TMI: (Lack of) confidentiality in the schools
Patti Hartigan, a former reporter/critic/columnist for the Boston Globe, became very interested in public education when she had three children within 17 months and became immersed in their activities at school. Read about her thoughts of confidentiality (or lack of it) as it relates to volunteers in the classroom on the True/Slant website.
Have you ever thought about the fact that you, as a teacher, could be fired for sharing confidential information? However, those who volunteer in your classroom can discuss some of the same issues - which child has ADHD, who has a sensitive medical condition, who was sent to the office for misbehaving, which child is failing, who had a temper tantrum last week, and more without any repercussions.
Should schools have a confidentiality policy for volunteers? Visit the BISD volunteer partnership page on the BISD website. Fill out the volunteer application so that you can read the expectations of a volunteer and read the confidentiality policy. (You do not have to submit the application.) What is your opinion of the application? Does it give enough information to new volunteers? Too much information? What do you think?
How should a volunteer policy be enforced? Knowing that volunteers are an integral part of the school workforce, how do you make sure that you set an expectation for all to respect student's privacy without "firing" crucial members of your campus family? Discuss your ideas as if you were a campus principal.
This video will remind you about the information that must remain confidential when working with them.
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