Reply #58: Nope, in the US it's legal under FERPA

[Xithras]

Legally, under the Family Educational Records and Privacy Act, your childrens enrollment records and contact information can be released to any legitimate third party organization, from military recruiters to church and youth groups to companies trying to sell them cereal and comic book subscriptions. They can't release information like classes attended and grades achieved, but they CAN give out your home address.

To opt out, a parent simply has to provide the school with a written request that their child be excluded from future "FERPA directory releases". The problem, of course, is that colleges and background check firms also use this information when doing recruiting and that by excluding yourself from the list you'll make it impossible for colleges interested in your kids to contact you.

In the case of the original poster, it's probably too late anyway...the childs name is already in their database so they'll probably keep receiving the Bible School notices until they move. Once the name is in the churches database, it's unlikely that it will be removed. Personally, I receive something similar for my kids every year and it doesn't bother me. If they really want to waste a quarter to mail us an advertisement that's going straight into my garbage can, more power to them.