Did you notice a lot more papers to sign on your return from winter break this year? A new permission slip, perhaps, giving consent for fellow students to let others grade your work? That is due to a court decision that concluded letting students see each others work without the owner's permission is a breach of their right to privacy.

The case regarding this matter is Falvo vs. Owasso Independent School District. Kristja J. Falvo, mother of Elizabeth, Philip, and Erica Pletan, who are students in Oklahoma's Owasso Schools, sued her children's school district because she had heard that the students there often engaged in the practice of grading each others schoolwork and also calling out those grades in class.

She felt that this violated the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) that protects students in school-related matters.

According to the case documents, before this case was brought into the judicial system, there were many instances when Falvo complained. The first instances occurred during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 school years, when Falvo went to her school board multiple times. She stated, "It severely embarrassed my children by allowing other students to learn their grades."

The Pomona community has mixed feelings on the latest appeal and subsequent decision. Some students agree such limits should have been set a long time ago. Others feel this was an unnecessary measure.

Junior Christina Underwood said, "Even though this doesn't really apply to me, I still think it is a good rule. It protects the privacy of the students who don't want their papers shown, and I think that is good they give kids a choice in the matter now."

Junior Kristi Clutts agrees with Underwood. "I am glad that instead of just taking the choice away from us completely, they give us a decision in the matter and let us say whether or not we want anyone else to look at our papers."

But many other people disagree with this viewpoint. "I think the decision is stupid. It should not have had to come this far. I totally think this is an unneeded measure to take," said sophomore Beth Miller.

Miller is not the only one who feels that way. "I think this is a waste of time and a waste of paper," agreed Junior Laura Hensley.

"The court case was over exaggerated," commented teacher Pomona Latin teacher Linda Fabrizio. "Calling out student grades in class is unethical. Having students grade each others papers and the teachers grading them privately shouldn't be called into question."

" But teachers don't have a choice. In order to apply the law we must comply with the case ruling," she concluded.

If you want to learn more about the details regarding this case and the decision affecting millions of students and teachers, you can visit http://www.kscourts.org/ca10/cases/2000/07/99-5130.htm, which provides the actual court text entered by the County Clerk.