Can I sue Callie Oettinger?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...going off the rails, someone has started a FFX Underground thread... have fun...

Ffx underground was shutdown a year ago

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can sue the 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Special Education Action, lead by Callie Oettinger, which advocates for families that have been denied special education services, but really, why go after the nonprofit that's trying to help and advocate for families, and bring to light the misdeeds for FCPS, to encourage FCPS to do better. It's like suing the NAACP, or ACLU when the federal government makes a mistake. The real issue is with FCPS's terrible track record of mishandling information.

Also, here's Callie's response, which gives a lot more details then what FCPS is misleading you about.
https://specialeducationaction.com/pro-tip-dont-believe-everything-fairfax-county-public-school-tells-you/

Ah, she copied 35,000 records "under the impression" they were her previous records requests. If someone sues they will find out during discovery what actually happened.

Why did she copy anything, fcps should be the one that copies and gives her the data. FCPS is at fault

Whatever you say, Callie.

Do you understand how foia works? The entity holding the info releases it , so fcps released all of that to the requester, it's on fcps

[Anonymous]

Tell us again what a hero you are, how you’re fighting for the rights of special needs kids. Then in the same breath say “go ahead and try to sue me, I don’t owe your kids anything.” You are a hypocrite and a tiresome troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the letter about my kid today. This woman is a complete scumbag.

Years ago when my children were in elementary school, the teacher accidentally swapped the report cards that came in those brown manila envelopes for my child and another kid. I didn't know the other child or their parent but the moment I realized the mistake, I reached for the student directory to find the family's number. Before I'd even had a chance to find it, the phone rang--it was the other child's parent, who said that she was going to pretend she'd never seen my kid's report card, and did I have hers. I said I felt exactly the same way and I was walking out the door to drive over to her house to swap files.

That's what decent, normal people do and clearly what the Callie Oettingers of this world do not do.

Also you didn’t show up to the school offices 3 days in a row demanding every scrap of information related to your child including electronic copies of any document or communication containing their name or ID number. And that’s just how many times she did an information request this year. If we want to be really clear on what the Callie Oettingers of the world are doing. I’m not sure how I feel about people inferring she got this data purely by accident. She didn’t steal it, but she was hoping to trip them up and be given something she shouldn’t have.

Yes, the 74 whatever article says that she was in their offices for two or three days straight copying documents with FCPS staff there to help and that she stated she didn't realize the scope of what was released until later when she was home--as if...

[Anonymous]

...this sounds like a 2nd year course titled, "Gaslighting 203/204"...

[Anonymous]

Instructor: Callie Oettinger

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...this sounds like a 2nd year course titled, "Gaslighting 203/204"...

…taught by professor Callie, using a textbook written by Callie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I apologize if this information is available somewhere in this thread—I can’t read the whole thing. I just received a letter today saying that my child’s information was part of this leak. Where exactly did this woman publish the information to? Thanks for any info!

My evolving understanding--take it for what it's worth: She shared some data examples without kids' names on her website and she worked with a journalist who also wrote an article about it using images of files with kids' names redacted and discussing details about the data breach. There's no evidence that she got parents' consent to examine the files or share the redacted files, but there's also no evidence that she's posted all the data redacted or anything at all with kids' names on it. I don't know if anyone has dug through her website--there's a link in this thread that contained a file with some seemingly private information about individual kids' situations but with none of their names attached. If you google her name, you can find the website and judge for yourself.

The issue is she could not possibly have redacted all the information she received herself prior to sharing it. Further, the online article I believe you are referring to also states under the images of records “The 74 has redacted their real names.” That seems like a confirmation it was shared unredacted.

I'm the PP--that's the line that got me most worried at the beginning of this thread (and I was less measured in my tone then) because seeing that line in that 74 article when I'm first trying to figure out what is going on in this situation, suggested to me that the parent who got the data isn't acting like I would expect another parent to act which is to return the private data and make a major complaint about data security, but instead suggested to me she has shared private data with the journalist for reasons I couldn't fathom. In my view, if she cares about data privacy, she could more ethically report to the journalist everything about the breach, make a complaint about the breach without sharing any private data--with or without names. And the putting up of the images of 'real data' seemed to me to have a sensationalist rather than an informative aim. It made me worried about her intentions/judgment while holding a lot of sensitive private data. Meanwhile, I was worried my anxious, sensitive kid is going to hear about someone sharing her school's private data with the press etc... it's a lot to take in and try to process. So I'm empathetic to other parents whose first introduction to her and this situation is that article.

