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Parent says FERPA request delayed and warns of unsecured staff devices
Summary
Gabriel Mesa told the board he filed a FERPA records request in April after a student discipline incident, described delays and alleged staff use of unsecured personal devices to record student information, and said he may seek legal counsel if records are not produced.
Gabriel Mesa spoke during patron input and identified himself before urging the board to improve transparency and the district's records practices.
"My name is Gabriel Mesa. I stand before you tonight to address a matter, a critical matter of transparency due process integrity of student records within the district," Mesa said, arguing that parents must be able to review disciplinary information and evidence related to allegations against their children. He said he filed a FERPA request April 27 and followed up on June 22 but had received no substantive response.
Mesa also said staff had admitted to using unsecured personal mobile devices to enter or transmit student records, specifically citing a clipboard application. "The use of personal devices to create and transmit student records is deeply alarming," he said, and asked the board why more was not invested in secure IT infrastructure so parents could access records without seeking court orders.
Board members acknowledged the comment. The public‑comment rules read earlier in the meeting directed parents with individual student concerns to meet with the superintendent for privacy-protected follow-up.
Why it matters: FERPA gives parents a right to inspect and review education records. Mesa told the board he was prepared to seek legal counsel if the district did not respond to his records request.
What’s next: Board members did not take immediate action during the meeting; administrators indicated individual FERPA requests are handled through the superintendent's office and advised follow-up appointments for privacy-sensitive cases.
