Nonprofit files suit on behalf of mom claiming she can't get access to school's student surveys

Southeastern Legal Foundation on Thursday filed a lawsuit against a public school in Kentucky on behalf of a parent who alleges she was unable to get access to surveys given to students by an education corporation. 

The legal nonprofit is filing the lawsuit against Jefferson County Public Schools on behalf of mother and parental rights advocate Miranda Stovall who says she is unable to get access to surveys given to her students. 

“Jefferson County Public Schools is preventing me not only from accessing public records about my own child, but also from talking about them publicly," Stovall said in a statement obtained by Just the News. "Without the records, I can’t go to a school board meeting and address my concerns with the school board or go to other parents and show them what is happening in our schools. It’s really frustrating and discouraging, which is why I had to turn to the courts for help.”

According to a press release from the legal foundation, a survey was given to students by a group called Pearson which "pushes radical ideologies while asking children invasive questions about their mental health and families."

Pearson is an educational company that publishes educational pieces and provides learning services. They have done surveys in other school districts. 

You can read the press release here: 

Stovall said that she is concerned that the surveys being distributed to her child are "invasive."

Southeastern Legal Foundation says that Jefferson County Public Schools are not complying with state law to produce the surveys and are arguing that the surveys are protected by federal copyright law. 

“While Ms. Stovall has not seen the Pearson survey that JCPS required students to take because JCPS refuses to provide her with a copy, these types of surveys typically ask invasive personal questions about students’ mental health and how they feel about their families," SFL executive director Kimberly Hermann said in a statement to Just the News. "On top of refusing to show parents the surveys after the fact, schools also frequently administer these surveys without parental consent in potential violation of federal law. Parents just can’t win and they’ve had enough of this abuse by our government schools.”

Pearson and JCPS have not responded to requests for comment.