Examines the exploitation of individuals that occurs within writing classrooms by those who organize computer systems. Discusses these abuses in three categories: teachers observing students, teachers observing teachers, and students observing students. Shows how computer-enhanced writing environments, if not designed carefully, can inhibit as…

A teacher working in a school with an open-door policy discusses some difficulties with this arrangement. She had trouble finding a private place, including the staff room, to talk intimately with other teachers, had to build her schedule around parent helpers, and noted some unethical treatment of children. Parent involvement is no elixir. The…

Natural disasters, violent confrontations, and other crises will bring in police or firefighters, followed quickly by the press and the public. School officials should respond carefully and appropriately. Solutions (and examples from California law) pertaining to privacy rights, workplace safety, sex offenders, background checks, and communication…

Interviews with 12 older (ages 60 to 78) and 12 younger (ages 38 to 53) administrators showed that they had similar perceptions of the physical features and privacy issues in the workplace that facilitate or impede work. Structural accommodations may not be necessary for older workers, but attention to design and privacy issues is necessary for…

Discusses how libraries can gather data on the use of their Web sites. Highlights include Web server log files, including the common log file, referrer log file, and agent log file; log file limitations; privacy concerns; and choosing log analysis software, both free and commercial. (LRW)

Discusses the ethical issues surrounding the transmission of confidential material using facsimile machines. Counselors should realize that faxed material does not carry the same federal privacy protection afforded to items handled by the United States Postal Service. Urges counselors to remain aware of the potential use and misuse of technology.…

Finds computer-mediated environments pose a special challenge to legal and cultural protections and that these environments are unprecedented in the way commercially valuable information can be generated in their very use. Contends current discussions about privacy in computer-mediated environments have overlooked the potential of common law and…

In a case from Oklahoma-"Falvo v. Owasso Independent School District," the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits the practice of directing students to grade one another's assignments. Students are not education professionals; only teachers should grade student work. (MLH)

Addresses concerns about school personnel records and legal precedents regarding privacy. Recommends inclusion in teacher education of content about teachers' privacy rights. Lists fair information practices for schools regarding the accuracy of and access to personnel records. (SK)

Explores the question of responsibility if a college-admission officer makes the "wrong" decision and a once-violent applicant enrolled as a student turns violent again. Uses the cases of Gina Grant, who had murdered her mother, and Richie Parker, convicted of sexual assault, to illustrate the need for clear legal standards to guide the…

Disaster recovery planning need not be expensive nor complete to be effective. Systematic planning involves several crucial steps, including outlining the final plan, understanding the nature of a disaster's effects and the stages of disaster recovery, prioritizing appropriately, and learning how to test the plan in a practical way for the…

Addresses the recognition of differences between clinical and research data in using computerized clinical nursing databases and the issues of privacy and confidentiality for patients whose records are involved. Describes procedures for assessing the quality and usability of these data for nursing research. (SK)

Reports that universities are citing a 26-year-old federal law, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), to withhold information about teaching assistants from the unions trying to organize them. The graduate students say FERPA is being misapplied to squelch their organizing drives. Both students and administrators are quoted…

In an Oklahoma case, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that student grading of other students' work must be anonymous. By implication, the decision raises questions about other practices, such as displaying excellent student papers, awarding group grades, and publishing names of honor-roll students. (MLH)

Discusses important issues concerning the design of student health clinics, including convenient access, privacy and security, showers and sinks, durability and safety, and special considerations. (EV)