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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teacher using pictures of class on her own social media

118 replies

Supermagicsmile · 03/12/2017 09:46

I am willing to accept I am being unreasonable if you think I am but my gut reaction is that I'm not.

My friend is a teacher who uses social media to show the type of activities she is doing with her class. She always takes the pictures before/after school and never includes the children. She follows other teachers who do the same (although some do include pictures of the children with faces blanked out.) She has spotted my dd on her teacher's social media account with pictures of the children on. (Their faces are blanked out) but I am still not happy about it. She knew it was my dd because of her hair bow in her hair which I made!

I have checked what we signed and no where does it mention their images being used for a teacher's own social media. I have seen it for myself and no where does it mention the school or link back to their main account so it's definitely not affiliated with them.

AIBU? Would you speak to the teacher or go to the head? I don't want the teacher to get in trouble but I would like her to be told what is and isn't appropriate without permission!!

OP posts:
IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 03/12/2017 09:50

Honestly, I can't see the problem. Fair enough if the faces were visible, but if I'm honest complaining about this will just make you that parent.

sagamartha · 03/12/2017 09:50

My friend is a teacher who uses social media to show the type of activities she is doing with her class. She always takes the pictures before/after school and never includes the children. She follows other teachers who do the same (although some do include pictures of the children with faces blanked out.) She has spotted my dd on her teacher's social media account with pictures of the children on. (Their faces are blanked out) but I am still not happy about it. She knew it was my dd because of her hair bow in her hair which I made

Teachers aren't supposed to put pictures of their pupils on social media.

However: your DD can't be identified

Have you signed a form saying that you consent to your child appearing on the schoo website?

Would you have concerns if they were pictured in the press / school website with their face being visible?

BlondeB83 · 03/12/2017 09:51

You should probably go to the head but I would speak to the teacher. It’s not on but I wouldn’t want to get her in trouble and this could be a shit storm.

LagunaBubbles · 03/12/2017 09:52

I'm not seeing a problem, what exactly is it you are worried about?

scottishdiem · 03/12/2017 09:53

You can speak to the teacher to ask about what the policy is - eg. blanked out faces, utterly unidentifiable (so no bows only a few people know about) or no pictures of children at all. You can also ask that either teacher stops doing this to be like your friend or you can ask that the teacher excludes your child from these photos which are then blanked out.

sagamartha · 03/12/2017 09:54

It sounds like the blanked out picture is only identifiable to you and possibly people who recognise the bow.

What are your concerns?

WeAllHaveWings · 03/12/2017 09:54

What’s are your concerns? I don’t understand, your dd’s face was blanked out and unrecognisable to most people. I really don’t see a problem?

FoodGloriousFud · 03/12/2017 09:56

So you can't actually see your child's face just a bow?! I think you're massively over reacting tbh. What's the worst that could happen... People see a bow you've made?!

DearTeddyRobinson · 03/12/2017 09:59

I wouldn't be happy either op. Just ask the teacher directly to only post photos without your DD. It's not the teachers decision to make whether your DD appears on social media, it's yours. Face blanked out or not, there's no need for it.

MrsKCastle · 03/12/2017 10:00

That's really unprofessional. Children can still be recognised even with their faces blanked out and posting pictures like that on the teacher's own social media is not on. I think I would speak to the teacher in the first instance and see what the response is.

sagamartha · 03/12/2017 10:01

t's not the teachers decision to make whether your DD appears on social media

What if the op has consented to having her DD appear on school photos such as in the press / website?

And then the teacher had put a link to that on her social media?

Wellysocksbox · 03/12/2017 10:01

Sorry OP but you are not BU. Safeguarding works both ways and teachers should not have photos of their pupils on their own devices. If the teacher is not using her phone and is using her school computer for her personal social media account then, that too is an infringement of the rules.

The teacher is currently doing this with good intentions but the school's IT dept or safeguarding officer needs to talk to the teacher - for their own protection.

twinnywinny14 · 03/12/2017 10:02

I’m a teacher and think this is totally unprofessional tbh, teachers have no right to post without permission on their own social media pages and as a parent I would be livid. Speak to the head on Monday but get screenshots to show them what exactly you mean x

MrsKCastle · 03/12/2017 10:04

All the posters asking what the concern is... the child's photo has been used without permission on social media. No, it's not likely to do any actual harm (although it could in the case of a child with background issues such as adoption or domestic violence). But even.if no harm is done, it's just unprofessional and inappropriate and the parents have every right to ask for the photos to be taken down.

FlouncyDoves · 03/12/2017 10:04

No, I think you’re correct to be concerned by this. There is absolutely no need for a teacher to post images of children on their personal social media account, regardless of whether of not they have blanked faces etc.

I’d also want to know on what devices these photos were being taken - I’d bet good money they’re using their own personal phones for this and not a school owned camera. This will certainly go against the school’s media and privacy policy, and will almost certainly break the good professionalism policy (whatever they call it) as teachers will be barred from using their phones during lessons/contact with pupils.

I’d not complain, as such, but would go to thr HT seeking clarification and I’d want an assurance that my child wouldn’t be in any subsequent photos.

As for being ‘that parent’ - I really couldn’t care less. My child’s privacy is more important that how a few teachers perceive me personally. And if you conduct yourself professionally and reasonably there will be no recourse for comeback.

Pengggwn · 03/12/2017 10:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LovingLola · 03/12/2017 10:04

It shows poor judgement on the teacher's part imo and you are perfectly entitled to be not best pleased.

Seeingadistance · 03/12/2017 10:05

However: your DD can't be identified

Yes, she can and was identified by the OP’s friend!

differentnameforthis · 03/12/2017 10:05

Teachers are not allowed to show pupils on their own private social media. Doesn't matter what you signed, the teacher has no right to do that, face blurred or not. It's unprofessional.

Aside from which, your daughter IS & was recognisable by her bow!
Talk to to the school about

Concerns are, that the teacher shouldn't have their pupils on their personal social media.

Pengggwn · 03/12/2017 10:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

missyB1 · 03/12/2017 10:06

Well there’s no way a healthcare professional would be allowed to post pictures of the hospital on social media showing patients with their faces blanked out! It all seems a bit unprofessional to me, there should be a social media policy for the staff sounds like she needs to check it.

Pengggwn · 03/12/2017 10:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mustbemad17 · 03/12/2017 10:08

Why is she putting anything on her social media?? A school page I can understand - with permission - but a teacher's personal FB page??? Er, hell no way. I'd be straight to the head

sonjadog · 03/12/2017 10:08

Just tell the teacher you don't want your daughter in photos in future. No need to make a bigger deal out of it than that.

just5morepeas · 03/12/2017 10:09

Safeguarding exists for a reason. It's very irresponsible of a teacher to be using social media in this way. I would report it to the head.