Districts asked to name teachers who used sick time during protests-Tea Party gets names and info

[Snoutport]

Holy cow! I'm a teacher and I would be furious if my district gave my name, (or address and phone numbers to the Tea Party!) I just really can't believe that!

I like that they liken the request by the Tea Party to someone in jail making the same request of all the guards names, phone numbers and addresses.

No good will come of this. Teachers will only be harassed and bullied AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, any conservative member of the School Boards of those cities now has their names and can fight against renewing their contracts. My school board has to review and approve of my contract each year.

I hope their are some lawsuits over this.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/article_7797165c-8481-11e0-a658-001cc4c03286.html

[MissMarple]

1. That's legal?

[Snoutport]

2. several districts gave the names out!

a couple are fighting it. But, no, I can't believe it is legal. There are laws about giving out medical information. Some of the people out probably were sick. Will they be expected to share medical records to the public now to prove they were ill? What about people out on prearranged medical leaves? It is just ridiculous that a district would think it is ok. UNLESS the district has a right wing school board... they approve contracts every year and could weed out every single person who called in sick during the protests.

[gratuitous]

3. This could be a HIPAA violation

We just this morning had a little chat from one of the partners at our law firm about HIPAA compliance. Apparently, Congress recently beefed up penalties for violations of HIPAA and the feds are touting enforcement through state attorneys general. Disclosure of protected health information is a big no-no, and even partial disclosure that can be added to publicly known facts can constitute a willful and expensive violation, not just for the entity involved, but the individuals can be held personally responsible and fined quite heavily.

The Districts may have just bought themselves a LOT of very expensive trouble.

[tammywammy]

6. I don't think it is

I think the employer can say they were out "sick", since that's not a disclosure of a specific illness.

[madrchsod]

7. yup...the unions will be filling grievences or a federal lawsuit.

[madrchsod]

4. no one can prove the teacher wasn`t ill.

of course maybe some of them felt better "later" that day.

as for getting any info from any doctor who wrote "notes" saying a teacher was sick...the tea party is shit out of luck-hipa law.

[ohnoyoudidnt]

5. They don't care about that.

They just want their names, numbers, and addresses so they can harass them. The War on Education is heating up.

[madrchsod]

9. you are correct about that...

shit the democrats here in illinois are the ones chipping away at the public service unions. at least 95% of the state employees are union members and that includes managers and some supervisors.

[Snoutport]

12. exactly!

since the right wing has been going after school board seats every teacher contract has to be OK'd by them it gives the right wing a list of trouble making (or sickly) teachers.

[Bandit]

8. "I hope their are some lawsuits over this."

And you are a teacher?

[Snoutport]

13. yup

[Bandit]

15. they're....there...their

:shrug:

[Scout]

10. hopefully they don't have "sick" days but have Personal Time Off days...

for which no reason is needed ... so one does not need to make up an excuse to be out of work. Of course they can be used when you ARE sick too.

i guess my point is if the teachers used PTO time, as long as they followed procedure when requesting it, then the teabaggers got nuthin': no one lied and called in sick and then went to the protest.

of course they don't care...

[tammywammy]

11. Even if they called in sick all they would have to do is provide a doctor's note n/t

[Sinistrous]

14. I always thought personnel matters were privileged.

Silly me.

[fascisthunter]

16. maybe people should start snooping into the Tea Baggers Lives Now

see how much they like it. I'm sure we'll find plenty of dirt on them.

[msanthrope]

17. They are public records, but there is a credible argument to be made for safety.

It seems that names have been released, but not addresses. This is good, and I hope the teachers are able to sustain the injunction.