can private school detain kids records

[DLUS]

What is the name of your state? PA
My children attended a private school for the past 3 years. because of loss of income my husband and my daughters need for special education my husband and I had to withdraw our kids from that school and enroll them in public school. We received a call from the treasurer of the private school telling us she wouldn't release our kids' records to the public school because we still have a balance with them. Can they do this to the records of a minor.? I know a college can hold a persons transcripts for a balance due but they are adults. Is detaining a child's school records legal?

 

[cbg]

And is it the child who is responsible for paying the overdue balance? No, it's you, the adult.

Yes, what they are doing is legal, barring any state or municipal law to the contrary.

 

[Tayla]

And is it the child who is responsible for paying the overdue balance? No, it's you, the adult.

Yes, what they are doing is legal, barring any state or municipal law to the contrary.

So basically cbg your answer remains "unsure, unknown" . If you are going to state its legal in her state (PA), then please be so kind as to back up the statement with actual law verbage on her orginal inquiry.Using the 'barring yadda yadda verbage' simply leads the reader to an inconclusive answer.

I personally respect the fact that you acknowledged the writers concerns.
Unfortunately the answer was lacking law codes to support the solid YES response.

 

[cbg]

A mistake a great many people make is to assume that the law states everything that CAN be done; in actually fact, it tends to be the opposite. In the ABSENCE of a law that says the school CAN'T retain the records, they CAN. Therefore, demanding that I provide a statute that says this is legal, is not going to cut it. Rather, if you are determined to take this route, I suggest that YOU look for a law that says the school CAN'T do this.

I taught in her state over 20 years ago. At that time, it was legal for a private school to retain records if there was a balance unpaid. I have no reason to believe that has changed. However, I am acknowledging the possibility that it may have changed since I last taught in Pennsylvania in 1979. There is also no possible way I can know whether the specific municipality has a code that addresses this, particularly since I don't know what municipality she is in.

However, what I have done for her is provided her with a place to start, and what she should be looking for.

Now, tell me in what way YOUR post answered her question?

 

[Tayla]

A mistake a great many people make is to assume that the law states everything that CAN be done; in actually fact, it tends to be the opposite. In the ABSENCE of a law that says the school CAN'T retain the records, they CAN. Therefore, demanding that I provide a statute that says this is legal, is not going to cut it. Rather, if you are determined to take this route, I suggest that YOU look for a law that says the school CAN'T do this.

I taught in her state over 20 years ago. At that time, it was legal for a private school to retain records if there was a balance unpaid. I have no reason to believe that has changed. However, I am acknowledging the possibility that it may have changed since I last taught in Pennsylvania in 1979. There is also no possible way I can know whether the specific municipality has a code that addresses this, particularly since I don't know what municipality she is in.

However, what I have done for her is provided her with a place to start, and what she should be looking for.

Now, tell me in what way YOUR post answered her question?

Good for you in providing her with a direction to start!!
As to your :Now, tell me in what way YOUR post answered her question.
Answer: It allowed her to know that maybe just maybe some responses she will receive when asking questions may need to be backed up or researched further with solid rulings or regulations.
Ohh and here is the PA code :That may interest the poster:
22 Pa. Code §12.31

DATE OF ISSUE: July 1, 2002
DATE OF EXPIRATION: June 30, 2007

REPLACES: Student Records Being Retained by a Private School,
BEC 22 Pa. Code §12.31, issued September 1, 1997
Each year school districts enroll students who have transferred from a private school. In some cases the private school temporarily retains the student's records pending resolution of an infraction of the private school’s policies or a contractual dispute with a parent or guardian. The Public School Code, Section 1409, however, precludes any school, public or private, from withholding health records. Health records must be transferred upon request by the public or private school administrator.

If a private school withholds academic records or refuses to issue an official transcript, public school administrators may seek and accept information that appears reliable for student placement as proof of successfully completed coursework. Sources of reliable information may be report cards or sworn affidavits of private school teachers.

The rest of the full disclosure can be read at this site:
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/k12/cwp/view.asp?A=11&Q=67420

Class dismissed

 

[cbg]

Why, thank you! I'm SO pleased that you approve of my responding to questions.

 

[Tayla]

Why, thank you! I'm SO pleased that you approve of my responding to questions.

whatever....
The codes are there for the poster to review.

 

[cbg]

Look, Tayla. Unless someone made you a moderator of this site and forgot to tell me about it, you've got no business critiquing other people's posts. If you knew the codes right off the top, you weren't helping the poster by withholding them until you were finished chastizing me for not providing them. And if you didn't know them off the top, then you had no business chastizing me for not providing them in the first place.

If you feel so strongly about how the posts ought to be answered, then answer them right off instead of complaining because someone else didn't answer them the way YOU think they should have been. If you'd simply posted the codes instead of chiding me for not doing so, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

 

[Tayla]

Lets agree on one thing. The poster received an avenue to persue.
As to the critiqueing, its called "clarification" of statements.
I'm glad there are moderators to aid those of us who may at times slip up in our responses. Yet no where have I read that I am to believe that every piece of advise given on this site is factual and not open to debate.
Re-read the posts in there entirety. Somethings may have been taken out of context or over emphasized.

 

[HomeGuru]

Lets agree on one thing. The poster received an avenue to persue.
As to the critiqueing, its called "clarification" of statements.

**A: We do not appreciate your lame "clarification".