InBloom Threatens Students’ Privacy Rights
Are corporately-backed organizations stealing kids’ privacy?
Over the past few months, tensions have been building concerning InBloom, an organization that collects information about students around the country in order to create methods of personalized education. InBloom claims on its website that
“[s]tudent data privacy is a top priority” of theirs. However, parents strongly disagree. After protests led by parents across the nation, four of the nine original states sharing information with inBloom are no longer doing so, while another two are reconsidering the choice.
One state, New York, has played a large role in the fight over students’ privacy rights. New York is currently the only state that allows inBloom complete access to student data in all public and charter school systems statewide. Enraged New York parents have been protesting this practice for months, particularly the fact that the schools do not require any parental consent in order for student data to be offered to invasive corporations such as inBloom.
For more information concerning how your student’s privacy might be in danger, please visit classsizematters.org, “NYC Parent Sounds Alarm on Student Privacy” published on Schoolbook, “FAQ on inBloom Inc” written by Leonie Haimson, and “Is InBloom Enthusiasm Inspired by Gates Grants?” by Anthony Cody