How should privacy and confidentiality be handled for medical and academic records of student-athletes?

• A. Post records publicly
• B. Share with all teachers and coaches by default
• C. Share only with authorized personnel, store securely, and comply with FERPA and district policies
• D. Keep records but ignore FERPA

Answer: (C)

Privacy and confidentiality for student-athlete records require limiting access to individuals who have a legitimate educational or safety need and protecting the information from unauthorized disclosure. The best approach is to share only with authorized personnel who need the data for the student’s well‑being or performance—such as the athletic trainer, school nurse, counselor, or designated administrators—and to store these records securely. Following FERPA and district policies ensures disclosures are legal, tracked, and limited to allowed purposes, with appropriate consent when required. In practice, this means secure storage (locked files or password‑protected digital systems, access controls, and audit trails), clear release procedures, and staff training on privacy. Public posting or sharing with all teachers and coaches by default undermines confidentiality, and ignoring FERPA would violate legal and ethical standards.