PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A Beaverton father is suing the Beaverton School District over its new digital hall pass system, warning it raises serious student privacy concerns and could create opportunities for abuse.
As first reported by KOIN 6 News, Jeffrey Myers filed the lawsuit in April after his daughter, a Mountainview Middle School student, described the new system. Students are now required to request permission to leave class—whether to use the restroom, visit their locker, or go to the health office—through the StudentVUE app on their Chromebooks. Teachers approve requests for up to five minutes.
The district describes the system as a modern alternative to traditional paper hall passes, but Myers says it goes far beyond that, tracking students’ movements, habits, and behavior in a way parents were never informed about.
The lawsuit claims each hall pass request is logged with time stamps, destinations, and metadata, and that this data is stored indefinitely. It also alleges at least 154 district staff members—including some from other schools—can access this information.
“This isn’t just about efficiency,” Myers told KOIN 6 News. “It’s about creating a system that collects detailed information on kids without parental involvement or oversight.”
Do you love Oregon?
Sign up for monthly emails full of local travel inspiration and fun trip ideas. In each newsletter we'll share upcoming events, new things to do, hot dining spots and great travel ideas.
Lessons From St. Helens
The lawsuit comes at a time when Oregon parents are increasingly alarmed about school accountability and student safety. In St. Helens, a separate investigation revealed the school district ignored multiple sexual abuse allegations for years, allowing predators to remain in classrooms unchecked. Two teachers were later arrested on charges of sexually abusing students, and district officials are now under intense scrutiny for failing to act on warning signs.
[Read our full report on the St. Helens School District scandal here.]
Critics argue that systems like Beaverton’s, which give large numbers of staff access to student tracking data, could also be misused if proper safeguards aren’t in place.
“They’re Profiling Kids Without Parents Knowing”
In a March response to Myers, the district acknowledged that the system tracks behavioral patterns and may even help identify “medical needs not yet diagnosed.” Myers calls this an overreach, saying it amounts to profiling students and involving counselors without informing parents.
The lawsuit alleges the district’s policy violates parents’ constitutional rights under the Fourteenth Amendment, which protects their ability to direct the care and upbringing of their children.
When reached by KOIN 6 News, Beaverton School District declined to comment on the pending litigation but confirmed the system is active at all middle schools except Meadow Park, and at Aloha High School.
“Digitizing a hall pass is one thing,” Myers said. “But using it to track students’ behaviors and movements without parental consent is a completely different story.”