SSN Alert!

    I have in my possession a list of  valid Social Security Numbers, 29 of them including my own.  I did not steal them or come by them in any nefarious way.  On the contrary, they were mailed to me from the Supt's Office of the school where I was once employed, advising the 29 employees of retirement benefit calculations.  Granted, the list of social security numbers was sent back on April 2, 1996, but security should have been an issue even back then, or so it would seem.  It did to me anyway, because I wrote a letter to the school office:

    "Regarding the 1996 Targeted Retirement Incentive Communication   I recently received, I was disconcerted to receive the retirement membership and social security number of each of  28 other people, assuming that each person on the list was similarly informed.  I had believed that such information was of a confidential nature, since some accounts can be accessed or altered by entering such data.  I personally do not feel that the security of my account is threatened by anyone on the list, but I would have preferred that such identifying numbers remain in confidence."

     One might think that such a heads up would be acknowledged as the need to correct the  distribution of confidential information, but instead I received a letter, dated May 1, 1996,  from Dr. James A. Seeley, Superintendent of Schools:
      "I am writing in response to your memo regarding the above information which was provided to the 29 district employees who are eligible to participate in the incentive.  The information you received was also, specifically, requested by the President of the Teachers Association and was posted or circulated in the faculty room.  You are the only person to raise  a concern with this information being provided, and I would like to respond to your concern and state that the employees of this district are of the highest character and, therefore, you need not worry that your account will EVER be accessed or altered in any fashion.  I do, however, respect your concern and in the future any information related to you, personally, will be deleted in all mailings to staff members."

     Was I that much ahead of my time that confidentiality was not of any importance only 20 years ago?  Was it a mere 20 years ago that a school superintendent could respond in such an arrogant and yes, ignorant, manner?  Were the other employees so cowed that they hesitated to comment on the violation of their privacy, or were they just capitulating to the choices made for them? 
     Reading the list of names, I know of only 2 of them who are now deceased.  The others, I'm certain, would rest comfortably knowing that I have their social security and retirement numbers.  After all, a list of valid SSN's has no value, does it?