GDPR stands for the General Data Protection Regulation but it really is just another way of describing data privacy.
The intent of GDPR is for all of us - citizens, schools, governments, businesses - to take more care with our personal data and to be more respectful of others' data. GDPR recognizes that our "online" persona should be treated with the same care as our "physical" being.
Schools have a long history of taking responsibility for the safety of their students very seriously, making sure that the facility is safe, students are supervised, Child Protection in in place and medical help is readily available... the list goes on and on.
GDPR is another way to keep our students safe and fits perfectly with one of the most important school goals --to provide a safe and healthy environment.
Usually we hear that GDPR is complicated, overly complex, too big and difficult to understand, overly intrusive, expensive, difficult to implement, and carries huge monetary penalties. However, that is less true for schools than others. GDPR was put in place to target industry giants such as Google and Facebook. It also focuses on industries that collect, give away, distribute and sell huge quantities of personal data.
For schools, GDPR has created a positive and beneficial opportunity. GDPR gives us the guidance, or roadmap, we need to create an effective data privacy program in our schools.
Comments