to be annoyed what the school has done?

[Tistheseason17]

My DD5 has come back from school today and her book bag, which had a discrete label on the back with her name/class on it, now has her name written in full in big black marker pen across the top of it.

No consultation or contact from the school. They just defaced our personal property without consideration for child safeguarding or respect for personal property.

The school has a strict policy on social media posting of photos of children but they are showing everyone as we walk to school her full name easily visible across the top of the bag.

I am fully prepared to be flamed! That is the point of AIBU so I will acknowledge if everyone thinks I am over reacting!

"defaced our personal property" is a bit OTT.

That's the point of the flap, so makes can't be seen. Bloody annoying as a teacher I admit as it's hard to find book bags quickly but someone clearly hasn't used their noggin here.

It's a safeguarding issue, I'd speak to the head.

Nope, YANBU. Our primary let them hang key rings on the handles so that they could identify their own bags. It was both effective and fun for the kids.

Is it her first name and surname? First name only wouldnt bother me but full name would be an issue and i would buy another bag and specify that you dont want her name writing on it. I wouldnt insist they buy another unless the cost would leave me short of money for food or something because schools are struggling for money as it is.

The definition of deface is : to spoil the surface or appearance of (something), for example by drawing or writing on it.
I think it is factual - it looked really nice and clean blue before

Now, saying it had been vandalised would be OTT!!

Get a grip.

The school are dealing with 30 book bags per class. They need to easily be able to identify who it belongs to, not waste time searching for discreet labels.

Thanks everyone else.
Yep - it is her full name

I will raise, then, cheers

I don't think it is a cp concern, as I assume that at her age she doesn't walk to school or back alone. However, I can see how it is annoying. I can see the practicality of writing the name in large letters on bag (a full class with identical bags and five year olds is asking for confusion), but they could, and perhaps should, have asked parents first. Or ask you to do it yourselves. I wouldn't be too angry, though, as it's only a crappy school book bag. Not anything expensive.

You could say that under GDPR you are not happy with her full name being on anything.

I know people will say your being OTT but it is a safeguarding issue. We tell parents not to put kids names on their bags.

And, btw, not looking for them to replace the bag - schools are like the NHS, there is no money and this appears to be a unintentional impact of what may have been considered a helpful action.

Annoying , yes
Child protection , NO

In what case is it a cp concern for a 5 year old who is always supervised? If she walked around alone, I could see how someone could e.g. claim to know her mummy by knowing her name and lure her away, but I assume she'd be with an adult or closely supervised at all times when outside her home.

@stopfuckingshoutingatme

How is it not safeguarding?

I am aware of DV cases where families are in safe houses. It certainly puts them at risk if someone sees a child with their full name on a book bag as they walk to school - thereby identifying where the child is every day.

CP and GDPR issue. An innocent mistake but still a mistake and one which can be avoided in future years.

Well, that would be the one case in which that could be a concern, but the teacher would know of any children who need such safeguarding, and make sure any precautions (e.g. not writing on said child's bag) are taken accordingly.

As someone who's has named a few items this week simply because it needed to be done and it's easier to just do it than nag parents, I'd say YANBU. I totally get the minor irritation of names not being easily visible, but I would expect to be pulled up on it if I named something in that way. It's just not necessary.

I believe i know what school this is if it begins with a 'w.' my neighbours child came home last year with the same except the name was spelt wrong she was V. Pissed

Gdpr? I guess... My goodness.

I wouldn’t be thrilled but wouldn’t make a fuss either.

It has absolutely nothing to do with GDPR - there’s no holding of data involved.

I would be annoyed too about the defacing of my property as much as the safeguarding. Are you a new parent in the school. Did any other parents have this happen?

Isn't it recommended that you don't have your child's name visable somewhere where a stranger could see it and then use it to approach the child?

Hi @ferrier

All Y1 children - circa 60 as far as I am aware
Not to Y2 or Y3

I’d be annoyed. Mainly because I cannot abide anything like that. I feel anxious if I bend a spine of a book.

I’m also assuming that they aren’t expecting people to reuse them.

@smeerf

That is where I was coming from.

Our school takes the children out on local trips on foot.

Before anyone says I am overreacting, I am well aware that it is rare, but all it takes is someone calling my child over like they know them when a teacher is distracted because they had identified her on the school run.

Why take the risk unnecessarily, I guess.

Just to also mention as it may help you to understand my heightened obsessiveness with this... I am the victim of CA and also during childhood a stranger attempted to take me on the way home from school. So yeah, it is rare, but I was a victim of a family friend and a stranger so it does happen, unfortunately.