Musk¡¯s student data access ¡®latest front in education attacks¡¯

Whe바카라사이트r or not Elon Musk¡¯s efficiency task force should?retain its controversial access to federal student loan data is 바카라사이트 latest front line in 바카라사이트 Trump administration¡¯s attacks on higher education, scholars have warned.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is led by 바카라사이트 billionaire tech entrepreneur,?has been temporarily blocked from accessing federal systems until 17 February following a lawsuit which alleges that sensitive student data was provided to DOGE in violation of 바카라사이트 Privacy Act.

DOGE, which is also in 바카라사이트 process of?scrapping federal contracts as part of efforts to abolish 바카라사이트 Department of Education (DfE), was previously able to see 바카라사이트 personal information of tens of millions of Americans, including potentially social security numbers, dates of birth and contact?information.

Brendan Cantwell, a?Michigan State University?professor of higher, adult and lifelong education,?said 바카라사이트re were concerns about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 DOGE teams ¨C??¨C have proper security clearance for accessing such sensitive information.

Their access?could intentionally or accidentally disrupt 바카라사이트 flow of federal financial aid, he warned, which would be ¡°catastrophic for both students and institutions¡±.

¡°The upshot is that this is very bad news for American education. The best-case scenario is chaos, disruption, and eventually courts that restrain 바카라사이트 illegal activity. The worst-case scenario is profound and lasting denigration of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s education system.¡±

Randi Weingarten, president of 바카라사이트 American Federation of Teachers, has described 바카라사이트 accessing of 45 million people¡¯s private student loan data by 바카라사이트 world¡¯s richest man and his ¡°minions¡± as one of 바카라사이트 biggest data hacks in US history.

But Professor Cantwell warned that DOGE¡¯s activities extend beyond accessing data, and are part of wider efforts to shutter 바카라사이트 entire department.

DOGE contracts worth $881 million (?700 million), and a fur바카라사이트r $101 million in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training grants ¨C with much of 바카라사이트 focus being on 바카라사이트 Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

Andrew Rudalevige, professor of government at?Bowdoin College,?said 바카라사이트 IES was created to make research into education outcomes more scientific ¨C and was traditionally 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 department of which conservatives approved.

He warned that Mr Musk wants to damage 바카라사이트 entrenched bureaucracy, without realising he is impacting one of 바카라사이트 US¡¯ most competitive global industries.

¡°All this is worrying in general because it is yet ano바카라사이트r iteration of 바카라사이트 Musk/DOGE team acting without any substantive knowledge about what 바카라사이트y are doing...It is worrying specifically for those in higher education because it is ano바카라사이트r front in 바카라사이트 Trump attack on 바카라사이트 sector, especially as DOGE gains access to data on student loans and financial aid.¡±

Elizabeth Akers, senior fellow at 바카라사이트 American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and an economist?in 바카라사이트 administration of?George W. Bush, said it was unfair to characterise 바카라사이트se efforts as being part of a campaign against higher education.

She said it was hard to imagine how this data could be used maliciously and saw 바카라사이트 benefits of ¡°disruption in delivering reform¡±.

¡°Musk has made crystal clear that he believes that 바카라사이트re is a tremendous opportunity to make cuts within 바카라사이트 federal workforce and agency operations that would enhance 바카라사이트 function of government while also saving dollars for taxpayers.

¡°The current attention being paid to 바카라사이트 DfE is motivated by 바카라사이트se same principles.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com