That said, since at least one poster called me "crazy" and inflammatory, so I looked through my earlier posts on this thread and have tried to clarify. I don't think I was crazy or inflammatory, but I am embarrassed because since I was upset/anxious I think my tone/clarity was not quite up to my personal standards. (For instance, I was saying embarrassing things like "she intentionally wronged us!" which while not an inaccurate account of my feelings/beliefs at the moment now sounds dumb and isn't clear--and I used words/phrases like illegal/crime in ways that seemed to be true to me based on my feelings/lay reading of the law but others said were inaccurate). So I've been sticking around this thread trying to clarify, to offer a measured summary other anxious parents who come in worried about their kids' data. But I don't mean to downplay the situation now either--I still consider her treatment of private data wrong and think there should be some recourse-- some way to confirm the private data is secured and will stay secured if she's not subject to FERPA laws in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the letter about my kid today. This woman is a complete scumbag.

Years ago when my children were in elementary school, the teacher accidentally swapped the report cards that came in those brown manila envelopes for my child and another kid. I didn't know the other child or their parent but the moment I realized the mistake, I reached for the student directory to find the family's number. Before I'd even had a chance to find it, the phone rang--it was the other child's parent, who said that she was going to pretend she'd never seen my kid's report card, and did I have hers. I said I felt exactly the same way and I was walking out the door to drive over to her house to swap files.

That's what decent, normal people do and clearly what the Callie Oettingers of this world do not do.

Also you didn’t show up to the school offices 3 days in a row demanding every scrap of information related to your child including electronic copies of any document or communication containing their name or ID number. And that’s just how many times she did an information request this year. If we want to be really clear on what the Callie Oettingers of the world are doing. I’m not sure how I feel about people inferring she got this data purely by accident. She didn’t steal it, but she was hoping to trip them up and be given something she shouldn’t have.

Yes, the 74 whatever article says that she was in their offices for two or three days straight copying documents with FCPS staff there to help and that she stated she didn't realize the scope of what was released until later when she was home--as if...

Link? And it was a thumb drive not paper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I apologize if this information is available somewhere in this thread—I can’t read the whole thing. I just received a letter today saying that my child’s information was part of this leak. Where exactly did this woman publish the information to? Thanks for any info!

My evolving understanding--take it for what it's worth: She shared some data examples without kids' names on her website and she worked with a journalist who also wrote an article about it using images of files with kids' names redacted and discussing details about the data breach. There's no evidence that she got parents' consent to examine the files or share the redacted files, but there's also no evidence that she's posted all the data redacted or anything at all with kids' names on it. I don't know if anyone has dug through her website--there's a link in this thread that contained a file with some seemingly private information about individual kids' situations but with none of their names attached. If you google her name, you can find the website and judge for yourself.

The issue is she could not possibly have redacted all the information she received herself prior to sharing it. Further, the online article I believe you are referring to also states under the images of records “The 74 has redacted their real names.” That seems like a confirmation it was shared unredacted.

I'm the PP--that's the line that got me most worried at the beginning of this thread (and I was less measured in my tone then) because seeing that line in that 74 article when I'm first trying to figure out what is going on in this situation, suggested to me that the parent who got the data isn't acting like I would expect another parent to act which is to return the private data and make a major complaint about data security, but instead suggested to me she has shared private data with the journalist for reasons I couldn't fathom. In my view, if she cares about data privacy, she could more ethically report to the journalist everything about the breach, make a complaint about the breach without sharing any private data--with or without names. And the putting up of the images of 'real data' seemed to me to have a sensationalist rather than an informative aim. It made me worried about her intentions/judgment while holding a lot of sensitive private data. Meanwhile, I was worried my anxious, sensitive kid is going to hear about someone sharing her school's private data with the press etc... it's a lot to take in and try to process. So I'm empathetic to other parents whose first introduction to her and this situation is that article.

That said, since at least one poster called me "crazy" and inflammatory, so I looked through my earlier posts on this thread and have tried to clarify. I don't think I was crazy or inflammatory, but I am embarrassed because since I was upset/anxious I think my tone/clarity was not quite up to my personal standards. (For instance, I was saying embarrassing things like "she intentionally wronged us!" which while not an inaccurate account of my feelings/beliefs at the moment now sounds dumb and isn't clear--and I used words/phrases like illegal/crime in ways that seemed to be true to me based on my feelings/lay reading of the law but others said were inaccurate). So I've been sticking around this thread trying to clarify, to offer a measured summary other anxious parents who come in worried about their kids' data. But I don't mean to downplay the situation now either--I still consider her treatment of private data wrong and think there should be some recourse-- some way to confirm the private data is secured and will stay secured if she's not subject to FERPA laws in this situation.

Any negative/nasty comments directed towards an upset parent on here are likely from Callie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the letter about my kid today. This woman is a complete scumbag.

