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AIBU?

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Original poster

School possibly gave my details to abusive ex.

103 replies

AFOLNerd · 31/05/2019 13:16

Just had an email from school saying that they are using a new app called sims to deal with all personal info etc.
Signed up and logged in and it has my emails, phone numbers address plus all my partners details as he is down as an emergency contact.
It also shows me all my ex’s details.

My ex is a nasty piece of work and as a result the only way he has of contacting me is one email address.
If he has been sent this link as well they have handed him all mine and my partners details and he is going to have a field day!
Obviously as it’s half term no one is answering the school phones so I have no way of knowing if he has my details or not!

OP posts:
TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 31/05/2019 19:26

Just asked DH, and he says that at his school each child's profile on SIMS has all the relevant data attached to it, of both parents and everything else...which is why parents don't have access to SIMS! Instead each parent has access to a specially managed database where they can read the relevant letters, reports, etc relevant to their child, but only access their own details, no-one else's (not even partner's).

Original poster
AFOLNerd · 31/05/2019 20:14

Didn’t hear back from the school.
Guessing I’m not going to now until Monday.

I’m really not happy and I will be taking it further and making sure they take responsibility for what they have done.

I’m not in any physical danger, if he starts up with the harassment again we will deal with it. I will be screening dds stuff before she goes on anything. But I know there are other parents at that school which are a more serious risk of harm.

OP posts:
TestingTestingWonTooFree · 31/05/2019 20:20

I think I would get the information commissioner involved.

OutInTheCountry · 31/05/2019 20:33

Hi Op, can you use Facebook to contact somebody at the school? If it was our school then anyone could find my name on the governor section of the website and then find me on Facebook, I could then contact the HT. It's unorthodox but I'm sure no-one would mind given the situation. There must be a way to contact some-one?

lljkk · 31/05/2019 20:37

DH & I have SIMS accounts for DC at high school.
MIL is supposed to be one of our emergency contacts.
She does not have a SIMS account.

If he has been sent this link as well

I'm confused. Does OP have any evidence that her ex- received a login link, much less can see her details on there.

I finally found my details on my SIMS... I can edit them myself, adding & deleting.
I can't see any of DH's details although I know he has an account.
My login is via website, though, not via app on a phone.

Have you tried logging in via a computer rather than an app, OP? Maybe different functionality.

2stepsonthewater · 31/05/2019 20:37

Have you told the school office not to reveal your address to him? I'm assuming this is a secondary school with 1000+ pupils?
Re him making himself second contact, unfortunately if he has parental responsibility then they are obliged to do so. If there is no court order then they only have your word for it that he's abusive.

You need to contact the business manager or similar title, who will be in charge of admin staff. Teachers won't be able to do anything.

I hope your info hasn't been revealed to him.

clairedelalune · 31/05/2019 22:45

Only a handful.of staff have admin rights to sims, very very rarely teaching staff. As a pp said, without a court order they only have your word for abuse unfortunately; is it worth seeking this from court?

CuriousaboutSamphire · 01/06/2019 08:21

I'm confused. Does OP have any evidence that her ex- received a login link, much less can see her details on there. As the school have been informed that the parents are separated they have posibly made 2 or 3 data breaches in that one communication.

OP now has her exes details. As he didn't give them to her, that is one breach OP is sure of.

The ex now has hers and his daughter's (maybe), who had chosen not to be in contact with him.

OP. In law the school has 72 hours to inform the ICO once they have been told of a breach - covers weekends. So their lack of communication over half term might alos, in itself, be a breach of regs. They REALLY do need to get their systems in order and I suspect only the ICO will inforce that quickly. They may not fine them (they don't do so automatically) but they will nsist on seeing evidence of improvement.

coconuttelegraph · 01/06/2019 08:30

That's shockingly bad data control by the school but it doesn't surprise me, ime many organisations still have a way to go in terms of gdpr conpliance

IWentAwayIStayedAway · 01/06/2019 08:48

The named person re gdpr must be contact able morning, noon and night. They have only 72 hours to notify people if data breach. Contact ico. So sorry for your worry

FamilyOfAliens · 01/06/2019 09:30

The named person re gdpr must be contact able morning, noon and night.

