Latest news with #FamilyEducationalRightsandPrivacyAct
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
APS cancels last day at Ellis, IJ over 'potential safety concern' to students
May 30—Due to what was termed as a "potential safety concern," at Ellis Middle School, the Austin Public Schools District has made the decision to cancel the last day of school for both Ellis Middle School and IJ Holton Intermediate School. In a letter to district parents, Superintendent Dr. Joey Page made the announcement earlier this morning. "Due to the timing of this report and our need to fully assess the situation, we have made the decision to cancel the last day of school for Ellis Middle School students," Page explained in the letter. "Additionall, IJ Holton, due to its close proximity to Ellis, will also be closed to students." Citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Page said he was unable to go into details regarding the situation saying only that the district was working with law enforcement to investigate the threat's nature and that it is "taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our community." "All threats of violence — even those made in jest — are taken seriously and may result in student discipline, including possible expulsion and involvement of law enforcement," Page's letter said. Austin Police Chief David McKichan confirmed that the district had reached out to the Austin Police Department, which continues to look into the threats. "Austin Public Schools received information about a potential safety concern involving students at Ellis Middle School. They did contact us to investigate, and that investigation is ongoing," McKichan said in a statement. "We do have two School Resource Officers (SRO) assigned to the school district. One of those is dedicated to the Ellis/IJH joint campus and is assigned this case. The other SRO, and any of our other staff, would of course assist as needed." The letter ended with Page urging parents or their students that if they hear of any threats to call 911 to report it.
NBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Transgender athlete's win at Illinois middle school track meet sparks heated debate
Debate over a transgender student's win in a middle school girls track meet grew heated at a school board meeting in suburban Illinois this week. The meet took place at Jefferson Middle School in Naperville, about 30 miles west of Chicago, where the student athlete won multiple events, becoming a microcosm of a national debate over trans athletes in sports. During public comment at a Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Board meeting Monday, nearly 100 parents could be seen in the audience, some raising transgender pride flags, others holding signs that read 'Protect Girls Sports' and 'Stop Exploiting Kids.' At one point, an audience member could be heard shouting 'Protect trans youth' before being escorted out of the meeting. Parents opposed to the student's participation in the meet have asked for federal funds to be frozen at District 203 until the board changes course on its athletics policies, arguing they are in violation of Title IX. Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal funds. Awake Illinois, a nonprofit organization advocating against gender-affirming care for minors, filed a federal civil rights complaint against the district over the meet. Parents who spoke in the meeting argued the student's participation 'creates an unfair playing field for our daughters' while others expressed support for the school's inclusive policy. Illinois' Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in educational settings in the state. 'Transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming students often face barriers to participation in school athletics and other gender-based activities. Physical education, school sports teams, and school clubs are considered 'facilities, goods and services' under the Act and students are entitled to participate in these activities free from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender-related identity,' the Illinois Department of Human Rights stated, adding that 'students cannot be prevented from access to, full participation in, or the equal enjoyment of extracurricular activities due to their gender-related identity.' In a statement, District 203 said it is 'committed to protecting the privacy of all students.' 'In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and district policy, we cannot and will not share personal or identifiable information about any student without appropriate consent,' the statement read. 'In regards to our procedures, Naperville 203 adheres to the Illinois Human Rights Act and the Illinois State Board of Education guidance, which prohibit discrimination in schools and ensure full and equal access to programs and services regardless of gender identity or other protected characteristics.' No action was taken at the meeting Monday. 'The initial reaction to start filing court cases with the Department of Justice and turn a 13-year-old or a 12-year-old's life into a just not a very humane thing to be doing,' Kristal Larson with the LGBTQ Center in Grayslake told NBC Chicago. Larson noted that a child's ability to participate in sports is pivotal to their mental health. Dr. Kelsey Leonardsmith, who treats transgender children from several states at the Family Tree Clinic in Minneapolis, and is a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said transgender girls and women are already underrepresented in sports and make up just a tiny percentage of student athletes. She disputed the contention of critics that allowing them to participate in girls sports gives them unfair advantages and puts other girls in physical danger. 'Shutting out trans girls helps no one, and it is profoundly harmful to those it excludes,' Leonardsmith said. 'On the surface, it removes opportunities for physical activity, for fitness, for belonging. But on a more fundamental level, it says to trans youth, 'We do not believe you, you are not real,' and it is hard to imagine a more damaging message to send to children.' Cases of transgender athletes in women sports have been at the center of nationwide debates since President Donald Trump took office. In 2022, the NCAA used a sport-by-sport approach to allow transgender athletes to participate, deferring to an individual sport's national governing organization, international federation or prior established International Olympic Committee criteria. The NCAA changed its policy the day after Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 5 that was intended to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls and women's sports. That ended its sport-by-sport practice in favor of a blanket policy that only allows athletes assigned female at birth to participate in women's sports. The Illinois High School Association 'allows participation by students consistent with their gender identity subject to applicable federal and state laws,' though they have urged state officials to communicate with federal authorities to 'provide clear direction.' The Education Department has already opened reviews of San Jose State University volleyball, Denver Public Schools, Portland Public Schools, Oregon School Activities Association and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, among others.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
