Forging a For-Profit Partnership With Parents: College Personnel, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and Consumerism

• In Event: Higher Education, Belonging, and Employment

Abstract

The 2019 College Admissions Bribery Scandal suggests that parents will do anything to ensure the educational success of their children – even break federal laws. Furthermore, the scandal highlights that education has fallen victim to the long arm of consumerism. Although the scandal is an extreme example, there are conflicts between federal law and the prevalence of consumerism on college campuses across the country. These conflicts sometimes play out around the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Legal protections, like FERPA, have come under attack because of the current consumerist framework of financially advantaged parents’ expectations. Drawing on 40 intensive interviews with college administrators and staff, this paper analyzes college personnel’s understandings of their roles, interpretations of FERPA, and interactions with families.

Author

• Yolanda Wiggins, San Jose State University