We got a letter home yesterday reminding us that because some children’s parents/guardians have refused permission for their children to be photographed, no-one is allowed to take any photographs of any of the events with the children in.

This seems a little unfair on those of us that like to send photos / small videos of our kids in things at school to distant grand parents.
We also run the risk of losing a chunk of social history (OK, this may be a little over dramatic).

My take on it is that it’s a schoolrule, not legislated against and I’ll take my chance with getting caught.
What other options are there? Excluding kids without the relevant permissions from plays / sports days etc.

It’s not quite elf and safety gone mad, but is it on the same spectrum?

Indignant from Perthshire

It’s not quite elf and safety gone mad, but is it on the same spectrum?

Yes, it is. It’s pathetic.

Take a phone and take pics with that.

The data protection act specifically excludes private/family material from the act

Myth – “The Data Protection Act stops parents from taking photos in schools”.
Reality – Photographs taken purely for personal use are exempt from the
Data Protection Act. This means that parents, friends and family members
can take photographs for the family album of their children and friends
participating in school activities and can film events at school. The Data Protection Act does apply where photographs are taken for official use by schools and colleges, such as for identity passes, and these images are stored with personal details such as names. Where the Act does apply, it will usually be enough for the photographer to ask for permission to ensure compliance with the Act. The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued practical guidance on this subject.

Basically you are photographing your kids not theirs
http://ico.org.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/introductory/data_protection_myths_and_realities.pdf
http://ico.org.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/practical_application/taking_photos_v3.0_final.pdf

Have fun…….I did 😉

Does your school use whizzkids or learning logic websites?? Our son’s teacher puts loads of photos of him on that, we don’t feel the need to take any more.

At school plays they did ask that you only take photos of your child, don’t include any other children in the photo.

If the school sports day is in a local park then they can’t stop you taking pictures (although if they called the police you might be asked to stop to prevent any problems).

In a private place (at the school, for example) they can stop you taking any pictures.

In these days of increasingly sophisticated facial recognition software I can understand why some people might not want their or their children’s faces in the ‘public domain’ any more than they have to.

Yep, it’s totally ridiculous.
I bet no-one has even requested it, they are just saying that to protect themselves in the event of some sort of paedo-geddon happening at the school.

If you like, I could send you some photos of kids sports days from my private collection

At a school my wife worked at, they sent out a similar letter. The reason behind it was one of the children had some sort of protection order on them.

They should just ask the child to wear a black rectangle over their eyes 🙂

Biritish Cycling and CTC eventy entry forms used to say something like “the event takes place in a public place. If you don’t want your child photographed, don’t enter them in the event”.

I’m aware of a school where a parent and her children had been the subject of physical violence at the hands of an estranged father and there was a threat of abduction of the children to another country.

The father had previously traced them by having a vague idea of which city they were in and combing the internet for pictures of events at local schools and they’d had to move.

It may sound harsh but sometimes schools have these rules for a good reason.

Yes, he could have just sat outside a different school every day until he saw them but he could cover a lot more ground from his house.

school being silly. The correct approach is to permit photos for personal use but request that care is taking when publishing online etc

We have some children (at our school) for family reasons must not have their photos taken and published so event photographers are not permitted to take shots of everyone and put them online, but they can publish permitted individual’s pics. Same goes for the rugby club.

Id just write back to the school explaining that their approach is incorrect and that you will be taking personal photos of the event.

In a private place (at the school, for example) they can stop you taking any pictures.

Untrue.

In reality, apart from a very few government/military locations, and inside court buildings, taking photographs is not, in itself, illegal, regardless of any conditions imposed by landowners/managers/event organisers. The only power they have is to ask you to leave according to the Criminal Justice Act regarding trespassing. And the only persons who have any legal right to seize photographic equipment, are the police, under such laws as the Anti-terrorism Act.

