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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Pissed off with teacher filming DD. What to do?

98 replies

AnInchWasPinched · 31/08/2017 10:39

We signed a form last year stating photos were allowed but films were not unless prior agreement with us.

We did this because DS has SN and we didn't want potentially for his classmates to get hold of films used in class and spread them etc. There was no mention of what they would do with the films, when they would delete them, where they would be used, who would have access to them etc and when I queried it with the head, he'd not thought of this issue. We didn't do a blanket ban as DS has physical issues which make it hard for him to write so if they gave a choice between a video or poster presentation further up the school we didn't want him to not have a choice.

Felt we had to put the same for DD.

Last night, parents information evening. Two videos of DD shown.

We have had major issues with this teacher and the treatment of our DS. But I'm itching to say something because she got her DH to come in a photograph and video the kids for the day, but she's not allowed to video DD! DH reckons it will only antagonise her and you can't reason with people like her and it could affect how she treats DD. She would happily make a point of singling a child out rather than e.g. making her stand at the edge of the group and just not filming the children at the edge of the group.

I don't know what to do. I don't feel she should get away with it, what if she happens to film DS (fortunately no longer in her class) at some point too? On the other hand DH has a very valid point.

OP posts:

Morphene · 31/08/2017 10:41

wtf is the point of having a policy that allows parents to opt out o videos and then not sticking to it? You absolutely need to follow this up and ask why this has happened given your specific request that it not.

Nanny0gg · 31/08/2017 10:43

You need to know what the purpose of the videos are - publicity? teaching aids? celebrating achievements?
Potential distribution?

Is her DH DBS checked?

fizzicles · 31/08/2017 10:43

Can you just contact school office, rather than teacher directly? It doesn't have to turn into a big confrontation. Just call/email and confirm that you are happy for photos not videos, and you saw that they had filmed her and shown at parents evening. Ask office to ensure teachers are aware of this.

I'd think it's more likely an oversight that anything deliberate.

GreenTulips · 31/08/2017 10:44

I think school can use videos in school for school purposes - they can not release photos or videos for news papers or online etc

Not sure where a school parents evening falls - it's with in school but still shown to the public

I think you're caught in the middle

Tiptoethr0ughthetulips · 31/08/2017 10:46

Perhaps it's easier to video the class as a whole and then edit out the children whose parents don't want them filming. Did your daughter say specifically that she was filmed or just that he was filming?

Tiptoethr0ughthetulips · 31/08/2017 10:48

Sorry totally missed the bit about already being shown at parents evening. Speak to the head.

Notevilstepmother · 31/08/2017 10:54

Please raise this with the head. There are very good reasons for the rules about photos and films of children, and breaching these could in some cases be a massive safeguarding issue.

For example if a family was fleeing domestic violence and a friend or relative of the perpetrator was also at parents evening this could put the child in serious danger. Similarly with children adopted where the birth family don't have contact due to violence.

This teacher has been very unprofessional by not checking the list of children not to be photographed/filmed.

SheSaidHeSaid · 31/08/2017 11:00

I think you should raise this with the school, not directly with the teacher in question. As Notevil has stated, this could be a safeguarding issue as there are various reasons why certain children shouldnt be filmed.

Copperbeech33 · 31/08/2017 11:09

both your children will be constantly on the school CCTV anyway.

Fairenuff · 31/08/2017 11:09

We didn't do a blanket ban as DS has physical issues which make it hard for him to write so if they gave a choice between a video or poster presentation further up the school we didn't want him to not have a choice

This reads to me like you didn't specify no filming though. Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Can you clarify - did you sign a form for both children saying absolutely no filming or did you say it would be at the discretion of the staff?

ScrambledSmegs · 31/08/2017 11:09

Speak to the head.

ImperialBlether · 31/08/2017 11:10

CCTV is completely different! It's not public entertainment.

Ttbb · 31/08/2017 11:11

Just send an email to the principal

SheSaidHeSaid · 31/08/2017 11:12

Cctv is definitely different.

