<p>I have a question, which I know nothing about. I saw a couple threads where people mentioned that they either looked through their friends records or facts about their life or applications that they don’t want colleges to know. Surprisingly, many of these individuals revealed an interest to reveal a dishonest friend to colleges upfront. Does this not seem to be a violation of their privacy? I know some high schools that won’t even tell certain schools many facts about their student’s life. What about a vindictive teacher for instance. Perhaps they know something colleges don’t, and they happen to know where the students are applying - and want to expose them. Certainly, a lot of one’s information emails private, and in most cases, shared with just parents and counselors. aren’t students protected at all? What about their right to privacy? The last thing I need is a angry teacher or student (who happens to know what I did either by going through my records or some other source) emailing admissions certain aspects that I either A) did not reveal or B) revealed too much/exaggerate on.
Are we not protected from these acts ?</p>
<p>I think most of the peers that saw an applicant’s application or records were actually told by the applicants themselves. The applicant “bragged” that he put he was a URM, when he was actually white. I read some of the posts you are talking about, and most of them, I think, the friend bragged about it (or something like that)</p>
<p>As for your question, I didn’t know if you could look through other people’s records. I think if the teacher knows that you are lazy, and put it in the rec it is not violating privacy although you did not reveal that in your application. But when the teacher pries into your life and records, that might be a problem. In that case, SUE THEM. lol.</p>
<p>Interesting thread.</p>
<p>My school had a case where some of the teacher’s assistants were going through people’s records at the counselor’s office. It was a huge deal, and a lot of people were paranoid. This was also the case in the jrotc office when it came to scholarships. My main paranoia arises from the fact there can be students and teachers out there who actually have the nerve to contact admissions just to ruin your chances. It’s so hard to get accepted, but so easy to loose.</p>
<p>*** DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A LAWYER AND THIS POST IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND ***</p>
<p>If you mean legal “violation of privacy,” then it is not. The first amendment protects most personal speech(except slander - when you KNOWINGLY say false information, and it damages someone), so if someone tells you something, you have every right to repeat it to whomever you want, as long as you are not defaming the person by stating false information.</p>
<p>However, if you mean ethical “violation privacy,” that is another matter up for debate. My personal opinion - it’s fine, and should even be encouraged for offenses that warrant it. If someone cheats on a test, what do you do? You tell the teacher. Discretely, certainly, but you tell the teacher. There are a number of reasons for this:
- You know the person did something wrong, and you want to make sure the wrongdoers get punished.
- It will help the person in the long run - college admission is (comparatively) not as important as later things in life. For example - if you plagiarized on a paper in high school, you may get a slap on the wrist, you may even get suspended or expelled, and may go to a state school as a result. However, if you plagiarized on an academic paper(i.e. a published one), you can kiss grad school, and most research employment opportunities goodbye. </p>
<p>All of this is not to say you should be a so called “tattle-tale,” alerting someone to EVERY offense of the rules, but certainly, and I hope everyone would agree with me on this, severe violations(cheating and plagiarism) warrant this punishment, even if the violator is your friend. I would say blatantly, knowingly misrepresenting yourself(and having the nerve to tell others about it) on a college application warrants this. Again, I hope people on this board agree with me on this.</p>
<p>Quote::Were you that guy who hacked hoodtalk? If so, you’re a screwed.</p>
<p>Huh?! What </p>
<p>mikesown, interesting point. I don’t really agree with it though.</p>
<p>I heard of this site. This is the thing that was globally banned from the ezboard ring. I highly doubt that kid actually gave you his true identity. Who would be that stupid? Anyhow, I know this guy can easily press charges and sue those people. That is credit fraud… He does have the right to privacy on both ethical and legal grounds. But… wow at that whole incident.</p>
<p>bump. back to the original topic…</p>
<p>THIS IS ALSO NOT LEGAL ADVICE. SUCH ADVICE DEPENDS ON THE FACTS OF A PARTICULAR CASE AS WELL AS THE STATE IN WHICH THE ACTIONS OCCUR.</p>
<p>The privacy laws governing schools records cover only specific individuals in their official capacity, such as guidance counselors, principals, and potentially teachers. They do not cover other students, parents, or other people that may know things about you (like Facebook buddies). They are free to say anything they want about you to whomever they’d like, assuming that such facts are true. (Opinions about you, like “He’s a freak”, are absolutely protected from lawsuits.) And even the privacy laws governing school records have a number of exceptions under which the records can be revealed.</p>
<p>You know that the Common App asks about disciplinary actions taken against the student. Some have said that this is an invasion of privacy. However, schools can easily require an applicant to waive that privacy right as a condition of accepting the application, so the GCs will be free to respond truthfully. My guess is that this waiver will be instituted soon. There already is a partial waiver - colleges require your transcripts, which are protected by privacy laws. It’s not too much of a leap to include disciplinary records in that waiver.</p>
<p>Bottom line - if you think “privacy laws” will protect you, you’re most likely wrong.</p>
<p>Chedva: Interesting point about the waivers, but I don’t think it will work. The colleges can require a waiver, and they can require a student to sign it, but that only gives the schools the RIGHT to disclose the records; it doesn’t FORCE them to. More specifically, the high schools have the option of withholding the records on policy(even if the student waived his rights).</p>
<p>There is a very similar case going on at my school right now(my school doesn’t release disciplinary records of any kind, even if the student waives his rights) about a student who was accused of doing something(not illegal, but against the school “rules”), and was suspended(without even having due process). The school is standing by him in a sense - saying they won’t release the records to colleges.</p>
<p>Oh, I didn’t say that the high school would be required to disclose, only that they could. This was, in fact, the thrust of the OP’s question: would disclosure be a violation of privacy. The answer is no. And that’s particularly true of fellow students.</p>
<p>I’d be more worried about students and the parents of students rather than teachers. A teacher holds little to gain and can lose her job if she was found guilty of going through your files or even telling admissions about her opinion of you. It’s not her place. Furthermore, most teachers have little reason to do something like that unless this student is a flagrant violator of school rules on commonplace basis-and even then they will not spare the trouble. The real problem lies with students in your grade who may or may not be vying for the same spots as you. If they wish to tell admissions stuff about you there is nothing you can do except do it back to them. Another thing is not to divulge your college list to people you know are capable of doing such a thing. Most importantly, one thing you should know is that some parents are crazy about their students admission and would do crazy things to ensure their kid is admitted i.e., sabotage a stronger applicants application. If something like this ever happens to you, though I think you’re just being paranoid, remember that a college will contact your guidance counselor before ever taking action on such information. Especially after you’re admitted.</p>
<p>FredFredBurger made a very comprehensive post that covers the topic of this thread to a very high degree. I think this thread can lay to rest. Nothing in this world is predictable, and anything can happen. Basically, fight your way!</p>
<p>Madisonsqrgordon, there just are people like that. I mean… just look at hood talk. I mean… what a mess of violations there. There’s identity theft going on that board just because somebody simply scanned someone’s ID card and posted it online.</p>
<p>Yes, notice how I made an account and posted a thread at the Chill Spot.</p>