. As a result, such information is nearly impossible to find and delete. Schools do not “collect” the above information; it is part of the information age.

When parents worry about what their children are giving away online, they will see that schools are not the threat. Google, Facebook, and other social-media platforms are what parents should be aware of. They will also see how hard it is to scrub their child’s digital footprints from the internet. I doubt they would want to pay the schools to do the scrubbing they are hoping for.

Russell Altersitz

Data Analyst

Logan Township School District

Logan Township, N.J.

A version of this article appeared in the August 23, 2017 edition of Education Week as The Indelible Student-Data Footprint

Events

English Learners Webinar Family and Community Engagement: Best Practices for English Learners
Strengthening the bond between schools and families is key to the success of English learners. Learn how to enhance family engagement and support student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Mathematics Webinar
How an Inquiry-Based Approach Transforms Math Learning
Transform math learning with an approach that empowers students to become active, engaged learners.
Content provided by MIND Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Achievement Webinar
Scaling Tutoring through Federal Work Study Partnerships
Want to scale tutoring without overwhelming teachers? Join us for a webinar on using Federal Work-Study (FWS) to connect college students with school-age children.
Content provided by Saga Education

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Ed-Tech Policy Cellphone Restrictions Are Coming to California Schools
A new law requires all public schools in California to limit students' access to cellphones during the school day.
2 min read
Young girl using a cellphone in class. On her desk is an open notebook and a pencil.
skynesher / iStock/Getty
Ed-Tech Policy From Our Research Center Why Schools Are Getting a Jump on Their Smartwatch Policies
A small but growing number of schools are adding smartwatches to their cellphone policies.
4 min read
Student is working in a school notebook with a pen. He has a smart watch on his wrist.
Forty percent of educators think smartwatches pose a behavioral or disciplinary challenge, new research shows.
galitskaya/iStock/Getty
Ed-Tech Policy Teachers Want Cellphones Out of Classrooms
Members of the nation's largest teachers' union say they want bans on cellphones during class time.
3 min read
A sign is shown over a phone holder in a classroom at Delta High School, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Delta, Utah. At the rural Utah school, there is a strict policy requiring students to check their phones at the door when entering every class. Each classroom has a cellphone storage unit that looks like an over-the-door shoe bag with three dozen smartphone-sized slots.
A sign in a classroom at Delta High School in February reinforces the policy of the rural Utah school that students check their phones at the door as they enter each classroom.
Rick Bowmer/AP
Ed-Tech Policy E-Rate Is in Legal Jeopardy. Here’s What Schools Stand to Lose
The FCC released a fact sheet about how the E-rate helps schools in response to a court ruling that threatens the program's funding.
1 min read
Photograph of a young girl reading, wearing headphones and working at her desk at home with laptop near by.
iStock/Getty Images Plus