Years ago when my children were in elementary school, the teacher accidentally swapped the report cards that came in those brown manila envelopes for my child and another kid. I didn't know the other child or their parent but the moment I realized the mistake, I reached for the student directory to find the family's number. Before I'd even had a chance to find it, the phone rang--it was the other child's parent, who said that she was going to pretend she'd never seen my kid's report card, and did I have hers. I said I felt exactly the same way and I was walking out the door to drive over to her house to swap files.

That's what decent, normal people do and clearly what the Callie Oettingers of this world do not do.

Also you didn’t show up to the school offices 3 days in a row demanding every scrap of information related to your child including electronic copies of any document or communication containing their name or ID number. And that’s just how many times she did an information request this year. If we want to be really clear on what the Callie Oettingers of the world are doing. I’m not sure how I feel about people inferring she got this data purely by accident. She didn’t steal it, but she was hoping to trip them up and be given something she shouldn’t have.

Yes, the 74 whatever article says that she was in their offices for two or three days straight copying documents with FCPS staff there to help and that she stated she didn't realize the scope of what was released until later when she was home--as if...

Link? And it was a thumb drive not paper.

From Callie’s own defense of her repugnant behavior:
I did see a paper record that had other kids' names. I copied it because the info for other kids was benign and the majority related to my own kids.

So now you’re saying it was only a thumb drive and no papers? Which is it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s look at it this way. If someone breaks into Targets IT systems and steals the data, that’s a criminal act. If Target willingly hands it over, Target is the culpable party. If you sue Callie, she’ll file for bankruptcy, we get no benefit, and this stuff keeps happening. FCPS cares nothing about privacy of data. If they did, they would have spent the money on it last time this happened.

Nope. FCPS didn't "willingly" hand it over--it was accidental. And made more likely to happen by the endless badgering for information by Callie in an already stressed public school system. The real crime is that Callie "willingly" shared that information with others and published it online.
Unintentional leaks don't allow you to do whatever you want with the goods. We can sue Callie who intentionally acted wrongly with information AND we can lobby for better privacy protection. I think it's incredibly important to punish her and to deter people who think they can act with impunity with data that doesn't belong to them because they have some cause they are invested in.

It seems you don’t care that FCPS has no process to ensure this doesn’t happen. I don’t know Callie, but at least she scrubbed the data. What happens next time when a nefarious character doesn’t? Then what? What if it’s your kids’s personal non-scrubbed data out there that is used against them in the future. Then will you still feel like it’s not the school’s job? That they’re stressed and it’s a mistake? BS. FCPS has the responsibility to protect data, by state and federal laws. They have failed multiple times and do nothing to change it. And here you are making excuses they’re busy or stressed. What’s next? Blame the kids for having personal information?

<Callie.O.22180> has entered the chat>

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got the letter about my kid today. This woman is a complete scumbag.

Years ago when my children were in elementary school, the teacher accidentally swapped the report cards that came in those brown manila envelopes for my child and another kid. I didn't know the other child or their parent but the moment I realized the mistake, I reached for the student directory to find the family's number. Before I'd even had a chance to find it, the phone rang--it was the other child's parent, who said that she was going to pretend she'd never seen my kid's report card, and did I have hers. I said I felt exactly the same way and I was walking out the door to drive over to her house to swap files.

That's what decent, normal people do and clearly what the Callie Oettingers of this world do not do.

Also you didn’t show up to the school offices 3 days in a row demanding every scrap of information related to your child including electronic copies of any document or communication containing their name or ID number. And that’s just how many times she did an information request this year. If we want to be really clear on what the Callie Oettingers of the world are doing. I’m not sure how I feel about people inferring she got this data purely by accident. She didn’t steal it, but she was hoping to trip them up and be given something she shouldn’t have.

Yes, the 74 whatever article says that she was in their offices for two or three days straight copying documents with FCPS staff there to help and that she stated she didn't realize the scope of what was released until later when she was home--as if...

Link? And it was a thumb drive not paper.

From Callie’s own defense of her repugnant behavior:
I did see a paper record that had other kids' names. I copied it because the info for other kids was benign and the majority related to my own kids.

So now you’re saying it was only a thumb drive and no papers? Which is it?

I saw that too but when I mentioned it I was shot down with claims that FCPS had just given a her big electronic copy. Most people would have right away asked FCPS why other kids names were visible and got it worked out BEFORE tens of thousands of letters went out to parents.

[Anonymous]

This thread has confirmed to me that most of my neighbors are flaming idiots and don’t understand how the Freedom of Information Acts works. Perhaps your kids are all suffering from anxiety because you’re their mom and completely disconnected from reality. Also, FCPS is corrupt and incompetent. As a former teacher, I can tell you that they’re all laughing at you. And this woman Callie exposed their weakness and you’re too stupid to figure it out.

[Anonymous]

For anyone defending Callie using the argument that names were redacted, please note that she posted instructions on how to remove redactions on her website.

https://specialeducationaction.com/how-to-unredact-the-redactions/