School principal charged for sex crimes involving students
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A former principal at a St. Louis County middle school is being held on a $1 million cash-only bond for numerous sex crimes involving students. According to the St. Louis County Police Department's probable cause statement, Cedric Gerald, 48, was working as the principal at Westview Middle School since 2023. Four victims, all of them students, told police Gerald had inappropriate contact or engaged in appropriate behavior with them. The victims had inappropriate FaceTime, text messages, and video calls with Gerald in exchange for payment, police said. Gerald also engaged in appropriate sex acts with the students on school grounds. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Gerald was placed on administrative leave during the investigation and never returned to the school. During an interview with detectives, police said Gerald admitted to several of the crimes. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Gerald with second-degree sexual trafficking of a child under 18 years of age, sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child pornography, attempted statutory sodomy – person less than 14 years of age, sexual misconduct involving a child under 15, first-degree harassment, sexual contact with a student, and two counts of second-degree statutory sodomy. Online records do not show when Gerald will appear in court. The county police and prosecuting attorney's office will hold a joint news conference Thursday afternoon to discuss the investigation. The school district is cooperating with the investigation. Detectives with county's Bureau of Crimes Against Persons Unit suspect there may be additional victims. Anyone with information is asked to contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 314-615-5400. After the announcement of charges, the Riverview Garden School District issued the following statement: On May 14, 2025, the District received notice that Dr. Cedric Gerald was charged with committing serious offenses, at least some of which involve District students. Dr. Gerald is currently in the custody of law enforcement authorities and has resigned from his position with the District. When the District became aware of the initial allegations, the District promptly notified Children's Division and law enforcement. Dr. Gerald was placed on administrative leave and never returned to District property. The District has actively been working with Children's Division and law enforcement regarding the incident. The District wants to acknowledge the bravery of our students and staff members who came forward with information regarding this matter. Given the sensitive nature of this situation, we cannot comment in detail about the allegations as personally identifiable student information is confidential under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ('FERPA') and District policy. Our Board of Education's policies set forth high standards of expected staff conduct. All employees also participate in annual training regarding appropriate conduct towards students, including recognizing and maintaining professional boundaries. The District conducts thorough background checks on all new employees, which includes a Missouri Highway Patrol and FBI criminal background check. Pursuant to the restrictions placed on the District when receiving criminal background checks, we cannot release information regarding any particular background check received. The District is also enrolled in the Missouri Rap Back program operated by the Missouri Highway Patrol, which provides automatic notifications to the District if an employee is arrested for a criminal offense in Missouri. At all times, our District's top and most important priority is to provide the best education possible for our students in a safe and secure environment. Our District is acting, and will continue to act, in accordance with its policies to address this matter and to maintain the safe educational environment that our community expects. We appreciate the patience of our school community as we move through this difficult situation. To the extent District families or students need additional support during this time, the District is providing access to additional counselors and social workers on site at Westview Middle School through the remainder of the school year. Finally, should any members of our community have specific concerns about Dr. Gerald's conduct with their children, they should contact the Superintendent at 314-869-2505, Tammy Vega from Children's Division at 314-605-0618, or Detective Belcher of the St. Louis County Police Department at 314-615-5400. Riverview Garden School District Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
14-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Longtime Munster middle school counselor denies violating student confidentiality laws
The School Town of Munster fired a long-time middle school counselor accused of violating student confidentiality laws Monday night. The School Board of Trustees voted 3-1 – with Board President Kyle Dempsey absent – to not renew the contract of Julie Atkinson during its Monday night meeting. Atkinson had been a counselor with Wilbur Wright Middle School for 17 years. Addressing the board and the audience before the vote, Atkinson, who was placed on leave from her position January 10, said the basis of her firing was that she'd consulted with a licensed social worker about a report conducted on a student in crisis. The child's mom, she told the Post-Tribune, was aware of their actions and didn't have a problem with them since they'd been working with them since early in the school year. She's also 'extremely familiar' with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects students' educational records and personally identifiable information. People who have access to this information either have a legitimate educational interest – which Atkinson said the social worker had by virtue of them working with the child – or a parent's permission to see it, which she said they had. 'As a licensed school counselor, I'm extremely aware of my ethical obligations as they relate to confidentiality and FERPA – which are two separate things – because those are the literal basis of my profession,' Atkinson said. 'If students or parents don't trust me, they won't talk to me, so to suggest that I have violated a student's right to privacy is perhaps the most offensive thing I could be accused of doing.' Atkinson pointed out, however, that the administrator who initiated the action against her, Principal Bojan Jovanovic, 'wasn't able to answer the questions, 'What is FERPA?' 