Photography of naughty behavior at primary school

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

Really want to know if iabu, hence posting here.

Teachers at our school (dc is in yR) take photos of children when they have done something naughty and show these as 'evidence' to parent and child at pick up, this is done in a very stern (angry) voice by the teacher.

For example, a boy scratched another boy. The boy who did the scratching was told off and the boy who was scratched was asked to stand still so that the teacher could take a picture. I'm not sure what they did with this image.

My dc got carried away and acted silly with a messy activity and ended up with messy marks all over her face and uniform. Other children also got messy. This was a 'play fight' so no aggression or nastiness by dc though I can see that the teachers would want to crack down on such behavior.

Anyway when I collected dc we were told very very sternly about what dc had been up to. The teacher then held a digital camera in my daughters face showing her close up pictures of her face with all the splashes whilst reprimanding my dc in a very intense voice.

The thing is that dc's face was still covered in splashes so there was really no need to show me this photographic 'evidence' as I could see it for myself. Also I have always supported the teacher and trust she wouldn't make things up. Why show me a photo of dc's 'misdemeanor'?

Am I being unreasonable to think this use of photography is 'shaming' for the child and really quite inappropriate?

Btw, I have spoken to the head who said that these particular photos of dc would be deleted. Still, I wonder if this type of use of photography is the norm in schools and what other people think about it. Is there a policy on such thing? Thanks.

[DazzleU]

Not something my DC school does - or any local ones or DN.

Have they got a lot of parents who routinely decide that their DC versions of events is the complete truth and ask for prof it's not ?

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

Also the boy whose face had been scratched didn't mind so much as other boy had apologized and been dealt with by the teacher (golden rules etc). However by taking a camera out and taking pictures of him the teachers gave this incident even 'bigger' iykwim...what did teachers do before they had digital cameras in the classroom? I am just really astonished at this.

[ReggieJones]

I work in Special Needs education and have never come across something like this before. It does seem quite bizarre, like you say its like they think you won't believe the teacher and therefore need evidence. I can see that for safeguarding reasons details of physical injuries sustained at school need recording but ime this is usually done through accident books/incident reports/body maps. It all seems a bit over the top for just getting a bit messy

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

"Have they got a lot of parents who routinely decide that their DC versions of events is the complete truth and ask for prof it's not ?" I don't know but we are only a few weeks into reception so doubt that there has been any trouble like that. It's an "outstanding" school in a nice neighborhood fwiw. Also I have never questioned the teacher so was at how she handles do these hand overs.

[coppertop]

It doesn't happen at our school and I suspect the Head would be shocked if anyone suggested that they should do this.

It sounds like an utterly bizarre system.

[momwhereismy]

I have never heard something so ridiculous. I would give a teacher short shrift if they showed me a photo and would ask them to not take photos again in any capacity if they were using permission like this. Surely showing parents photos of other children, even if its an injury, is a safeguarding issue? While it wouldn't bother me as such I could see some parents not being at all happy.

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

The teacher also showed me and dc a digital photo of another child's painting, which my dc had 'smudged' .
I thought this was absolutely ridiculous as it was a painting with just splashes if paint on it anyway,what is this photo supposed to tell me? Don't get me wrong dc knows this is not on and I did discipline her for it but I take issue with this digital photography business.

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

I'm not sure if they show other parents photos of other children, I seriously hope not.

[NancyRaygun]

Good god that sounds ridiculous - to be quite frank don't the teachers and TA's have enough to do without mucking about taking pics of smudged work?? I would take issue too OP - what a waste of time and a strange way to guide small children on what is right and wrong.

[BigRedBall]

Well it's wrong isn't it? You don't need us to tell you that. Talk to other parents and put a stop to it, that's what I say. Ridiculous form of punishment.

[bookbag40]

That sounds awful. What if they don't manage to capture it on camera do the kids have to do a replay from the camera "over here Damian now I want you to push Giles again that's it, really hard just like you did last time - but just a bit nearer the window as the light is better there." "Oh come now Sophia you can do a sadder face than that surely - you have just had you work scribbled on. Miss Jones bring in the raw onion I want real tears for this shot"

[BigRedBall]

You can't be in the UK? If you are I'd report to ofsted too.

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

bookbag40 that made me laugh!

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

Yep we are in the uk at an 'outstanding, school.

[AgentZigzag]

I'm imagining it as a newspaper sad face picture Or a mug shot.

Totally OTT, can you ask them not to do it to your DC?

You don't need to know every little thing they've done 'wrong' at school, if it's something important they can just talk to you as they would do normally.

They'll be wearing headcams next

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

Phew I'm glad most agree. Not sure how to approach this. Have seen the head teacher last week to complain about heavy-handedness of the teacher especially given that these are reception children in their first term at school. But I am really disconcerted at why the teacher thought this was appropriate in the first place. Am really appalled.

[AgentZigzag]

I wouldn't be very happy with them dragging such small things out for so long either, as well as getting 'evidence' of it so they can grass them up to Mummy.

It's so petty.

bookbag, there'd always be that one school who got the professionals in to get it Just Right.

[BigRedBall]

Deary me. Can you imagine the psychological damage they're doing to those children? They'll end up associating cameras and photos with bad behaviour. My kids always strike a pose when the camera comes out. I bet they'd drive teachers nuts if they went to that school!

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

Yes, it was absolutely 'mugshot style, no kidding. we are talking a close up photo of my daughters face who looked suitably miffed in the pic ( quite cute too dare I say)

[AgentZigzag]

My DD's the same age and I just can't imagine her lovely teachers being so tough on any of them.

Some of them aren't even 5 FFS!

They shouldn't be held to the rules so much, they've only just learnt them.

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

I'm actually considering moving her due to this teacher but it's really annoying as we live very close to the school and it has a great reputation. So confusing

[EhricLovesTheBhrothers]

This is almost funny it's so bizarre. Next time your child is the subject of a photo tell the teacher you aren't really interested in looking at it.

[Pinkje]

The teachers are no doubt fed up of the parents thinking their kids are being cute when in fact they are being mischevious. Just saying

[wordsmithsforever]

How very peculiar! I also think it undermines the teacher's authority - like she has to have photographic evidence to be trusted by parents to be telling the truth. Doesn't sound like a sensible system at all.

[Lilacpurpleviolet]

I'm under no illusion that dc can be mischievous and of course that needs dealing with. But not by taking photos of them in this way.