Charmatt · 31/08/2017 11:12

Raise it with the headteacher. It is a breach of policy that is set in place to protect children in accordance with parents' wishes. The policy is there for a reason - you decide what evidence is collected for your children for the school to use, whatever they think they need it for. I work for a Trust of several schools and manage this area of policy. There is no point having a policy unless it is used. It may not be a breach that affects your child too seriously, but imagine if it was a child who had to move because of threats to family, safeguarding etc and the policy was disregarded. It is important to raise this, as the teacher/school has not followed the policy and other children may be at a more serious risk. I have also worked with children directly and it is not difficult to ensure that children without permission are not filmed/photographed. Every class should have a list of children permission is refused for and it should be accessible for the teacher (or supply teacher) of that class to refer to. If in doubt, the advice to teachers is do not film/photograph a child rather than breach parents' wishes.

BoneyBackJefferson · 31/08/2017 11:13

Are you doing this because " We have had major issues with this teacher and the treatment of our DS. " or because you feel that it is the "right" thing to do?

MyNewBearTotoro · 31/08/2017 11:13

As a teacher I would definitely raise this. You don't need to go in all guns blazing or even complain as such but this does raise a potential safeguarding issue.

I would inform the school that your DD was filmed even though you have stated that you do not give permission for DD to be filmed. This needs looking into. I would also ask how the filming was done - was it done on school camera equipment or on the teacher's husbands' personal equipment? My school has an absolute ban on anybody recording students on personal property but if it was his own had this been cleared with senior management and did the school ensure that all footage was deleted prior to him taking the equipment home?

I would ask the school if they have a policy relating to the photography/ filming of students and the storing of this information. It may have been a genuine oversight but it could be a signal that the school are not taking data- protection and privacy seriously.

I think you can and need to raise this with the school without necessarilly making it an attack on the individual teacher but rather as a wish to know more about the school policies on how they record, store and safeguard digital information and how the school (rather than the teacher) will ensure this doesn't happen again.

viques · 31/08/2017 11:14

When you say the videos were "of your child " do you mean that the focus of the video WAS your child, or that your child appeared in the background or fleetingly in a general shot?

Original poster

AnInchWasPinched · 31/08/2017 11:16

I can't decide Boney

OP posts:

AskBasil · 31/08/2017 11:17

"Are you doing this because " We have had major issues with this teacher and the treatment of our DS. " or because you feel that it is the "right" thing to do?"

Why does it matter? No school should be filming children if their parents have not given permission. The OP's motivations are irrelevant.

Charmatt · 31/08/2017 11:22

Regardless of your relationship with the teacher, the school/teacher has breached the policy and it needs raising. It is potentially serious.

Mynewbear also raises important points about the equipment used and storage of this film. Are there any other copies? Where are they stored? Who owns the equipment used? Has the film been taken off site?

Original poster

AnInchWasPinched · 31/08/2017 11:25

Don't tell me it's the one form I didn't copy. Looking for it. There was a tick box choice between
I give permission for my child to be photographed and videoed by the school
I don't give my permission...

After discussion with the head I changed it to
I give permission for my child to be photographed...
I do not give my permission for my child to be videoed. And then added in: We are willing to discuss giving permission on a case by case basis after discussion between parents and teacher.

OP posts:

Original poster

AnInchWasPinched · 31/08/2017 11:26

important points about the equipment used and storage of this film. Are there any other copies? Where are they stored? Who owns the equipment used? Has the film been taken off site?

This is exactly why we refused permission in the first place!

OP posts:

BoneyBackJefferson · 31/08/2017 11:27

AskBasil

Because it will have an affect on how the OP and her DH go about it and what they want the final outcome to be.

Do they want it to go the teachers record?
Do they want the policies of the school to be looked in to?
Do they want to make sure that it isn't an admin oversight and someone has ticked the wrong box?

More to the point the OP's DH has already said that "it will only antagonise her and you can't reason with people like her and it could affect how she treats DD."

So do they want to make the complaint and have their DD moved to a different class?

I am all for parents complaining (and the OP does have a very valid point) but what does she want the outcome to be?

BoneyBackJefferson · 31/08/2017 11:30

AnInchWasPinched

Stating again that you have valid reasons to complain, SIMS wouldn't have a "We are willing to discuss giving permission on a case by case basis after discussion between parents and teacher." box.

It maybe that office admin has just ticked the box because its not an outright "NO". It still needs complaining about but be prepared for this not to be the teacher's fault.

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