If a member of the Indiana State Board of Education released the names of Wilbur Wright Elementary FOCUS students to media sources, they did so in violation of federal law, an Indiana Department of Education press secretary said Monday.
Wilbur Wright Elementary School FOCUS students sent letters to Indiana Board of Education members, Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) , and Rep. Tom Saunders (R-Lewisville) earlier this month to express their opinions regarding ISTEP testing and the Governor Mike Pence/Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz feud.
Several of the children’s names were leaked and ended up in online media sources, including EAGnews.
IDOE Press Secretary Daniel Altman said Monday that Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act laws prevent IDOE from releasing students’ names under any circumstances.
Altman also said Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Ritz did not receive the email from Wilbur Wright FOCUS teacher Mary Jane Dye, speculating that the size of the file likely caused the email to get caught in a filter. Since Ritz never received the email, Altman said, she could not have forwarded it to news sources.
Director of External Relations for Indiana State Board of Education Marc Lotter said he had no knowledge of which of the board members could have forwarded the email to news sources. Saunders and Leising both have denied forwarding the email.
IDOE school board members Daniel Elsener, Tony Walker, David Freitas, and Andrea Neal responded that they have no knowledge of who forwarded the names or information that would help.
“I actually don’t know to what you are referring. Can you send a link to the article?” Neal emailed to The Courier-Times.
Board member Brad Oliver said he has no comment. Cari Whicker, Sarah O’Brien, B.J. Watts, Troy Albert, and Gordon Hendry have yet to respond to email inquiries.
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