You’re passionate about an issue and you want to take a stance. So, you gather up a bunch of students and organize a protest—a sit-in, a walk-out, a picket line, etc. But does the school have the power to shut it down? Aren’t these protests protected by the First Amendment? 

FERPA is a law designed to protect the privacy of students. While it seems simple, how and when this law applies can be a little complicated.