The Isle of Wight Council is dealing with the aftermath of a major data breach after the personal details of 90 Isle of Wight children – including their addresses, gender status and details about special educational needs – were accidentally emailed to dozens of parents last week.
On Friday, parents of Year 11 students who are homeschooled received an email with a request to complete a form about students’ further education plans. Shockingly, recipients found attached to the email a document that contained sensitive personal details of 90 local children.
The massive blunder has revealed the names, dates of birth, genders, addresses, reasons for homeschooling, the dates that homeschooling began and details of special education needs for each and every one of the 90 students. Furthermore, the document highlights whether each student is transitioning gender with their birth name and ‘now known as’ name.
The Information Commissioners Office has been made aware of the data breach.
A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Council has told Island Echo:
“An email was sent to parents of Year 11 elective home education students on Friday afternoon. The email included an attachment in error which contained the personal details of the ninety families in this cohort.
“In line with the council’s protocols, the email was recalled twenty minutes after sending and a follow up email was also sent to recipients asking them to delete the original email without opening it.
“The email was sent to around eighty addresses and the council would like to apologise to all of the families listed in the document that was incorrectly attached and would be grateful for their support in deleting the original email sent in error.
Article continues below this advertisement “The council has notified the Information Commissioner’s Office about the matter.”
No wonder most home schoolers avoid the council like the plague. Useless bureaucracy which serves no purpose.
Probably get a pay rise after that mishap
Certainly won’t get the boot, that’s for sure.
Little wonder our poll tax so high. Lists,lists benefits.
Can see why they deserve a yearly pay rise. NOT. So does this department responsible now get a pay cut?
Probly a payrise and a promotion!
Furthermore, the document highlights whether each student is transitioning gender with their birth name and ‘now known as’ name.
….
and in the future the children, when they become adults, will sue the authorities for allowing them to do this to themselves – those adults are supposed to protect children, not allow them to be mutilated in a hospital and then put on drugs to make them look like the opposite gender.
.
children change their views as they age – this will not end well for those kids that are let down by adults.
Name of the officer please, if not, why not? Data protection? Everyone gets named and shamed.
They do know that recalling an email after it’s left the mail system doesn’t work, right?
Why have my comments been removed only telling the truth that the NHS is not designed for all the extra ridiculous extras these days ????
Because like me, you dont fit the narrative. Maybe were not ‘cotton wool’ enough for certain types eh.
This data breach should not surprise anyone. Adult Care Services seem incapable of following the laws that govern them by excluding parents, carers and other family members in the decision making process regarding children/adults with special needs. Sadly this seems to be mainly Fathers which is clearly gender descrimination and against equality laws and human rights. There needs to be a public inquiry into how their staff are managed.