Leonie Haimson reports that Chicago has pulled out of inBloom, the massive data collection project funded by the aGates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation.
Leonie has been the key figure nationally in alerting parents, educators, officials, and the media to the plans of inBloom to collect hundreds of points of data about children, using software developed by Rupert Murdoch’s Wireless Generation, and stored on a “cloud” managed by amazon.com, with no guarantee that this personal and identifiable information cannot be hacked or sold to marketers.
New York is now the only state that continues to collaborate fully in sharing confidential student data with inBloom. State officials take an almost incomprehensible glee in their insistence that no one can stop them. I have no doubt that Leonie Haimson, champion of children, will beat them all: Gates, Carnegie, Murdoch, Bezos, and the New York State Education Department.
As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Leonie proves that Mead was right.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
If it is only for data, why do they need the child’s name? Couldn’t the data be anonymous? They could still get the necessary items of interest with some sort of identifying mark – Erie County – Suburban School.
Ellen, what is interesting is the opposition to releasing names. Names are considered public information in schools unless you opt out of directory information. That solves part of a problem.
Sheila, it’s not just scholastic info, but also suspensions and other teacher comments. It puts a new spin on permanent record.
Idenifying mark. What, like 666 on the hand or forehead?
Identifying mark meaning socioeconomic class, age, race, location, school type
My nephew goes to a NYC public school and he’s been told that his 4th grade test scores will be included in his profile – and used for consideration if he chooses to apply to a different middle school other than his zoned school. They’re using the data to segregate already.
Hey, now, that’s my number for when someone else on the team already took 13!
Ah, a response to my tweet that it’s time to work w instead of against. I certainly wouldn’t bet against Leonie. In any event — kids’ data need to be protected. There are other inBlooms ahead. Only legislation can stop that.
As if the privatizing edudilettanates ever “worked with” us. Teachers and parents were never considered and still aren’t.
The teachers unions & PTA’s got a a lot money from Gates, Linda.
http://deutsch29.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/nea-says-its-members-strongly-support-common-core/
I don’t want to continue to have this back & forth. I support parents’ right to control who has access to information about their children.
Why doesn’t anyone blame US ED and the Obama administration for allowing inBloom to exist to start with by the 2008 and the 2011 FERPA rule changes?
Why is this NYSED’s fault? They are conforming w the FERPA.
It seems as though King keeps saying the same thing? It’s because he’s stating facts. Facts don’t change until a new set of facts are attached to something new or there are new findings.
There are 1000’s of parents across the US fighting for their children. They are the people who should be credited.
I’m going to spend some time being thankful for my family. Enjoy yours, Linda.
Happy Thanksgiving.
The rank and file teachers do not agree with the unions in many areas. I don’t have any control of who they take money from. I don’t believe they represent us anymore. Gates rules.
King can state facts all he wants. Why did other states back out with the same facts?
My mother always used to say, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
Exactly. If they want the data for data’s sake, names are superfluous and irrelevant… unless, of course, they’re really not after the data…
Hooray. How do we get this done in New York?
Help Leonie Haimson beat inBloom in New York. Leonie@att.net
Also, write, fax, phone, text, tweet, and facebook every politician, including your own elected officials for your region of NY state, who make up the body politic at Albany and HOUND them to put pressure on the Regents and King to pull out of inBloom and anything remotely like it.
By threatening the politicians with your future vote, which is equated with their jobs and benefits, you will better and faster change this fascist, catastrophic move, the opposition to which Albany is clearly ignoring. You will have peacefully kicked these politicians in the cajones, which sometimes is the only language they understand and deserve.
Our children’s and families’ privacy is never to be a commodity . . . .
spread the word about your idea ASAP.
The virus is also spreading to NC. We now have to look forward to inbloom and EVAAS.
Many sincere thanks to Leonie Haimson today, from this very grateful Chicagoan, for helping the children in my city!
AMEN! This would have been such a violation of special ed. regs as to be unconstitutional.
Why aren’t Duncan, Gates and King handing over their children’s data for Rupert Murdoch’s profiteering and other nefarious purposes via his inBloom scheme?
All parents need to follow the criminal trials taking place in the UK related to phone tapping, computer hacking and the cover-up by Murdoch’s lieutenants.
Privacy rights are being violated in the name of “reforms” like the Common Core and data mining children without parental consent. Follow the money –
Say NO, write letters, make phone calls and vote!