New rule would expand confidentiality in school records

The Student Press Law Center is calling attention to a rule the Department of Education published last week, under which a school would have to deny a records request even for redacted documents if it expects the requester "knows, or can figure out, the students to whom the document pertains."

The heightened confidentiality rule is expected to take effect on Jan. 8. Groups such as the SPLC and the Society of Professional Journalists have voiced concern that such a move is unnecessary and pointed out that the governing law, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, is already "widely abused."