U.S. Department of Education investigates North Monterey County Unified for alleged student privacy violations.

On Oct. 26, the U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into three school districts in California for alleged violations of federal parental rights laws. These are North Monterey County Unified, Palo Alto Unified School District and San Francisco Unified school districts. 

According to a press release, these districts “reportedly require students to reveal intimate details about themselves and their families without parental consent or knowledge.”

The investigation will examine whether the districts violated the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), which protects the privacy rights of K-12 students and their families and requires parental consent if surveys include protected information (and applies to K-12 schools that receive federal funding). 

“Students should not be pressured into identifying intimate details about themselves and their families without parental awareness and consent. Education leaders in California must stop undermining parental rights and we will work with these districts to bring them into full compliance with federal laws,” said Frank Miller, director of the student privacy policy office. 

According to the Department of Education, these districts include Wheel of Power/Privilege and/or Mapping My Identities in their curricula (both designed to help students understand their social identity and/or privilege, or lack thereof; the former is used as a reflective tool on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion development).

“These invasive questionnaires require students to identify personal information such as their sexual orientations, gender identities, mental and physical health conditions, family economic status, race and more,” the statement reads, noting parents alleged districts were unresponsive to their requests to review in full their Ethnic Studies curriculum. (According to PPRA, federally funded schools are required to provide upon request all the curriculum for parental review.)

On Oct. 27, NMCUSD provided an update on this matter. In a letter shared with the community, the district said it is complying with federal law and it launched an investigation on the PPRA violation allegations.

"Our internal investigation found no evidence to support the claims made by the U.S. Department of Education," the letter said.

The letter added students weren't required to provide information protected under PPRA, and district officials provided opportunities to the community, including parents, to access and review the Ethnic Studies curriculum.