The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Editorials

January 8, 2008

Our View — Parents have right to know

When a student at Minnesota State University is caught drinking underage in a dorm, or cited for other alcohol or drug violations, the university can’t contact the parents unless the students had earlier signed a release form allowing it.

That issue is coming under scrutiny by the Minnesota State Colleges and University system and the Legislature.

In light of drinking-related deaths in Mankato and at campuses around the state, it is an issue that deserves a full airing.

Currently, the state Data Practices Act considers “educational data” to be private if the student is at least 18 years old.

Allowing state universities to contact parents about students’ violations provides one more tool to deal with the problem of hard drinking by some students. Parents can be a powerful influence in helping students who are dealing with problems — if they know about it.

The argument against allowing the release of such information to parents is compelling: College students are adults.

But society has long agreed that adults of different ages are treated differently. That’s why the legal drinking age is 21, not 18.

It is not a stretch for the Legislature to give parents of young adults — going to taxpayer-supported institutions — the right to receive notification of legal problems and potential dangers their kids are facing while off at school.

And, parents who are providing some type of monetary support for their kid’s college have a right to be notified that their “investment” may be at risk by dangerous behavior by their son or daughter.

The relationship between universities and students could also be viewed more as a contract. A university will promise to fulfill its obligations to educate and help students and the students will fulfill their obligations and follow basic rules, and agree that their parents may be notified by the school if needed.

The issue of parental notification is different than another issue being debated in Mankato and at other state university towns — whether students should be dealt with by the university when they commit a crime off campus. Universities are already allowed to hand out academic sanctions or other measures against students who run into legal problems off campus. MSU doesn’t currently level consequences for off-campus behavior but is considering it.

A bill to allow universities to contact parents about offenses committed by students has been introduced in the Legislature the past two sessions but hasn’t been passed. With recent publicity over student deaths, the bill will get more attention in the upcoming session.

It’s an issue with strong arguments on both sides. But with the real problem of increasingly heavy drinking, the scale tilts toward allowing universities to make parents a bigger part of their students’ lives.

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