If you regularly read this blog (or read Maine newspapers, or watch Maine television news, or listen to Maine Public Radio), you probably know about the work the ACLU of MAINE has been doing to protect student privacy.  The Maine Department of Education has recently required all Maine schools to ask parents for their childrens' social security numbers--the schools have to ask, but parents do not have to turn over the numbers.  Nothing bad will happen to the parents (or the kids) if the parents keep the social security numbers private.  We think there are good reasons to do that, not the least of which is that social security numbers are the key that unlock some of our most private information.

But please don't think that Maine is the only place where the ACLU is fighting to protect student privacy.  Our colleagues in Northern California have recently taken a stand against a new program that outfits preschoolers with RFID chips--the kind you use to speed through toll booths.  You can read about their work here.