Florida asks feminine college students about their menstrual historical past, and entrusts that information to a year-old firm

Asking questions corresponding to when the coed acquired their first interval and after they had their final one isn’t something new in Florida. It’s been an ongoing query for 20 years, and it’s optionally available.

Traditionally, that has been achieved on paper types, nonetheless. This fall, some districts (together with Palm Seashore, Broward, Hillsborough and Sarasota counties) will change to a digital platform that’s held by a 3rd celebration. And within the post-Roe world, that has many individuals involved.

“I don’t see why (faculty districts) want that entry to that kind of knowledge,” mentioned Dr. Michael Haller, a pediatric endocrinologist based mostly in Gainesville informed The Palm Seashore Put up. “It positive as hell will give me pause to fill it out with my child.”

Prior to now, pediatricians say, the ultimate web page within the three-page bodily analysis kind was a very powerful. That’s the place the physician indicators off on whether or not the athlete is cleared to take part (and record any precautions or limitations). These docs, who work with the Palm Seashore faculty district, say that’s the one web page that must be shared with the district. And that’s the best way it’s in different states, however in Florida, the entire medical information is turned over to the varsity.

Abortion rights advocates have raised alarms about monitoring a girl’s menstrual historical past because the Supreme Court docket reversed Roe v. Wade. And the delicate details about minors will stored by a software program firm that has existed for simply over one yr. (Aktivate, based by former AOL CEO and Information Corp. govt Jon Miller, will retailer the info. The corporate was launched final September.)

Aktivate says all scholar info might be stored confidential. Critics observe, nonetheless, that because the firm shouldn’t be run by a medical care supplier, it isn’t protected by HIPAA legal guidelines, so it might be compelled to show over the info to the state if subpoenaed.

And the Palm Seashore County Faculty District retains the total submitted medical packets for seven years.

Abortion is illegitimate in Florida after 15 weeks of gestation. And the state has additionally taken steps this yr to ban remedy for transgender minors, one other group that might be affected by the menstrual questions.