Pittsburgh Public Schools alert families to mailing error that contained personal information

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Public Schools’ families have been made aware of an error made with a recent mailer containing student and parent information.

Several families received information in a mailer that did not match the addressee’s information.

The District’s printing and mailing vendor is investigating the situation and is taking full responsibility for the error.

The district stated that at this time, it is unclear how many mailers were impacted.

“The District takes this incident very seriously. The print vendor will no longer be used by Pittsburgh Public Schools for mailers that require this level of student data and matching,” according to a statement from the district.

The Information Technology team for the district disabled access to student email, Office 365, signing into PPS-owned student devices, and the Clever system.

New student and Home Access center password information will be generated and resent to families and school leaders. The message below was sent via the District’s parent information system to families this afternoon.

“Good afternoon PPS families,

We are calling to alert you to an error made with a recent mailer containing student and parent information. It has been brought to our attention that several families received information in a mailer that does not match the addressee’s information. The District’s printing and mailing vendor continues to investigate the situation and takes full responsibility for the error. At this time, it is unclear how many mailers were impacted. As a security measure, our Information Technology team has disabled access to student email, Office 365, signing into PPS-owned student devices, and the Clever system. New student and Home Access center password information will be generated and resent to families and school leaders.”

Maryrose Hatfield, is one of hundreds of parents speaking out on Facebook and social media about the issue.

“So it’s basically we just got to put up with the bull crap and just keep dealing with it I guess,” Hatfield said.

Hatfield said in her case, her oldest son’s information was sent to her correctly, but she never got her younger son’s information and she has no idea where it is.

“We never got schedules, we are still in an all up, of what’s going on and now we go back on Wednesday the eighth and we still have no clue,” she said. “It’s their lunch pin, it’s their email address for the school, it’s their password for the school.”

Hatfield said she wants the district to take responsibility for what happened.

“Don’t blame the vendors, take responsibility. (Superintendent) Anthony Hamlet needs to take responsibility instead of trying to pass the buck to everyone else,” she said. “We as parents are trying to take care of our kids.”

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