Whoa FCPS- data breach

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to the article, she got the data because it was included as part of her children's education record (which makes no sense).

"Oettinger, a parent and special education advocate with a long and contentious relationship with Fairfax administrators, went to a school on three consecutive days last month to examine her children’s files — data such as test scores, attendance records and audio recordings of meetings she’s been requesting for years. In addition to boxes of paper files, the district provided her with thumb drives and computer discs that Oettinger estimates include personal data on roughly 35,000 students."

A lot of that article makes no sense - or else I hadn't had any coffee yet when I read it.

[Anonymous]

She might be a thorn in FCPS's side but no one else has told me that my children's information is out in the world. Information that I thought only FCPS has. I am mad.

[Anonymous]

I can't even get FCPS to tell me about my own kid. There is no reason they had to release this much information for her kid if they can't even write me basic stuff like if my child has any friends at school or if he's been to see his counselor or not.

[Anonymous]

the only plausible explanation is that someone at FCPS gave her this information intentionally because they knew she would do something about it. whoever this person is did not want to be the whistleblower and they knew she would expose it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the only plausible explanation is that someone at FCPS gave her this information intentionally because they knew she would do something about it. whoever this person is did not want to be the whistleblower and they knew she would expose it.

That's ... a take.

[Anonymous]

Or they really are this incompetent.

[Anonymous]

And DCUM trolls wonder why there is a significant number of parents who refuse to let their kids participate in the data mining SEL surveys, County Youth Survey, and all the other surveys given to FCPS students each year designed to capture their sexual activity, drug use, sexual preference, family life, depression, anxiety, race, thoughts on race/racism and more.

FCPS cannot maintain data privacy.

Anyone who does not opt out of all FCPS surveys given to their minor kids, including the ones that appear innocuous like the SEL surveys, really needs to rethink the potential harm of just going with the flow can mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I applaud her. I have a kid with an IEP and no one has told me that his data has been leaked. I have a meeting at the high school today- wonder if they will mention this?

Also, she has my kids information but more concerning- who else does? At least she is doing something about it. She has absolutely no reason to trust FCPS. I am sure they are going to try and blame her for their stupidity.

Student information in FCPS is usually kept in an unlocked room or closet in the main office, in a simple filing cabinet accessible to anyone who decides to walk in. In my school, PTA board members gained access to this information easily when one of them was hired to work in the main office. In fact, the same file that contains the IEP and other information also contains mundane office paperwork, and therefore can be accessed by anyone in the office at any time. Leak or no leak, you never had any privacy to begin with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applaud her. I have a kid with an IEP and no one has told me that his data has been leaked. I have a meeting at the high school today- wonder if they will mention this?

Also, she has my kids information but more concerning- who else does? At least she is doing something about it. She has absolutely no reason to trust FCPS. I am sure they are going to try and blame her for their stupidity.

Student information in FCPS is usually kept in an unlocked room or closet in the main office, in a simple filing cabinet accessible to anyone who decides to walk in. In my school, PTA board members gained access to this information easily when one of them was hired to work in the main office. In fact, the same file that contains the IEP and other information also contains mundane office paperwork, and therefore can be accessed by anyone in the office at any time. Leak or no leak, you never had any privacy to begin with.

Agreed but at least that person was an employee. This is a data breach to a parent with no controls like a work agreement.

[Anonymous]

People concerned about security might consider voting for Hussein for School Board. He is an information security specialist - and also an independent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And DCUM trolls wonder why there is a significant number of parents who refuse to let their kids participate in the data mining SEL surveys, County Youth Survey, and all the other surveys given to FCPS students each year designed to capture their sexual activity, drug use, sexual preference, family life, depression, anxiety, race, thoughts on race/racism and more.

FCPS cannot maintain data privacy.

Anyone who does not opt out of all FCPS surveys given to their minor kids, including the ones that appear innocuous like the SEL surveys, really needs to rethink the potential harm of just going with the flow can mean.

+1 this is exactly what I was thinking and going to post but you beat me to it.

[Anonymous]

She could have realized this was not data on her kids, notified the school and immediately deleted it. That's what the widely accepted protocol is for many organizations. Instead, she chose to read it all and call the media. She's just as bad, if not worse. She KNEW she had PII and forwarded it. Just to make trouble. No respect for her at all...I don't need any favors from her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She could have realized this was not data on her kids, notified the school and immediately deleted it. That's what the widely accepted protocol is for many organizations. Instead, she chose to read it all and call the media. She's just as bad, if not worse. She KNEW she had PII and forwarded it. Just to make trouble. No respect for her at all...I don't need any favors from her.

+1. Disgusting. She should have told the school and returned it. Then she could have gone to the media and told the story to try to encourage FCPS to do better without harming kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She could have realized this was not data on her kids, notified the school and immediately deleted it. That's what the widely accepted protocol is for many organizations. Instead, she chose to read it all and call the media. She's just as bad, if not worse. She KNEW she had PII and forwarded it. Just to make trouble. No respect for her at all...I don't need any favors from her.

I mean, that's literally this woman's goal. The school board candidate Tisler is the same way. They both request dozens of IEP meetings every quarter and come in literally every week to "review records" in the hope that FCPS will slip up and they can sue.

[Anonymous]

Callie Oettinger is constantly looking for trouble. She's on numerous facebook groups for parents of fcps kids who have learning disabilities stirring the pot. Trying to incite parents to get upset. At first, I thought she was on my side as an advocate but with enough time, you learn she just wants everyone needlessly upset with FCPS. For example, she argued with me when I said FCPS granted us compensatory service hours with no fuss and also compensated us for hours lost during COVID.

She's terrible and does not care about the kids.