child's school asking for social?

[Priscilla]

I'm NOT comfortable with this at ALL!!!

Did your child's school ask for his social security card in ADDITION to the birth certificate??


If the child is older or has a state ID - they will accept that.

[emmasmommy]

we didn't have to bring her actual card but they did want her ssn. i kind of assumed they would want it...

[Traci Reed]

My son's school needed a social too. It's normal.

[NeverendingJen]

yup. we have to provide full documentation.

eta: we're also a military family, so providing socials for everything is quite normal to us

[BrattyMeg]

yeppers...here too

When I was in high school they asked for mine too...9th grade is the first year I remember needing my social

[momtutu]

Mine asked for it - I left it blank and have for 6 years. No one has said anything about it.
:-)

[neenee]

I have always been asked for it and given it. I just assumed it was normal.

[meems]

My kids' school did not ask for SSN and I would not be comfortable giving it to them. I would ask the school why they need it. I would hope they're not using it as an ID number.

[lovemy4kids]

Ours asks for SSN, but we've always left it blank. Never been a problem.

[Priscilla]

Well ... if they allow a state ID (if your child has one) or SSN --- I think it's absurd.

I seem to be reading that people tend to get waivers.

[SmallMoments]

Yep, totally normal.

[Priscilla]

We found out why!!

They need it to determine if your child qualifies for free lunch ... at least thats what we think from reading SSN online

well no need for that. We won't qualify.

[Paula]

I've always been asked for my kids SSNs at all the schools they have ever attended.

[MichaelsMomJo]

Most school districts will put it on their forms, but you aren't legally obligated to provide it. They don't need it to determine free/reduced lunch. That's a whole separate application.

[Leila]

Originally Posted by Priscilla

We found out why!!

They need it to determine if your child qualifies for free lunch ... at least thats what we think from reading SSN online

well no need for that. We won't qualify.

That doesn't make sense. They'd need yours/your husband's SSNs for that since your kids make no money.

While it's not on the SSN card anymore (they removed the "not for identification" part in the 80s), they are not supposed to be used as identification. You can refuse to give it out unless it's for employment.

[kscwgirl]

Ours ask for it too but I've always left it blank. The only people with Abby's or JJ's social is the IRS and the bank.

[neenee]

Well shoot....I am going to quit giving it. I just follow the rules of "the man" too much!

oh, by "the man" I mean the government, not the DH. I don't mind the DH very well. Bwahahahaha

[lauren grier]

down with the man yo!

haha

i honestly don't remember. I don't know ce's off the top of my head so i doubt i put it on his school reg last year.

[sari55]

Another here who leaves it blank. Doesn't seem to be a problem to do so. Plus our school doesn't have a lunch program so I don't see why they would need it in the first place.

[Milmomma]

Originally Posted by NeverendingJen

yup. we have to provide full documentation.

eta: we're also a military family, so providing socials for everything is quite normal to us

Ditto, every doc appt., dental, etc we have to provide socials for whoever it is for and sponsor

[nikkiARNGwife]

Military here too...I have all of our socials memorized we use them so much..especially DH's since his is our sponsor ID

[adrianka]

Can I ask what a SSN number is? :-) I'm especially interested in what it's used for.

In my country, everybody gets a unique number at birth (it's called "birth number"). It's clear from the number when you were born and whether you're male or female. This is a number that you usually give as ID.

I guess you don't have that in the US, so I'm curious what you use instead and if the SSN number is something along the lines.

Sorry for my ignorance + my curiosity, but I'm always interested in how things are done in different countries.

P.S. I'm hopeless - when I first stared writing this post, I wrote SSD number instead of SSN. Not at all addicted, no. :-D

[lovely1m]

Adrianka- Its pretty much the same thing, but it won't tell you when the person was born or sex. If you know the codes, it will tell you what state they were born in.

I guess, I don't see the big deal in the school having, but I am military, too, and very used to giving it out.

[jessica31876]

I have given my kids ssn on all their forms. I never really thought twice about questioning it. I know mine, my husbands and my daughters but not my sons. The three of us have really similar numbers though. My husbands is only 2 digits off of mine.

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by lovely1m

Adrianka- Its pretty much the same thing, but it won't tell you when the person was born or sex. If you know the codes, it will tell you what state they were born in.

I guess, I don't see the big deal in the school having, but I am military, too, and very used to giving it out.

Thank you, Mari! I'm wiser once more. :-)

[Priscilla]

That's what I thought but they use it to keep a record of the kids getting it -- hubby found that on SS website.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/78

Specific laws require a person to provide his or her SSN for certain purposes. While we cannot give you a comprehensive list of all situations where an SSN might be required or requested, an SSN is required or requested by the following organizations:

# States for the school lunch program

The Privacy Act regulates the use of SSNs by government agencies. When a federal, state, or local government agency asks an individual to disclose his or her SSN, the Privacy Act requires the agency to inform the person of the following: the statutory or other authority for requesting the information; whether disclosure is mandatory or voluntary; what uses will be made of the information; and the consequences, if any, of failure to provide the information.