So ultimately, the school can’t really stop you taking pictures at all. And if certan parents don’t want their kids being photographed, due to their own ignorant paranoia (what do they do in places such as shopping centres which have loads of cctv??), then maybe they shouldn’t send their kids to the sportsday. Easier for all, that way.

I’m aware of a school where a parent and her children had been the subject of physical violence at the hands of an estranged father and there was a threat of abduction of the children to another country.

The father had previously traced them by having a vague idea of which city they were in and combing the internet for pictures of events at local schools and they’d had to move.

It may sound harsh but sometimes schools have these rules for a good reason.

Yes, he could have just sat outside a different school every day until he saw them but he could cover a lot more ground from his house.

I’m sorry but that just sounds like bullshit.

here’s one – what about teachers not being allowed to apply suncream to children during sports day/ outings?

There are no restrictions at our daughters primary school. The only thing they ask is for you not to post pictures on social media if there are other children in them.

what about teachers not being allowed to apply suncream to children during sports day/ outings?

written permission to do so goes on file at beginning of year.

I’m sorry but that just sounds like bullshit.

fair enough, it doesn’t mean it’s not true though.

We discussed this very thing at our school last week (I’m a governor) and although we have a policy to ensure safe use of images and parents sign a consent. There is very little, if nothing, legally that the school can do to enforce parents taking pictures of their children in school shows, sports events etc. The caveat is that they shouldn’t be used on social media.

It may sound harsh but sometimes schools have these rules for a good reason.

Nah.
I take pics of my son’s football – at one away fixture (in the nice scummy part of town I grew up in!) a woman had a (long, drawn out, until I told her to shut up) moan at me “Some of these kids may be on a court order”. I don’t even know what that means.
I assured her the photos were only shared with the football parents.

Dress up as a school and get a long length lens? Film the whole event by drone?

Dress up as a school

You’d never get away with it! 😆

I’m aware of a school where a parent and her children had been the subject of physical violence at the hands of an estranged father and there was a threat of abduction of the children to another country.

precisely. The difference between now and years gone by is pretty much the only reason many people take photos, and the only thing they do with them, is publish them online. They maybe even put them online unwittingly as many phone and photo management apps automatically upload images. Lots of people have very valid reason to not to want to have that happen.

If someone in the school has asked that photos aren’t taken its quite possible they have a really, really good reason for making that request. Is it enforceable? No. Is it polite to acknowledge their request? Very.

Some peoples lives are complicated but they have to do the best to ensure kids live a simple one so its much happier solution that children participate fully in school than to exclude them so other parents can take some trivial snaps.

OP Just stand there like a japanese tourist with the biggest camera and lens you can get taking as many photos as you can.

our kids school were always happy for photos but requested they were not shared on social media. This seemed fair enough. Then it changed and we were asked not to take photos at the nativity play. We know there is an adopted kid in the class and assumed it was to do with his background. School were happy to let us assume this (and hinted much the same) then they published photos from the play in the local paper! We now ignore the school staff and just take photos as we please.

The school should hire a photographer then, and distribute suitable photos to parents

Part of my work involves sometimes taking photos of an event where ‘service users’ include people with learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities. I need to get consent from all those who may be included in any images, as the images may be used in a ‘comercial’ context to promote the service. One major issue is that of consent, as certainly children and some vulrnerable adults are not/may not be in a position to do so, thus requiring either a parent or suitable carer/guardian to do so. This sin’t always possible. Legally, I can still take photos, but cannot legally ‘publish’ them. It can be a right headache. But of course, the needs and wishes of the serice users must be respected at al times. And in this context, this is perfectly understandable.

If someone in the school has asked that photos aren’t taken its quite possible they have a really, really good reason for making that request. Is it enforceable? No. Is it polite to acknowledge their request? Very.

I’d be asking for their reasons to be given, in full and with consideration to all those who want to take ‘trivial’ snaps. Should thir reasons not also be considered and respected?

I have to say, the most pleasurable experiences I had in the audience of school productions were the ones where parents were asked not to video/take pictures and respected the schools request.

