Lake County sues parent after 47,000 student records mistakenly released

Lake County Schools mistakenly released confidential education and disability records of about 47,000 students to a parent, according to FOX 35 Orlando. The release occurred after an employee accidentally fulfilled a public records request by uploading unredacted files instead of redacted versions.

The district became aware of the error and immediately contacted the parent, requesting the destruction of the files. However, the parent has refused to delete the records, leading the Lake County School Board to file a lawsuit seeking a court injunction to force permanent destruction of the data, WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando reported.

The lawsuit, filed on November 3, aims to protect the sensitive information from further disclosure. The district attorney, Scott Cole, explained that the mistake happened during a routine request and that the district's primary concern is safeguarding student privacy.

Originally, the district believed only 1,800 records were released, but the number was later confirmed to be 47,000. The parent reportedly posted on social media about possessing the records, which raised concerns among district officials and parents.

The school board is asking the court to require the parent to destroy all copies of the records and provide an affidavit confirming their deletion. The timing of the court's ruling on the injunction remains unclear, WFTV 9 noted.

This incident highlights the challenges school districts face in handling sensitive data and responding to public records requests while protecting student privacy.