Personally, I think the research is fascinating and could help our understanding of dyslexia. On the other hand, I'm concerned about privacy and it doesn't seem like it's a good idea to allow my kids' DNA to be just "out there."
I basically share your opinion - fascinated to know what the research will turn up, and very wary of having my children's DNA type in a database somewhere, no matter how well protected and anonymous it is in theory.
Just curious - how old are your children? One of my teens has asked for DNA testing for a completely different reason (ancestry) - this is something that I am willing to let her do now because I feel like she's old enough to weigh in on the pros and cons of what it means. I can't say for sure this is how I'd act on a research study like your children are participating in, but I think I'd probably say "no" to the DNA if they are still young, but if they're a relatively mature teen I'd let them make the decision.
polarbear
