Access by Students

Section 30 of LAFOIP provides that an individual whose personal information is contained in a record of a local authority has a right to be given access to the record. Thus, with regard to student records, it is the student who has the right to make the request.

Access to the personal information of an individual may be denied to that individual if it falls within one of the exemptions set out in Part III of LAFOIP.

In addition, pursuant to section 20 the head can refuse access to the record, or parts of it, if it could threaten the safety and the physical or mental health of an individual. This may be the case for younger students or students not mature enough to understand or deal with information that might be in the files.