Schools

Book bans in US schools and libraries surged to record highs in 2023

NPR - As school districts depend more on technology, cyberattacks against public schools — and the sensitive data they store — are on the rise. Districts collect data on everything from students’ allergies and suspensions to household income, court orders and immigration status. Hackers can keep the information hostage for ransom or use it to steal childrens’ identities, open bank accounts and rack up debt — and the consequences can follow victims well into adulthood. The number of districts reporting such attacks surged from 45 in 2022 to 108 in 2023, according to an analysis by the cyber security firm Emsisoft.  .... Stolen records could resurface online years later, jeopardizing students’ privacy as well as things like college applications, job interviews and even court hearings