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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Emailed SENCO about my child's dyslexia and he had his email open in front of class AIBU to think this is a breach of GDPR

50 replies

Metabigot · 16/07/2021 09:17

My daughter is 7 and I was told she had dyslexic tendencies by her teacher, so I emailed the SENCO who is also my sons teacher (year 5).

Was surprised he knew all about it as the teacher had his emails on the smartboard and although he didn't go into the actual email there was enough information in the title to identify my child and her potential condition.

This was in full view off all the year 5s and I'm concerned that this is personal information that has been inappropriately shared, could this be a GDPR breach. I don't want to take any action against the school just bring it to their attention as the SENCO should not have his emails publicly visible in front of all the kids surely?

OP posts:

AvaCallanach · 16/07/2021 09:18

This is why we never use full names in email titles in my job, just initials.

Batsy · 16/07/2021 09:21

thats 100% unacceptable

Lemonmelonsun · 16/07/2021 09:26

It's definitely an accident sometimes teachers forget to turn off the board when acxseing emails.
. Having said that, op, I can't tell you how lucky you are (shouldn't be down to luck) to be in a school where a teacher has flagged this up to you, you are so lucky to have them working with you..

Lemonmelonsun · 16/07/2021 09:27

Re the support, can your dd read etc, we are new to this and have been on this path so if you wanted any tips.. M

Original poster

Metabigot · 16/07/2021 09:29

@Lemonmelonsun

It's definitely an accident sometimes teachers forget to turn off the board when acxseing emails. . Having said that, op, I can't tell you how lucky you are (shouldn't be down to luck) to be in a school where a teacher has flagged this up to you, you are so lucky to have them working with you..

I wouldn't say they are working with me yet.. they just said nothing could be done until she's 8 and to ask again then (she's 8 shortly after the new school year starts)

I'm just concerned about other kids knowing, one of my son's friends' brother is in her class. As I said I don't want to take any official action against the school but an apology would be good and stop this happening again.

OP posts:

Original poster

Metabigot · 16/07/2021 09:30

@Lemonmelonsun

Re the support, can your dd read etc, we are new to this and have been on this path so if you wanted any tips.. M

She really struggles and its affecting her in other subjects as she can't confidently read the instructions for work. It was a nightmare when she had to self isolate with us both working at home with the daily lessons. I'll pm you thank you very much.

OP posts:

ScreamGulpLaughandGasp · 16/07/2021 09:35

Unacceptable , email them and ask what measures are they taking to ensure it doesn't happen again
I'd be cross about it but these this happen and it would matter to me how they dealt with it

flumposie · 16/07/2021 09:38

I understand your concern and anger, but there have been times when I have not realised the smart board was on but thankfully pupils have not seen anything personal. It would not have been deliberate.

Original poster

Metabigot · 16/07/2021 09:41

@flumposie

I get that but was shocked when my son came home and told me he knew about the email.

Im not out for blood just an apology and school to recognise the error, senco in particular should be extra careful

OP posts:

Original poster

Metabigot · 16/07/2021 09:42

Also the teacher was opening another email about something relevant to the class so was aware the smartboard was on. He should have saved that to a folder surely.

OP posts:

User5827372728 · 16/07/2021 09:44

We are told to never write a whole name in an email and defo not in the subject. So Jack Daniels would be JD etc! Maybe you could suggest that going forward.

I just say I’ve checked my emails before having thought I had frozen the screen onto something else… luckily it wasn’t anything confidential.

Whinge · 16/07/2021 09:45

@flumposie

It's happened to me as well. Like you, i'm lucky it wasn't anything personal. OP I hope you get an apology and support for your daughter.

Geamhradh · 16/07/2021 09:47

So your son said "Mr X had his emails on the whiteboard and I saw you have emailed him about my sister"
It's unacceptable because he shouldn't be reading his emails in class tbf.
How long was his email account projected for?
I'd definitely let him know that the class saw his email account as presumably other confidential emails were briefly visualised as well, even if just the subject and sender.

FrownedUpon · 16/07/2021 09:47

These things can happen. I wouldn’t get worked up over it personally. You’ll only antagonise the staff you need to be helping you.

tartanblanketdog · 16/07/2021 09:48

This used to happen all the time at my kid’s school

Original poster

Metabigot · 16/07/2021 09:49

@Geamhradh

So your son said "Mr X had his emails on the whiteboard and I saw you have emailed him about my sister" It's unacceptable because he shouldn't be reading his emails in class tbf. How long was his email account projected for? I'd definitely let him know that the class saw his email account as presumably other confidential emails were briefly visualised as well, even if just the subject and sender.

I said to my husband I'd emailed the teacher and my son overheard and said yes I know I saw it in his emails. He'd opened his emails as part of the class to open one relevant to a school trip. For a SENCO this is not a good idea surely - if he knows he needs a certain email, two second job to save it to a folder on his desktop and email it from there.

OP posts:

Greenmarmalade · 16/07/2021 09:49

Definitely flag so they are aware.

There are an incredible number of children with dyslexia in schools, so don’t worry- it won’t be a cause for children to start talking about it, etc.

mamamalt · 16/07/2021 10:05

Jesus I'm a teacher and I'm shocked at the relaxed replies here!!! An accident that shouldn't happen more than once in my opinion if at all! I would definitely tell someone at the school as you need to know that this won't happen to anyone else.

araiwa · 16/07/2021 10:09

Did they see the email or just the fact that you'd sent an email?

tartanblanketdog · 16/07/2021 10:14

@mamamalt

When I say it happened all the time - it didn't happen to my kids, but they told me not to email the teacher at certain times because it happened frequently to other kid's emails...I'd not have been relaxed at all if it happened to an email I sent in.

Original poster

Metabigot · 16/07/2021 10:15

@araiwa

Did they see the email or just the fact that you'd sent an email?

They saw the email title which was (Childs first name/Child's surname poss dyslexia)

OP posts:

tartanblanketdog · 16/07/2021 10:17

@FrownedUpon

These things can happen. I wouldn’t get worked up over it personally. You’ll only antagonise the staff you need to be helping you.

Really low standards expected of teachers now? Has a child no right to expect privacy especially amongst their peers? And staff should be feeling bloody embarrassed and terribly sorry not antagonised!

0None0 · 16/07/2021 10:18

Yes a GDPR breach, committed by you, op, if there was enough information in the title to identify your daughter

Whinge · 16/07/2021 10:21

They saw the email title which was (Childs first name/Child's surname poss dyslexia)

I'm not excusing the teacher, but that's quite a lot of information in the email title. Going forward could you use initials, or a more generic title?

Original poster

Metabigot · 16/07/2021 10:32

@0None0

Yes a GDPR breach, committed by you, op, if there was enough information in the title to identify your daughter

Yes dear

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