Schools must join war on identity theft Pupils personal information should be treated

The good news is critical practices are changing. Retailers routinely eliminate customers’ credit card numbers from transaction receipts. A growing number of consumers don’t provide their Social Security numbers without first demanding to know why the information is needed, how it will be protected and what will happen if it isn’t provided.

Unfortunately, heightened awareness about the danger of identity theft isn’t reflected in every public policy. The 2002 No Child Left Behind Act requires any school that receives federal funding to provide military recruiters with contact information for high school juniors and seniors.

Michael Helmrich of Port Huron is concerned about the law’s provision. Three years ago, he fielded solicitations from Army recruiters, colleges, student-loan agents and portrait studios, as his son’s high school graduation approached. Now that his daughter is 17, the solicitations have returned.
What troubles Helmrich most, however, is how casually the Port Huron Area School District seems to treat his daughter’s personal information. A medical-emergency information card every child in the district must complete includes his or her birth date, contact information, any court orders regarding the child, addresses and telephone numbers of emergency contacts, and any general health conditions.

The data gathering is standard practice for any public school district. The information, Helmrich argues, ought to be treated with greater care.

Helmrich said individual teachers often use the cards’ information, something district Assistant Superintendent Ron Wollen doesn’t dispute. Wollen did say the data isn’t shared with outside organizations. In fact, he said, the district cannot provide that information, except to military recruiters, without parents’ permission.

That’s not much comfort to Helmrich.

“If the office keeps the … information, then one person is responsible, but we start handing out this information to the teachers, now we’re (spreading it out),” he said. “Who’s keeping the keys?”

Office-supply retailers recently conducted a national survey about the threat of identity theft. In it, 72% of the respondents said they are more concerned about identity theft today than two years ago.

Americans must take every possible step to reduce their vulnerability. That won’t be effective unless public institutions are part of the effort.

Helmrich is right to sound the alarm. Keeping personal information safe is a 21st-century challenge.

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