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Because Freedom Can't Protect Itself.

ALERTING PARENTS: You do NOT have to release your child's social security number to schools or the Department of Education.

Last spring, a law passed in the Maine State Legislature that allows the Department of Education to collect students' social security numbers, attach them to student files, and connect this information to databases at the Department of Labor. In essence, your child's social security number could carry every grade, absence, and disciplinary infraction that occurred from age 5 well into her or his career. What the Department of Education has failed to communicate effectively is the opt-in nature of this program; you do not HAVE to hand over that 9 digit number.

Given the risks associated with social security number use for identification, we strongly urge you to stand up for your child's privacy and choose to take advantage of the opt-in nature of this program. As was stated in a Press Herald editorial earlier today, students do not leave their privacy rights at the school house gate.

Listen to the MPBN piece on the story here.
To learn more about the law, read Shenna's blog on the issue.

Forward this to all of your friends with students so they know they have the right to say no. They have a right to privacy.

Thanks for all that you do,
Alysia, Brianna, Claire, Edward, Katy, Shenna, Zach

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