Giving info to police

Specialties School

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

so lately there has been a rash of kids getting into fights in my middle school. On Monday the school police officer stopped by to ask me for my injury reports - my report and my charting are in the same report the way the program prints them. I know that police can request info - but is it as easy as just walking in my office and asking me for it? Just wanted to get a few other opinions.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I would seek the guidance of your principal and school district attorney before handing over any school record (health or demographic) to the police.

They may have a right to it, but I would want the opinion of someone in the "know" before I handed it to them.

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oohh tough one. Just because they are the police does not give them full rein over your records. I believe a subpeona is in order

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

it's not like it was a major crime - two kids got into a scrap and he wanted to add my finings to his police report. He is technically considered on staff in the school- so i viewed similar to if the principal asked for my documentation...

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ACK! That's a tricky one! I would consult with the district attorney.

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We don't have the authority to hand over the records even to staff. The information officer which is usually a asst superintendent level supervisor decides who gets to see what records. They can ascertain if the employee or outside contractor has a legitimate educational interested sufficient enough to see the injury report. You should be matter of fact about it, "I don't have the authority to do that, but we can start the process to get you access". Check your within school information policy for the process.

"If an educational agency or institution has a policy of disclosing education records to officials considered to have a

legitimate educational interest, it must include in the annual notification of FERPA rights the criteria for determining

who constitutes a "school official" and the criteria for what constitutes a "legitimate educational interest."

Forum Guide to Data Ethics (2010) http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010801.pdf

Forum Guide to Protecing the Privacy of Student Information (2004) : http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2004/2004330.pdf

Forum Guide to the Privacy of Student Information (2006) http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/2006805.pdf

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