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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teacher filming school concert AIBU?

81 replies

bananacakerox · 13/02/2020 23:13

Venue - a church with a choir (from 2 x secondary schools) , singing a religious choral set.

We were all told by a deputy head teacher, no mobiles for photos or filming.

Part way through the second half, a teacher at one end of the front row starts filming about 20-30 seconds worth of footage at 2 stages of the concert. Then she was giggling and whispering to her friend next to her whilst solos were taking place.

I signed a disclaimer saying yes to photos by the school's photographer, not be a member of staff on her personal phone.

AIBU?

OP posts:
MT2017 · 13/02/2020 23:28

YABU until you know all the facts.

It could be for the school's newsletter / website. If so, you should assume the teacher will be aware of who has given photo consent.

You don't know if it's her personal mobile or a school phone provided for that purpose.

But YANBU re the giggling and whispering.

Original poster
bananacakerox · 13/02/2020 23:39

@MT2017 there was a professional photographer already there (which I confirmed his permission). He was using a high end camera (for potential newsletters etc), which I'm fine with.

Her photos were taken on her personal iPhone.

OP posts:
Honeybee85 · 13/02/2020 23:41

YANBU

The rules apply to all!

Tombakersscarf · 13/02/2020 23:47

Well no the rules don't apply to all, as they didn't apply to the school photographer did they? You do not know if she had been asked to take the footage. Maybe those were songs she had worked on and she wanted to review the performance. Obviously she should not be making videos that she is going to put on her own social media etc. Maybe she had a child in it - in which case she should have followed the rules for parents.
Giggling obviously unprofessional. How do you know it was her "friend" beside her? You do sound very judgy.

Oneliner · 13/02/2020 23:47

Glad you've brought this to the public's attention. If only coronavirus wasn't dominating the headlines.

cabbageking · 13/02/2020 23:51

If you are concerned check the school policy.

We have school mobils, ipads and cameras for recording but some schools allow recording by any means.

DontMakeMeShushYou · 13/02/2020 23:52

2 different secondary schools, 2 different sets of rules.

Although you seem very sure it was her personal iPhone. I'm assuming you know more about this than you've let on in your initial post and there'll be a drip-feed on the way.

MrsPworkingmummy · 13/02/2020 23:57

Yabu. Totally normal for teachers to use their own phones to do this in my school. We're under so much pressure to 'sell' what is going on in school on a day to day basis" and are expected to share successes in assembly, on the school's Facebook page etc. You should be thankful the teacher was at the concert, in their own unpaid time. It's not OK for parents to take videos; too overwhelming for children to be faced with a sea of phones recording them, rather than the smiling faces of their parents.

Original poster
bananacakerox · 14/02/2020 17:49

It was the teacher's own personal phone (she made a few personal calls on it during the interval). She was joking with her friend sat next to her who arrived and left with her. And she is an English teacher so not connected to the music dept nor has any children who were taking part. It annoys me that she sets an example that it's ok for some to video but not others. We were all told at the beginning of the concert that no phones were allowed.

Finally, the concert was taking place in a church & the performance was of a sacred opera, not a singalong musical, hence the context.

OP posts:
NeurotrashWarrior · 14/02/2020 17:53

Our phones are not allowed to be on in school, only taken out on trips for contact. We can switch them on at lunchtime to check messages etc. YANBU. As far as my LEA safeguarding says.

Id never use then to film children. I've taken a picture of artwork when the kids have gone home, but we all have iPads now so no need.

TabbyMumz · 14/02/2020 21:32

You've said she is an English teacher not connected to the music dept. So you have to consider, why was she there? Was she there in a work capacity or did she have a child in the show?

MitziK · 14/02/2020 21:44

Probably the member of staff responsible for social media. Photos are good, but people also like having short clips.

The video will be uploaded and deleted off her phone asap.

Source - I used to do this in one job. Strangely, schools weren't willing to buy you a phone or video camera solely for school related use.

I also took better photos on an iPhone than some 'professional' photographers blokes with expensive cameras, partly because I knew the kids involved and actually cared enough to want to get pictures of more than just the 'stars' or most photogenic kids.

MitziK · 14/02/2020 21:46

In any case, wouldn't you rather one DBS checked member of staff filmed a few clips than everybody and their pervy uncle were waving their mobiles around to put stuff on SM without any idea which kids are 'no photos' children?

Cyberlibre · 14/02/2020 22:25

YABU. The reason parents aren't allowed to film is 1. How annoying would it be for the kids to be faced with a bunch of phones and 2. Parents don't always listen to rules and will post on social media when some children aren't allowed on social media.

This teacher did nothing wrong as far as I can see. She was obviously asked to film some bits for the school. The school will know who is and isn't allowed in the video.
Also what does her being and English teacher have to do with it? She could be involved in the choir? Being a specific teacher doesn't stop you being involved in extra curricular activities.

GalleryWall · 14/02/2020 22:30

To make this a black and white case, unless it was a school mobile no she shouldn't have done this. About 10 years ago when I was a new and eager teacher, I audio recorded some children playing a rock song I liked, purely to share with friends gushing how good they were. It was an audio recoding in their singing voices, non identifiable but I was disciplined and advised for doing this. It's possible her intentions were every bit as innocent as mine were but still not allowed.

Passmethecrisps · 14/02/2020 22:33

How on earth do you know whether she has had anything to do with the production or has any investment in it?

What do you think she is going to do with the footage? If you have genuine reason to be concerned contact the headteacher and explain

LeekMunchingSheepShagger · 14/02/2020 22:48

Yanbu op. Teachers shouldn’t be filming children on a personal phone. It’s a safeguarding issue and it needs addressing with the head.

Doggodogington · 14/02/2020 22:50

Wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.

cabbageking · 15/02/2020 02:31

If there is no policy about using their own camera, it is ok.

Not all schools are as rigourous as others.

Poorolddaddypig · 15/02/2020 06:05

YABU. You have no idea why she was taking the video - it was probably to use for work reasons. She obviously knows the rules. She is DBS checked and trusted to be around your kids all day. Don’t be so petty!

VashtaNerada · 15/02/2020 06:16

I’m a teacher and I would never have photos / video of children on my personal phone! I do record concerts etc but on a school iPad.

caulkheaded · 15/02/2020 06:22

Did you talk to her about it? Explain your concerns etc

Aragog · 15/02/2020 06:55

The teacher may be using a school phone or a separate SIM card.

The teacher may have permission from the head or governors to use her own phone - this happens at schools often, phone memory is/maybe checked before and afternoon.

Maybe the teacher in charge of school social media. They will know who can and cannot be included in photos and video clips for the different levels of social media.

Was she there as a teacher or as a parent?

Aragog · 15/02/2020 07:00

Oh and I do use my own personal camera for school use, including at shows. However this is written into our safeguarding policies and it is with complete permission of the head teacher. I use a separate SIM card which is formatted before and after use each time.

We don't use professional photographers for our shows, and we don't record them at all, bar the odd clip. But I do take photographs for school as, although it's just a hobby and I'm in no way a qualified photographer, I do have a very good quality camera and lenses (and decent editing software) which takes fab photographers capable of being blown up bigger and taken from a distance so not having to get too close which can distract the children.

MonaLisaDoesntSmile · 15/02/2020 07:04

The fact sure is an English teacher did not mean she is not connected to the concert, or that she didn't help preparing!!! She may have been very involved in a professional capacity or sing herself or whatever. We're you scrutinising get to know what she was doing in this phone throughout the whole concert?
If in doubt, speak with the head about it as it may have been a breech of safeguarding policy, but they will investigate and have more details then you thinking you are well informed.