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Dodd Withdraws School Privacy Amendment ? for NowMarch 2000 ? Last month, Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., revised the language of the children's privacy bill he was proposing as an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. But on March 9, citing concern about its possible effect on such programs as children's book clubs and college recruitment, he announced in a Senate panel meeting that he would withdraw the bill altogether. Dodd said, however, that children's privacy remains a priority for him, and he could present another version of the measure when the full Senate considers the education bill in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., still intends to offer legislation identical to the original Dodd bill when a House panel considers the ESEA later this month. Miller's bill would ban schools from gathering or giving information about students to organizations for commercial use. Dodd's revised amendment had redefined "commercial interest," saying it does not include data gathered for the purpose of developing or providing educational products or services to students or schools. Kids in the Know, the education advocacy group to which The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) belongs, continues to oppose the Miller amendment because it could hinder the participation of students in some educational activities by causing unnecessary paperwork for schools and an additional burden on teachers and administrators. Concerned with Miller's pending action, Kids in the Know representatives have met with the House's Education and the Workforce committee. The National School Boards Association has said the bill "engages the federal government in a level of micro-management that is not practical or necessary," and these decisions are best left to local school districts. | |||||
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