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Student raises privacy and contract concerns over district device and online forms
Summary
A high-school student used public participation to question the district''s personal-communication-device policy and an online form that the student said requires users to waive privacy rights and may be non-negotiable.
During the public-participation portion of Monday''s New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education meeting, senior Aiden Barris raised concerns about the district''s personal-communication-device policy and an online student form that Barris said requires a privacy-related waiver.
Barris identified himself as a student in the career school of art resources and said he found a contradiction in the district''s device policy regarding permissible use during school-related events. He also said an online form distributed through PowerSchool appears to require students who use district devices or services to surrender certain privacy protections, and that the form is not editable. "Without a way to edit this contract, refusal of it is simply impossible, and we cannot negotiate," Barris said.
Superintendent Michael Sawyers and staff offered to follow up. Sawyers said staff member Rob Russell and Mr. O''Shea would contact Barris to follow up the next day.
Why it matters: Public comment raised both policy-clarity and potential legal concerns about consent language in required school forms. The board did not debate or vote on policy changes at the meeting; administrators committed to follow up with the student.
Key details - Commenter: Aiden Barris, identified at the meeting as a student and gave a street address on the record. He spoke for up to five minutes under the board''s public-participation rules. - Concerns: Apparent contradiction in the personal-communication-device policy about exceptions during school-related events; difficulty locating state law cited in the policy; an online form in PowerSchool that Barris described as requiring a non-editable privacy waiver that may amount to an agreement under duress because students need the district''s devices/services to complete schoolwork. - District response: Superintendent Sawyers said Rob Russell and Mr. O''Shea would follow up with Barris the next day.
Limits and follow-up The board did not take action or change policy at the meeting. Barris''s remarks were part of public comment; administrators said they would follow up, and any policy questions or legal concerns would be addressed through staff review.
Ending Sawyers told the board the administration would speak with the student and review the cited forms and policy language.
