FERPA, what the heck?

This week in Web 2.0 we are exploring Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act in relation to web based classes. I was unaware of the rights that I had to my grades and scholastic privacy. Although I am pleased that my grades are sheltered by FERPA I am unsettled by the matter of the freedom to hand out personal information. FERPA hinders the sharing of personal grades but allows that "Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance." Unlike the concerns that the legislature has, I believe that my personal information should be more securely guarded than my grades. Maybe I'm paranoid but to think a stranger could call up to a school and request for an address, phone number, birthdate, etc of a youth, that gives enough information to stalk a youth. Protecting grades does not seem nearly as important as giving out a child or teenager's info.