Judy Caplan

Judy Caplan, coordinator of school and family partnerships at North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, explains how confidentiality issues may differ in rural and urban settings. Excerpted from a videotaped interview with Judy Caplan (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1997).

"When we look at the issue of confidentiality in both rural and urban settings, we often see some important differences. Very often in rural communities the schools serve many functions for the community in addition to education. It may be a major social place, a major meeting place for the community. Also, community residents are more likely to have other kinds of relationship to the school staff. They may be their neighbors, they may be their customers. Then it becomes more difficult for school personnel to know what is information they are learning in their role as a teacher or as a principal, and what is information they are learning in their as a neighbor. This creates a particular issue for rural people about confidentiality. In urban settings, where we're dealing with large numbers of students and a great deal of information, often we feel that if we don't identify by name, the person, we can share a lot of information in the way of, I have a student in my third period class who, or someone in fifth grade is, but urban educators need to think carefully about whether or not this method of not introducing name really adheres to and respects the confidentiality of the students."

This Critical Issue summary was written by Robin Fleming and Stephanie Lubin, program specialists with the Center for School and Community Development at North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.

Date posted: 1998