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MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Montana high school unintentionally leaked the personal and medical information of more than 100 students in an email sent to parents who had attended a football meeting, the school district acknowledged Monday.
An email sent from Hellgate High School in Missoula to about 30 parents on Friday included a 19-page attachment with psychiatric, medical, attendance and other information about more than 100 students. A parent forwarded the email to KECI-TV, which first reported the breach.
Principal Linda Hendrix and Assistant Principal Lynn Farmer contacted the recipients Friday and Saturday and asked them to delete the email without reading the confidential information. The computers involved were collected as part of the investigation into how the information was released, the district said.
The email included the names of students using a school-based mental health program, criminal records, those who have yet to receive required vaccines and those with excessive absences or tardiness, or who are failing classes, the Missoulian reported. It also named students who have been involved in family abuse and a student who is in the process of a gender transition.
"We deeply apologize for any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause for our students and families," Superintendent Mark Thane said in a statement Monday. "While this was an unintentional release of information, we understand that the district is ultimately responsible to safeguard student information."
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