'What does FERPA mean?' and 'What provision of FERPA did she violate?'' during a hearing on the matter with the School Board and her. She also said the mother of the child in question said she's never to this day heard from anyone in the administration about the incident, which took place in November. 'The psychological and physical effects I have experienced during this forced social isolation have been profound because my coworkers were allowed to just think I was ill,' she said. 'At one point, (Jovanovic) encouraged the staff to send me a 'Thinking of You' card as if admin also didn't know why I wasn't at work and wanted to support me.' Atkinson said she was given the opportunity to resign 'many times' but didn't because she didn't violate any policies or laws, and she wanted her children to see the importance of standing up for what's right 'even when you know you're not going to win.' 'If I can be fired for this – despite having enthusiastic parental support – then I would urge the other counselors and social workers in the district to take notice,' Atkinson said. 'If I can be fired after 17 years of being consistently rated as 'highly effective,' then any employee in this district can be fired at any time.' Outgoing STM Superintendent Bret Heller declined comment by email Tuesday. Scores of parents posted messages supporting Atkinson on a social media post her husband, Ben Atkinson, made asking whether Atkinson would be able to speak at the meeting. Heather Burmester, who was present, said Atkinson played a crucial role in one of her son's acclimations to school when they moved to town. 'It's not just, 'Oh, she's a good counselor.' The experience people have with Mrs. Atkinson, the experience that our students of color have reported with her is above, above average. She's irreplaceable,' Burmester said. 'If there was an issue, there has to be some other recourse so this board could say 'No' to certifying her termination. 'We cannot lose her, especially on the heels of the Elliott fiasco, where we lost six good people.' Board members John Castro, Amy Sinder and Ingrid Schwarz Wolf voted to terminate Atkinson, while Board Vice President Kristen Smith voted against it. Debora Porter, UniServ Director for Area 1 of the Indiana State Teachers Association, said she and their staff fought as hard as they could, but there was an imbalance of power they couldn't overcome. 'We felt we were on the just side, but they had all the power, and under Indiana law, we've gone as far as we can go,' Porter said. 'You would think that the way public education is under attack in this state, we would cling to each other, but it seems the stress is getting to everybody.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia schools assure compliance with parental rights laws
(Photo by Getty Images) Under the looming threat of federal consequences for inaction, all 136 local education agencies in the commonwealth — including public schools, the Virginia Juvenile Justice Center and Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind — have officially assured the Virginia Department of Education that they're complying with parental rights laws. On March 28, the U.S. Department of Education directed states to provide evidence that schools are complying with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) by April 30. These laws ensure parents have the right to inspect and review education records and student safety standards, and to be notified annually about their rights, military recruiter access to their child, and the school's overall compliance record. The federal agency sought the information after explaining that it has been 'overburdened' with reports of FERPA complaints that claim schools nationwide have been hiding information from parents, including gender transition records. 'As any mother would be, I have been appalled to learn how schools are routinely hiding information about the mental and physical health of their students from parents,' said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in a March 28 letter. 'The practice of encouraging children down a path with irreversible repercussions — and hiding it from parents — must end.' The agency warned schools that if they failed to comply, they would face an investigation and loss of federal funding. The Virginia Department of Education, which provided the school compliance list to USDOE, stated all of the education agencies in the commonwealth 'exceed' federal FERPA expectations by following state law, which sets 'higher standards' for the disclosure of certain student data, such as contact information including addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers. Under FERPA, the contact information may be designated as 'directory information' and may be disclosed without the consent of a parent or eligible student, unless such person has opted out of such designation. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and his Republican colleagues have made parental rights a cornerstone of his administration and legislative efforts, repeatedly asserting that 'a parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent's child.' Youngkin's administration has enacted several measures to reinforce these rights, including policies requiring parents to be notified about drug overdoses and making mask-wearing in schools optional. The governor also adopted legislation mandating that parents be informed about sexually explicit instructional materials in school libraries. Last month, the governor tried to amend a bill by adding language from Sage's Law, a bill which would have required public school principals to notify at least one parent if a student questions their gender identity or requests the school's participation in social affirmation or transition to a different sex or gender. However, Youngkin's amendment was rejected. During the regular legislative session earlier this year, House lawmakers failed to take up the proposed Sage's Law bill, carried by Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, for a second straight year. Freitas carried the bill that was first introduced by then-Republican Del. Dave LaRock during the 2023 General Assembly Session. The bill died in the Democratic controlled Senate that year, after passing through the House controlled by Republicans. Last session, the General Assembly failed to consider the same bill, which Youngkin said 'allows parents to be informed of the decisions relating to the mental health of their child.' The failure of the Sage's Law bill was one of the reasons why the governor last week vetoed a bill, carried by Democrats, designed to encourage school boards to remind parents about the safe storage of firearms and prescription drugs. He also added that the bill as passed by the legislature mainly concentrates on those two parental responsibilities, 'omitting other legal obligations, like providing an environment free of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
