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!

And a child front on in the background of a photo would be more identifiable by a uniform.

At my children's junior school there were two black children with an unusual surname. Their father worked in mental health services with some very disturbed patients. Their mother was once followed around town by a patient.

The combination of the unusual surname and their ethnicity would lead to a patient easily identifying those children if their names were on display.

There must be numerous other examples.

No, YANBU. I'd be completely pissed off with that.

I’m so glad the head teacher has acted quickly and clearly.

You’ll always get some people on here arguing against safe guarding actions for vulnerable children in non-standard family situations. I guess it’s because they just can’t imagine the risks is real, as it’s beyond their personal life experience, rather than because they don’t care about those children.

No you always get people who confuse safeguarding with a 100% guarantee of safety. As I mentioned earlier in the thread uniforms can be a safeguarding risk for children who have fled violent homes. I don’t see many parents up in arms about that.

Porkflute you're absolutely right; that's why we have to make sure that no prizewinning child is photographed without explicit consent from the parent, at the Music Festival I help out with; a distinctive school uniform can help an estranged, possibly violent parent track down a child who has been removed for safety and is under protection. It's a sad sign of the times, but a handful of the children (slightly older) know who they are, and that they need to step out of camera shot if their choir/string group etc are successful. A younger, more naïve child can easily be "in shot" of a classmate whose Mummy is a real Facebook aficionado.

How is it a safeguarding issue??

I can't think of the exact phrasing right now but we aren't allowed any personal information to be identifiable off site. Examples given show how it's a potential safeguarding issue - not the biggest but so many i's are dotted and t's crosses these days it comes under safeguarding.

Tbh the fact the op thought "hang on... aibu?? " is enough to consider there could be an issue, which she later explained from her POV.

Glad you got it sorted out. Good for the head and common sense.

Walk with the bag turned around or put it in the schoolbag. Will free up hands and save the issue. Not that big a deal when there are ways around displaying the name.if It makes it easier for the teacher then I’m sure she’s not the only kid who’s name is on their bag.

And book bags can be picked up for a couple of quid. Usually get covered it paint/mud/ink/bogies anyway so chances are it won’t survive long enough to be donated.
Shoved it in her school bag on a morning and save being that parent

Unless your child is called Prince George I don't see why you care!

The poor teachers in your school have my unreserved sympathy, you sound like the parent from hell.

Just to clarify - School has confirmed it is a safeguarding issue and not their policy to name items and is replacing bags.

As you were..

@UsuallyOnTime
👏👏👏

Which is why some schools(like ours) have forbidden parents to take photographs on school premises or school trips. We have had some children in the past fostered from other counties. Occasionally have had potential snatch cases.

Glad you got it sorted but I would take the bag. You could always organise a little fundraiser with the other parents.

Exactly Usually.
There are all sorts of reasons. Those that don't think so should count their lucky stars while the rest of us watch out for these children.

Slightly off topic but I’m always amazed at how many parents at my kids’ primary school have tattoos that include their kids full names plus date of birth. I reckon that potentially could lead to safety issues, plus it could be Possible to access secure info on the child in some cases

Yanbu. This would really really annoy me too. A discrete label on the back is what our school has on their book bags.

They shouldn’t have done it, they should have asked you to. You might have borrowed it or anything.
Or be wanting to reuse for later children & could’ve put a sew in label etc. Even initials would have been better. And is safeguarding issue. There’s lots of wrong. It’s rude, brash, poorly thought out, ugh
I’m irritated for you!!

Speak to the Head or Deputy head.thats not acceptable as it’s s safeguarding issue as it’s publish to the world you’d child’s name.

Glad the school saw your pov. I would also see it as a Safeguarding issue. With a background of DV + an Protection Order, my ex is not allowed near the school or any house we live in. He has had me followed so a name blatantly revealing the name would be a big no no for me. To be honest, the school/s have been very understanding & helpful too. We have come up with SECRET PASSWORD (between my 2 DC + immediate family/friends) if the children ever needed collecting. Peace of mind for you too xxx

Just in case it’s useful, I sewed a ribbon tab in a bright color to the front of my DDs school bag. Mainly so that she could see at a glance which was hers, and it has worked pretty well (not fallen off yet at least!)

First rule of stranger danger - never have your childs name visable on their belongings or clothes!

I would be cross too.

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.

The person who is a risk to the child would recognise them anyway in that scenario wouldn't they? As book bags have the school logo on them a person who is a danger to the child would know anyway wouldn't they?

The school shouldn't have done it without asking first.

Not necessarily - the individual may stay away themselves and send another party in to snatch/approach the child but also often in the case where there maybe hasn't been contact for a while they may not recognise e.g. between a 1 yr old and a 5 yr old there is enough growth and difference for potential doubt.

The fact is its just not necessary and is an extra risk factor particularly if a child is fostered or adopted and is easily avoided

Glad that the HT realised the teacher had done wrong.

Our school used animals, so

Evie Elephant
Mary Monkey
Zack Zebra

And so on, to identify the kids. They had the same labels on their names for the lunch pots etc. Worked really well