The U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into Burlington Public Schools after parents' opt-out requests for a March student survey were allegedly ignored. The survey at Marshall Simonds Middle School and Burlington High School asked about drug and alcohol use, sexual encounters, and gender identity. The Student Privacy Policy Office is examining potential violations of the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, which lets parents withdraw children from questionnaires about sensitive, private information. Secretary Linda McMahon called the survey "graphic, and downright inappropriate in nature" and said parents must be primary decision-makers. A complaint filed April 8 alleges students were given the survey "against their wills" despite prior district statements that participation was voluntary.
The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into Burlington Public Schools after the district allegedly failed to comply with parents' requests to opt their children out of a survey asking about sensitive topics, the DOE announced Monday. The survey, administered to students at Marshall Simonds Middle School and Burlington High School in March, included questions about drug and alcohol use, sexual encounters, and gender identity.
The DOE's Student Privacy Policy Office is investigating whether BPS violated parents' rights under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, which allows parents to withdraw their children from questionnaires asking about "sensitive, private information," the department said in a release. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon called the survey "graphic, and downright inappropriate in nature." "Parents must be the primary decision-makers in their children's education," said McMahon.
Parents of students at Burlington Public Schools said in a complaint sent April 8 that students were administered a Youth Risk Behavior Survey 'against their wills.' The complaint, sent by the Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center and parents to the Burlington School Committee and Superintendent, said the school forced students to take the survey, even if the students did not want to.
The district notified parents on March 6 about the upcoming survey, and said students' participation was voluntary, according to the complaint. However, the survey was reportedly emailed to every student at Marshall Simonds Middle School and Burlington High School on March 27. Students were told they must take the survey, unless they were on an 'opt-out list,' the complaint said.
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