New Bill Would Track Conversations Between Students And Teachers And Coaches

Last updated on Monday, March 2, 2015

(INDIANAPOLIS) - There is a new bill gaining steam in Indiana and it has to do with electronically tracking the conversations between your kids and their teachers and coaches.

That new bill, which just passed out of the Indiana house, wants to track every email, every message your kids and their teachers and coaches send back and forth.

Supporters of senate bill 266 say they those messages would then be stored for two years.

So every time your son or daughter communicates electronically with a school official, a copy of that message would be sent to the principal and the parent.

This is supposed to protect kids from inappropriate conversations with school officials but EVSC officials say it will tarnish all the good work teachers, staff, and coaches do on a daily basis.

"I know of all the great things that our staff do. And it's all above board, it's educating kids, it's helping kids out on a daily basis," says EVSC Chief Deputy of Staff Paul Neidig. "Doing this law just for individuals that would make poor choices, I think is a bad method. A bad thing to do."

The bill states parents would have the right every year to choose if they want to receive copies of those electronic messages.

Any volunteer/worker who violates the policy, would face a Class A misdemeanor and a possible $5,000 fine.

Niedig worries if the bill becomes law, teachers will not feel comfortable talking to students for fear of accusations.

Niedig also says he fears the countless numbers of volunteers in the district will disappear, for fear of accusations over conversations.

Several parents say they see the point behind the bill, but don't agree with electronically tracking messages.

That bill now heads to the senate.

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