Data protection means you can't take books home

[DermotOLogical]

Hearing from colleagues that this is the new "thing". Has anyone else experienced this?

I'd be screwed if my school decided this, I do quite a bit of marking at home to fit round kids.

[ProfessorCat]

Nope, never heard of this. I do most of my marking at home. What do they think might happen? My cat might see a child's full name? Ridiculous.

[DermotOLogical]

Apparently it's because the books have the pupils names on.... Ridiculous I know!

It would be the straw that broke the camels back if this happened to me.

[Haskell]

New GDPR will change the way lots of things happen in schools. Begins May 2018.

[DermotOLogical]

GDPR?

[Appuskidu]

That would be a nightmare! I need peace and quiet to mark-it is so much easier at home.

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

Well, the marking policies would have to be relaxed then. My DP has never shown any interest in reading my kids’ names.

[MsAwesomeDragon]

If I can't take books home then we'll all just have to do anything that needs to be marked on paper with just initials/code so you know whose work you are marking.

What exactly is changing in the data protection act to say we can't take books home?

[Tollygunge]

If my school implemented this nothing would be marked! School closes at 5.30 in the dot every day.

[Snuper]

If name only is the issue, then you could pdeudonymise by allocating codes to each one and only recording that on the book... though arguably in English/writing books there might be other personal information of a biographical nature...

Yes, even as an information governance practitioner, I think this is too far. You should just be careful over security in transition, e.g. Don't leave in unattended car or luggage.

[Looneytune253]

Lol, well if they do that the schools will just have to ensure teachers have extra cover so they can mark within school time. That’s what I’d tell the head if I was a teacher lol.

[Snuper]

In fact, if you want to play them at their own game, suggest they do a Data Protection Impact Assessment to assess the risks and how you can mitigate against them. I think the risks are so low that there should be no problem.

[DermotOLogical]

It is bonkers, a quick Google of GDPR doesn't seem to go to this extreme.

[MsAwesomeDragon]

I can't find anything easily online to say we can't take books/tests home to mark. Isn't it talking about the same sort of data that is already covered, like addresses and phone numbers, rather than exercise books?

[FedUpWithBriiiiiick]

Snuper

There is nothing in DPA or GDPR that says you can’t take personal data home, as long as the risks have been assessed and mitigated/eliminated.

What identifiable personal data is in school books anyway? Name on the front? Not enough to cause a breach!

[DermotOLogical]

My thoughts exactly fedup and dragon.

Sensitive information like grades, SEN, PP is protected (password on USB). I'm not sure a list of names constitutes a data breach.

[AlternativeTentacle]

It is bonkers

Well no, surely anything that means schools and the workload of teachers get looked at is a good thing?

Imagine, being paid to plan, resource, report on, grade [and the rest] your lessons, rather than having to do it all with your own time and money?

I know, I know; I live my own private Idaho.

[tapdancingmum]

I had an email about this new GDPR this week but haven't got round to reading it yet. Will do so and see if there is anything in it.

[FedUpWithBriiiiiick]

I would urge everyone working with personal data to read up on data protection reform (https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-reform/) --
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Organisations and businesses should be making staff aware of the changes, and “upgrading” of data protection, but I know have a strong suspicion that many are not...