Isn't it odd that during a time when our privacy is guarded in so many ways it is also infringed upon in others.  For example, the doctor's office is now using pagers to call the next patient so that they don't divulge the name of the person seeing the doctor.  (Personally, I refuse to handle those pagers as they travel from one sick person to another without being sanitized, yuck!)  And yet, our personal information is all over the internet, you only have to look. 

Sometimes our personal health histories are asked for in the classroom.  Our daughter's health teacher requested, in the interest of education, that each student question their parents about family health issues.  I'm sure the instructor was simply trying to educate our children as to the potential health traps inherent in their genes that may benefit from certain lifestyle adjustments.  But as I responded to the questions I realized that, were I to answer truthfully, the instructor would have more information than perhaps even my doctor knows.  That was unacceptable to me.  Although my daughter needed to know about her family's health history, the school certainly did not.  I explained my concern to my daughter and together we filled out the questionnaire to satisfy the assignment but did not disclose our personal history.  After she observed the lesson we reviewed the questions again, in the privacy of our home.  She became aware of certain health risks that "run" in our family and together we came up with a plan of action that would give her a fighting chance against those health challenges.

ACTION STEPS:  Find out what kind of information is being requested in school assignments.  Discuss with your student and their teachers other options for completing the assignment without divulging personal family information.  Educate your student about the concept of personal privacy, their rights to privacy and assist them in standing up for those rights.

IT'S YOUR TURN TO TALK BACK!  WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

• Has your student's assignments requested private family details?
• What was your response and how will you handle if it happens in the future?

Stumble It!