Contact: Brian Washington   (202) 822-7823

March 6, 2007

NEA Supports Bill Protecting
Privacy Rights for Students and Families

Weaver Joins Rep. Honda to Endorse Student Privacy Protection Act

WASHINGTON -- NEA President Reg Weaver upheld the privacy rights of students and their families by supporting a bill that would prevent military recruiters from gaining access to a student's name, address and phone number without the parents' permission.

"I want to be clear that NEA believes high school students should have open access to information about a wide variety of career opportunities -- including the military," said Weaver. "But no high school student's records should be released for recruiting purposes against the wishes of the student and his or her family."

NEA President Reg Weaver urges support for the Student Privacy Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Mike Honda, right.    (Photo by NEA/Charles Votaw)

Weaver joined Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) today on Capitol Hill and praised him for sponsoring the Student Privacy Protection Act. Under Honda's bill, parents would be more involved in any decision to join the military since recruiters would be barred from contacting a student without the parents' specific agreement.

Weaver said current law does not offer sufficient protection of students' personal information because it allows schools to release the data unless a parent objects or opts out.

"We know that today's families have too much to do and too little time in which to do it," he explained. "It's very easy to imagine that a parent would be unaware of the need to opt out of releasing information to the military."

To illustrate, Weaver cited instances where information about opting out was buried in school newsletters that a busy parent could overlook. He also questioned the practice of some schools requiring parents to opt out each year.

"The decision to release student information to military recruiters, like the larger decision to join the military, is one that should be made by the parents and student together in accordance with the individual family's values and beliefs," Weaver said. "This legislation offers a common-sense approach."

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators
and students preparing to become teachers.