Missouri AG subpoenas school districts over 'invasive' student surveys

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has issued subpoenas to seven school districts across the state as he continues his investigation into the districts' curricula and teaching practices.

In a release, Schmitt said last week the subpoenas target student surveys that the AG's office describe as asking "personal and otherwise unnecessary questions" about subject matter that includes sexuality, race and political opinion.

Schmitt's office believes an investigation is necessary to determine whether the districts in question violated Missouri state and federal laws pertaining to student privacy and data collection. 

The office has given each district 10 days to produce documents that respond to 22 demands, including asking for documents describing how the district obtains parental permission before their children answer questions including those related to political beliefs, their mental health and religious practices.

The subpoenas also question who receives the information that the students provide and how it is analyzed and used.

The "Missouri Independent" reports that the investigation appears to be at the behest of Georgia-based conservative legal nonprofit the Southern Legal Foundation.

The organization's general counsel, Kimberly Hermann, said in a statement that the actions of the Missouri attorney general were "in direct response to our request for investigation."

"On behalf of our brave parent clients, we look forward to seeing invasive student surveys come to an end," she also said.

Schmitt, who is now running for Senate, has also sent open records requests to about 50 school districts for lists of textbooks, and other information related to diversity and equity trainings.