Originally Posted by Leila

That doesn't make sense. They'd need yours/your husband's SSNs for that since your kids make no money.

While it's not on the SSN card anymore (they removed the "not for identification" part in the 80s), they are not supposed to be used as identification. You can refuse to give it out unless it's for employment.

[Priscilla]

The big deal is it's a huge breach in preseving ones identity. .. chances are slim but if they have his name, address and SSN AND A copy of his birth certificate any tom, dick or harry can steal it all and create a new alias. Don't tell me you don't think identity theft is on the rise?!

[CA Dreamer]

I think you should find out how the school uses the info. For us, the school assigns ID numbers when registering. These numbers are used for everything--library, lunch account, on rosters, etc. Since that is the visible number on any list my kids' names are on, I don't mind giving the school district the kids' SSNs.

In a case where I don't provide it is in scouts. Since these forms are copied(multiple times a year) and put in binders that accompany each scout on every outing...and thus in the hands of anyone who is coordinating an event...and they could leave it somewhere... the risk is just too great to have a name and associated SSN floating about, IMHO. I asked what they need the info for and it is just for insurance --if the medical insurance ties the SSN to the medical in case of an emergency. --which it does not as it is my DHs insurance--and fortunately, they use Group#+ID numbers instead of SSN.

[Leila]

Originally Posted by Priscilla

That's what I thought but they use it to keep a record of the kids getting it -- hubby found that on SS website.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/78

It still doesn't make sense to me. JP received reduced lunch last year after Andrew lost his job. Nowhere on the form was there a place for his SSN, and I know we didn't give it out when we registered him for school. Both boys qualify for the program this coming school year (not that they'll get much from it--they're dong a virtual charter program) and nobody asked for their SSNs.

That said, if you know he won't qualify for the F&R lunch program, don't give out his SSN. I'm totally with you on the identity theft thing. It's on the rise, especially in regards to stealing children's identities!

[Priscilla]

we are asking

they have to show give a written copy of WHY they need it "disclosure statement" and what it's used for according to the privacy act of 1974 - there is also a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act or the Buckley Amendment which protects your privacy when it comes to a SSN

[mummytothree]

Originally Posted by Priscilla

I'm NOT comfortable with this at ALL!!!

Did your child's school ask for his social security card in ADDITION to the birth certificate??


If the child is older or has a state ID - they will accept that.

Yes my kid's school asked for their ssn, I have never ever filled it out on any of their paper work and I have a 7th grader, 3rd grader and kindergartner. The school have never said anything to me about it!!! I'm sure there is a reason and it might even be valid but they have never shared it with me so I don't see the need!!! Until they make it mandatory I'll keep skipping that question!!!

[mummytothree]

OK the school lunch thing maybe have to do with funding. I know that schools get "x amount" of money in funding for the # of kids that not only GET free and reduced ,unches but they also get funding for the total number that actually apply for it, even if they don't get it.

So while it might not be necessary to have it on a form to get the lunches I bet that if the school is ever audited they might need those ssn to prove that "real kids" applied for free/reduced lunches and it just was't a made up number to get more funding!!

I'm not totally sure about the 2nd part but I know for a fact the funding part is true!!!!

[Paula]

Originally Posted by lovely1m

I guess, I don't see the big deal in the school having, but I am military, too, and very used to giving it out.

I totally agree with you here. I don't see the big deal in the school having it, and I'm not military.

[Stacey42]

Me too. The school is a federal entity in it's own way & SS#s are what the feds use to keep track of us. They get fed money for a number of things that depend on enrollment levels and SS#s prove they are legitimate students not made up names. That's how the primary school here explained it. They have to have the SS#s for a certain percent of their claimed enrollment if the govt audits them

I won't give them to organizations like the scouts or sports but I don't mind the school knowing them.

Assuming I remember them when I go to fill out the forms.

[aggiefamily]

I also think later on (high school) they use your ss# for transcripts for the colleges to verify that records match.

[NeverendingJen]

Originally Posted by aggiefamily

I also think later on (high school) they use your ss# for transcripts for the colleges to verify that records match.

yep. Here the middle school and high school require it because of testing and transcripts, the kids have to memorize them by their 9th grade year.

[Priscilla]

Okay. .. but if they are willing to take a state ID in place of the SSN then it proves there is no reason to NEED to SSN.

And using it to keep track of us/proving we are real is NOT entirely valid because that's why they need THEIR birth certificate, YOUR ID, utility bill showing YOU live where you say you do, etc.


They admited it too. I told them that if they need his social I wanted to see the disclosure statement telling me HOW they used it. .. she didnt even know why and said if I wanted to see that I'd have to go the the central office -- BUT they didn't really need it and I didn't have to give it.

[MommaTrish]

We have to actually bring the cards in and the school makes copies that go in the records.

[AmberK]

I think they asked for it on the registration forms but I dont know his SSN and just left it blank.