SSN on school paperwork

[Royalbear]

Every year we have hordes of info to fill out for the school. Emergency contact card, bus contact card, residency info, emergency treatment card, internet user agreement. This information is handled by many people and have nothing to do with registering for school.

My son is in the middle school and they made a point to not have us fill in the Social security number on any of the cards. Thinking this was a good idea, I followed suit and did not put in on my gradeschoolers cards. The cards were returned as incomplete without SSN. Normally, I would just fill in the numbers and let it go, but the more I thought about it (plus the fact that I really am overwhelmed with the start of school and I don't want to spend the 30 seconds it would take to look up the numbers), I don't want to give them that info.

It's not that they would file it by the number, cuz my kids wouldn't know it for them to look it up. "Johhny, you're hurt, what's your social so I can find out who to call." I mean, we're working on phone numbers and addresses here. I can see a potential for identity theft the more times and places these numbers are put.

So, am I just being pissy, or do I have a valid reason? I do concede that maybe the former is correct.

 

[noodleknitter]

I think you are justified in not providing the information. If they insist...i'd make up numbers.

eta: I did that, as a matter of fact, when 4-H thought they needed them!

 

[Uncle Remus]

I'm with you OP.
Your school district needs to get with the program, this is the 21st century and SSN are a matter of security...YOURS!

 

[CathrynRose]

So, am I just being pissy, or do I have a valid reason? I do concede that maybe the former is correct.

I dont fill in my kids ( they dont ask for it ) for a grade schooler and a high schooler.

And if they DID ask for it, I'd want to know why. No reason for it, IMO.

It's 2006 - these information cards shouldnt have anything on them that could allow identity theft.... no one would know Little Susies SS# was used for possibly YEARS & YEARS!!!

No way.... I dont think youre being pissy.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

I was just thinking about that. I don't know why a school would need a child's social security number. unless it is used to identify a child in their computer system. Since the number identifies a child, if a child is truant it might be a way to get the information regarding the child and parent. Maybe colleges are requiring that all school records have the same identification number to ensure that it is the same person. I honestly can't think of any other reason.

 

[missypie]

Don't give it to them.

 

[lindalinda]

I am always surprised at how many forms still have this on them. I never fill it in. If it is a computer form that makes you, I fill it in with N/A. There is no way anyone should expect this of you these days. The only form it is required for is MY SSN for the volunteer background check. Those forms are not handled in a secure manner, if they say this is a requirement, protest to the school board. Kids SSN's are especially good to identity theft because no one notices the fraud since no one is checking their credit. When I bought my first house I had a mortgage loan default on my credit from when I was 11 years old. Even though it was obviously a mistake, I still had to write a letter to the credit agency and prove it wasnt my debt to have it removed.

 

[barkley]

i can say that when i worked for social services (and i think this is still the case)-ssn's are the ultimate indentifier for certain issues. if someone applied for the subsidezed meal programs and we got a verification form from the school we needed the ssn because a name/dob might come up with multiple matches, public assistance regs. require no more than so many absences per school year/per child or a grant gets reduced-so we had to have ssn matches to ensure someone was not getting the incorrect grant amount, and if a child is receiving social security benefits based on a disabled or deceased parent the benefits end at a certain age unless the child is attending and will graduate by a certain date-so the schools may get forms from governmental agencies and need the ssn to identify the correct student to pull the info. from.