Nativity and child protection issue

[DrMum83]

AIBU?

An acquaintance on Facebook (girl I went to primary school with) has posted a video of her child in the school nativity play. Her mother (the GM) has then shared it on her Facebook. The acquaintance commented that 'I know some people are against videos of children but it's largely focused on DS and its a sad world we live in if I can't do that'.

One of her friends commented that there are child protection issues surrounding this and that at her daughter's school, they are specifically requested to not video the play or post on social media photos of other kids. My acquaintance retorted with 'the headmaster announced at the beginning of the play that video taking is allowed as long as no parents present object'

This rang alarm bells for me.

A) as part of my role at work, I am involved with safeguarding children. Children can be found on fb and hunted down by parents when in care and this can be disastrous.
B) 'no parents present object' what about the parents not present? And what about those sharing the video forward (as in this case)?

I have managed to find the name of school and have typed a letter to headmaster. He may think I'm an interfering busybody but would I be unreasonable to send it?!

Thoughts?

Can't believe I just read all 13 pages of this thread to find out what the Headmaster said . . . and I still don't know . . .

At my DD's school we're told no photography or video taking during the performance as it will distract the children (?!). They will provide a photo opportunity at the end, but please no posting on social media, which I totally get, but I do so desperately wish I could have a video :(

Not an interfering busybody at all, sounds like this parent doesn't realise how important this type of safeguarding is. I don't think she's put herself in the shoes of an adoptive parent whose DC may be at risk if they're located by birth family. I'd include the name of the person who posted the video on FB in the letter.

Parents who insist on uploading pictures and videos to social media even when schools ask them not to are unbelievably selfish and thoughtless in my view. Tbh, it shouldn't even require the school to expressly prohibit it for people to just apply a bit of common sense and courtesy and see that it's not the right thing to do. I even know someone who works in child protection who regularly shares such material on facebook. But what really gets my goat is why everyone has to record everything for posterity all the time anyway. Whatever happened to just going to your kid's nativity or school play and just watching it and enjoying it? I have NEVER photographed or filmed my children's performances and still remember them. They are nice memories. I don't have to have physical evidence of them. It's like tourists who walk around the Sistine Chapel or wherever, staring at the screens of their recording equipment instead of appreciating the incredible environment they're in. I must be getting old or something, but I watch this stuff going on and sometimes often think the world is slowly disappearing up its own rectum.

I digress. YANBU, OP.

Aside from CP issues, and my next point is off the thread topic, but it's also downright inconsiderate sometimes!! . I was at a church service tonight and had a perfect view of my DD singing with the school choir. Until..... A man two rows in front stuck his phone out to record his child thereby blocking my view of my child.

All photos/videoing should be banned so ALL parents can enjoy the show in peace!! And all children would be protected.

MrsLupo - I can't answer for other people, why they feel the need to have photos/recordings of their children's activities, but in my case I do like to have them because my family are all in the UK and if I didn't have such, they would never see anything that my children do. But I don't take un-approved photos, and I don't upload them to SM when they have other children in the pics, whom I don't know in terms of their circumstances. The school/organisation usually provide some form of video/dvd of the performance which can be bought; I assume they have worked out some way of protecting any vulnerable children in them.

I have spoken with the head. Showed him the screenshot. He's fuming and has assured me that there is no way anyone will take photos or film the performance, and anyone found trying to do so will be removed from the hall.

I feel slightly reassured.

Well that's a result, Opies - hope he follows through :)