Are Social Security Numbers Required?
Students of public schools in a number of states are now being required to disclose their social security numbers as a condition of enrollment in the public schools. Because of a recent enactment, HSLDA anticipates that some Ohio officials are going to begin demanding social security numbers of home school students as well.
While such a demand would clearly exceed the letter and intent of the Ohio provision, there is an even greater legal barrier to coerced disclosure of a social security number to any government official. A little known federal law makes it unlawful for any state or local government to require the disclosure of your social security number unless the recordkeeping system was in place prior to January 1, 1975, requiring the use of the social security number prior to that date.
This statute, Act Dec. 31, 1974, P.L. 93-579, § 7, 88 Stat. 1909, even makes post-1975 federal attempts to discover your social security number illegal unless specifically required by federal statute. In other words, a federal regulation or official action cannot be the basis of required disclosure.
Any member of HSLDA who is told by an official that a social security number is required for any aspect of home schooling should immediately contact our legal department.
