Category Archives: Data Privacy

Cameras in Florida Classrooms: 30 Points Leading to NO

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Harmonica

What is the effect of training kids to submit to surveillance all day? China does it—and then uses the surveillance to social credit score citizens and limit freedom. What is the psychological impact on kids from cameras in classrooms? Will … Continue reading →

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Surveillance and EdTech Tyranny

Posted on November 18, 2021 by Harmonica

The public comments below were delivered at the Hillsborough County School Board Meeting on November 16, 2021: Privacy is a human right and essential to freedom.  Today you propose a $2.5M contract for a Camera and Access Control system.  These … Continue reading →

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Hillsborough Schools Blocks Girls’ Shot at Basketball

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Harmonica

The public comments below were delivered at the Hillsborough County School Board Meeting on November 2, 2021: Privacy is a human right and essential to freedom. BigTech snoops in your personal matters in ways you are unaware. But you are … Continue reading →

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A War on Parents and a Waste of Taxpayer Dollars: Social Emotional Learning

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Harmonica

Hillsborough County School Board (ahem: IMO law breakers!) recently approved spending $362,500 annually on Panorama Social Emotional Learning (SEL) surveys.  It was not spent on reading, writing, or arithmetic; it was spent on a contract with Panorama Education for SURVEYS … Continue reading →

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FortifyFL: Florida’s Misguided Communist-Style Student Reporting Tool

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Harmonica

In 2018 Florida passed legislation requiring the rollout of a reporting app called FortifyFL that promotes communist-style snitching on your neighbor, but in this case on Florida’s students. Continue reading →

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Congratulations Hillsborough Schools: Your Skills in Stonewalling Parents are Superb!

Posted on July 26, 2020 by Harmonica

My jaw dropped when I came across School Board Member Cindy Stuart’s comments from the July 30, 2019 Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) board meeting.  Given what I know from years of research on student data security, her comment swirled … Continue reading →

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Who Holds Florida School Districts Accountable?

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Harmonica

On May 12 Boca News Now reported that a second grader hacked Palm Beach County School District’s student password system.  This isn’t the first time a Florida school system has had problems with security.  In 2018 Florida Virtual Schools “left the … Continue reading →

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Teachers, Parents, Countrymen: How Much of Your Personal Data Does the School District Share?

Posted on February 23, 2019 by Harmonica

I wondered how much data Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) shares. What I found was the below excerpt in an agreement that HCPS has with a third party. The document was obtained through a public records request. “Recipient” is a … Continue reading →

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Who Has Your Kid’s Data?

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Harmonica

Below is a story written by a mom in central Florida about an under-reported and growing problem in public schools.  She is sharing this story to bring attention to the lack of control parents have over protecting their children’s privacy … Continue reading →

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FBI Alert Encourages Increased Awareness of Student Data Collection and Cybersecurity Risks: Hillsborough Schools – Let’s Talk About It

Posted on September 25, 2018 by Harmonica

On September 13, 2018 the FBI released a public service announcement (PSA) and noted: US school systems’ rapid growth of education technologies (EdTech) and widespread collection of student data could have privacy and safety implications if compromised or exploited. The … Continue reading →

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