There’s too many people who lose all sense of how their behaviour might be affecting other people if they’re watching the event through a lens.

Is it enforceable? No. Is it polite to acknowledge their request? Very.

is it reasonable for them to ask?

no

wwaswas – Member
I have to say, the most pleasurable experiences I had in the audience of school productions were the ones where parents were asked not to video/take pictures and respected the schools request.

There’s too many people who lose all sense of how their behaviour might be affecting other people if they’re watching the event through a lens.

I understand and agree mostly, but it shouldn’t preclude the option to take a group photo at the end – like they used to organise, or video a specific song or part that your child is in.

I’ve emailed the head asking for clarity.

It may sound harsh but sometimes schools have these rules for a good reason.

Nah.
What they could never ever have a good reason?

How can you claim this without complete knowledge ?

Some kids can’t have photos taken due to fostering issues or other legal issues that would put them at risk if it was found out where they were which is possibly why the school have taken that approach.

Shouldn’t be an issue so long as you’re not putting the kids pics on facebook or anywhere public.

Some kids can’t have photos taken due to fostering issues or other legal issues that would put them at risk if it was found out where they were

Is it possible to get any clarification on this? In this particualr context, I assume we’re talkingabout a ‘normal’ school rather than a special facility/secure unit type place, and I’m struggling to see why ‘enforcing’ a no-photography ‘rule’ (which in itself would, I imagine, be legally impossible) would make any difference anyway.

Hving needed to become reasonably knowledgable about laws surrounding photography, I’m interested in reading any explanation for such rules. Are we talking about actual laws here, or just schools’ requests?

we’re talkingabout a ‘normal’ school

Foster children do go to ‘normal’ schools you know!

They’re not deranged pyschopaths who have to be locked up for the good of society, just children who’s parents couldn’t cope on the whole.

Foster children do go to ‘normal’ schools you know!

I know. I was refering to the ‘other legal issues’ bit. I’m sorry if that came across as rude/offensive.

As far as I know, places such as special educational facilities and secure childrens’ units are covered by the Data Protection Act, and as such photography can be legaly restricted in such environments. But in a ‘normal’ (for want of a better word) school, this act doesn’t apply to an event such as a sports day, so I’m wondering what, if an, legal restrictions may possibly be in place to protect such children as mentioned above. The school/carer/guardian has a legal duty to protect the interests of the individual child, and whilst I can see this may sometimes conflict with the legal rights of others to photograph events/people/places, I am interested in how certain restrictions could be legally applied.

Our school lets you take photos if no other parents object, which they never do.

The only rule they try to be strict about is that you must not share any images of other peoples kids without their parents permission.

I work with some of the more downtrodden members of society, MrsMC works in child protection. We think it is quite important that we control how photos of us and our kids get circulated in this digital age, just in case someone happens to know someone who might want to make mischief.

I know. I was refering to the ‘other legal issues’ bit.

No idea if it’s law or not but the rules are typically in place due to a police/court/child care order on the child to protect them from something in their past.

We got a letter home yesterday reminding us that because some children’s parents/guardians have refused permission for their children to be photographed

I’d question whether it was really ‘some parents’ or just the school covering their own backs/’worrying’.

Our Nursery used to have a website for parents only – every day they’d load up ‘what they’ve been doing’. Some of our best/fondest photos are of hora jnr pulling faces/doing silly stuff etc etc etc there.

That was stopped because a parent actually did complain that they didnt want their child ‘on a website’ or even indirectly.

I kicked off- pointed out theres bloody google, kids catalogues etc etc etc if you wanted innocent snaps like that FFS.

There really are some idiots in this world. Imagine, growing up our children will look back and say ‘why is it only me in the pics Daddy, where are my friends’?

As MrCash said above, there are certain issues with fostering and adoption that do come up.

We have adopted and ask school and nursery not to use our child’s image in anything public facing due to risks from the parents,

So I can understand, and besides go and enjoy the event without being stuck behind a screen