Do you have a link for that law?

caughtinanet · 01/06/2019 09:49

Is there more than one named person then, how could one person be available 24/7? That would put anyone off the job surely

MidniteScribbler · 01/06/2019 09:52

However, even if the OP could speak to a teacher, unless they could access the school database remotely or they are a key holder and could physically go into school to check if both parents can see the same details (and knew how to check), I’m not sure what could be done this weekend.

If I received an email about this for a parent, I would be able to pick up the phone and contact either the prin or an AP who would have access. That's just common sense if you are advised of an issue like this.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 01/06/2019 09:55

Do you have a link for that law? Doubt it. They have 72 hours to respond. The sticking point is that they may have nobody checking over half term. OP wouldn't know as they probably wouldn't contact her to tell her they had reported it to the ICO and may not have contacted her at all even though they had picked up her message and acted upon it. They might be waiting for the HT / Safeguarding Officer to be in so they can contact her.

That might be the only problem. Until someone contacts her OP cannot know the extent of the breach or if it is being dealt with.

It must be horrible for her, waiting for something to happen, not knowing if it will or if she is worrying over nothing. I bet this will be one of the longest weekends...

Comefromaway · 01/06/2019 10:04

The data controller has 72 hours after becoming aware of the breach. The data processor (one who handled the data in the first place) must make the data controller aware as soon as possible.

“1. In the case of a personal data breach, the controller shall without undue delay and, where feasible, not later than 72 hours after having become aware of it, notify the personal data breach to the supervisory authority competent in accordance with Article 55, unless the personal data breach is unlikely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons. 2Where the notification to the supervisory authority is not made within 72 hours, it shall be accompanied by reasons for the delay.
The processor shall notify the controller without undue delay after becoming aware of a personal data breach.”

aIways · 01/06/2019 10:13

I do research on companies at work and there is usually a privacy policy link right at the bottom of the page which contains a phone number. No idea if schools are the same? How worrying for you, OP! Thanks

Comefromaway · 01/06/2019 10:36

In a school that telephone number will be the school switchboard possibly including the extension number of the Data Protection Officer.

Comefromaway · 01/06/2019 10:38

Where I work (construction company) it’s the main switchboard which is open 8.30am - 4.30pm Mon - Fri

CheesecakeAddict · 01/06/2019 10:47

Is the school close op? I know many schools rent out the building on Saturdays to outside agencies, so many staff use the open school as an opportunity to do some work. Maybe you could dash in and see if anyone is around?

Starlight456 · 01/06/2019 10:51

I would email . A photo of my son was posted on website for school a few years ago over the summer holiday I emailed the teacher in charge of website and the school office both replied within 24 hours

lljkk · 01/06/2019 11:46

Office & GDPR-responsible staff won't be in on any Saturday, much less in half-term. Although in my experience many of the teachers check their emails at random times; I've had replies at 10pm on a Saturday night. Shock My guess is someone like bursar or HT's PA will have oversight on GDPR & they don't check emails out of hours (nor should they IMHO).

Beelzebop · 01/06/2019 11:55

Good morning. What a horrible situation. I am hoping that it may not be as bad as you think. If you've been sent the info as the named parent you are entitled to see all the data they hold on your child. So it could just be you who has received this, I hope so. It's never easy to get hold.of anyone in the holidays and yes the school should use the 72 hour law but honestly, schools seem to do what the hell they like quite often and feel they can (which is why I'm an ex teacherSmile).

I would personally recommend absolutely having them for this. First level of complaint Head and governors.

Beelzebop · 01/06/2019 11:57

...and no teacher would be able to access Sims in that way. It'd be the Office Manager or similar depending on the size of the school.

lyralalala · 01/06/2019 12:05

Plus he is now down as second contact so he has been in contact with the school and got them to change it, which I am also not happy about.

If he has PR and there's no court order then if he requests that then the school have to oblidge. He's probably been in touch with them for copies of reports etc and they have to do that if he asks.

FamilyOfAliens · 02/06/2019 00:29

It's never easy to get hold.of anyone in the holidays

I work in a school and like all school staff, I’m paid term-time only. So you wouldn’t be able to get hold of me in the holidays because I’d be ... on my holidays.