To think the school should have informed me DD was going to be in the newspaper?

[StickersStickers]

A friend called me today to tell me DDs photography was in a local newspaper. She was chosen as she’s the youngest in the school and her and an older pupil presented flowers to someone who visited the school. It’s a very cute photograph, and I remember signing a disclaimer saying they could take her photograph etc. But AIBU to think I should have been told? Not even about permission, I don’t usually get the paper and i wouldn’t have knows if my friend hadn’t called me.

@GreyhoundG1rl

Op isn't concerned about their permission to use the image, she's annoyed she wasn't given a personal heads up.

Wouldn't that be one and the same thing really though? 'We're sending it to the local paper is that alright, look out for it in the next couple of weeks?'

As if schools have time for stuff like this

Wow lots of people really missing the point here!

It's not about the permission, it's about just being given a heads up by the teacher to say her child might appear in the local newspaper because surely, all us parents would love to have a copy as a keep sake!

I would be absolutely livid OP- seriously and I say this as a former news editor of local newspaper! No reason for school not to tell you and consent for school literature/social media/newsletter is totally different to child's photo plastered over a newspaper. I would complain re safeguarding and check what systems they have in place to prevent this happening again

Wouldn't that be one and the same thing really though? 'We're sending it to the local paper is that alright, look out for it in the next couple of weeks?'
Well, no, not really. They get you to sign (or not) a blanket permission slip when they start reception, so they don't have to do it individually for every child on every occasion.

Too many theys there, but you get the picture

@bizboz

You could ask to see a copy of the consent form that you signed. Ours has options for agreeing to photos to be used in school only, on the school website and in press/publicity. You can tick any, all or none and these are recorded on the system and lists are issued as to which children do not have permission for the various photographs.

This is what I've worked with as well (although secondary). I don't think I've ever contacted parents directly about local press stuff that may or may not get used but we have had national coverage and been to high profile events so in those cases I do always double check as part of trip/event planning process.

For youngsters as in this example although I agree you potentially have given permission with what you've signed, depending on the wording, it still wouldn't have hurt for someone to let you know to keep an eye out. If I can manage it with a random group of kids taken from within a big student cohort I'm sure it's not beyond the class teacher or whoever organised the event to make two phonecalls or whatever would be normal in primary?

Also, if you're now rethinking the permission you e previously given you can get in touch with school and rescind that permission, you can change your mind about that sort of thing at any time.

I assume you have permission when your child started school
We ask for a list of photograph permissions for parents to sign, or not.
One of those specifies external media such as TV, radio, local newspapers, etc.
We always check these before including children.
Where possible, we do like to check with parents - and also to give them a heads up so they can get themselves a copy/record it, etc.

So, ideally - yes, it would have been nice to let you know.
But, if you have signed the photograph permission then school haven't actually done anything wrong.

If you are unsure you could ask to check, and potentially change, your permission forms at any point.

And as an aside when we do get published in anything I always take a copy of it and get it sent home to the families as that's what I'd want someone to do for me!

Teacher may have had no idea - not all teachers attend assemblies. Teachers in small schools also have proportionally waaaaay busier jobs than in bigger schools (no shared planning, heading up perhaps 4 subjects rather than 1 etc), so it may have just been missed - a handful of 5 minute jobs can quickly take up half an hour or an hour, which is a long time when you can only start getting through your marking, prep and planning at around 15:45. I also imagine they took photos of many children, as lots of PPs have said, or submitted several photos. Agree completely it would have been nice to know but I can see why it didn't happen.

I feel so sorry for schools and teachers and heads theses days. This is all ridiculous. They didn't tell you, you found out and now have a lovely keepsake. Handle it.

I’m not sure updating ‘your child might be in a photo in the local paper’ is what Seesaw is for, though?

To be fair, our class staff do use the messaging facility on Seesaw Family and would use that to send such a message. It wouldn't go in Seesaw class/student journal, but would via the Family, of a parent was signed up.

Re Seesaw - insidiously teaching staff update our pupil and class journals/blogs on Seesaw, but we do have an overall member of staff, who is administrator on their and oversees everything - plus sends out school/year group wide messages and posts, etc. I know many schools don't use the full paid for version with administrators though so won't have all those features.

@Catasptrophisemycat

I would be absolutely livid OP- seriously and I say this as a former news editor of local newspaper! No reason for school not to tell you and consent for school literature/social media/newsletter is totally different to child's photo plastered over a newspaper. I would complain re safeguarding and check what systems they have in place to prevent this happening again

Livid-really? Whatever for?

'plastered over a newspaper'? i think we're talking about a single picture aren't we?

@Notebooksarefabulous

I dont see how signing a permission slip agreeing to photos tallies with randomly discovering your childs photo in a newspaper. You agreed to their photo being taken not to it being printed and published beyond the school. I would be surprised and a bit peeved too. It would only have taken a minute to put a note in her book bag.

It depends on the school. As said, we have a number of photograph permissions and one of those is specifically about the publishing of photographs in external media.

Yes, it depends on what you signed. If you had objections to your child's picture being published in the newspaper you should make the school aware from the start so there's no doubt.

Catasptrophisemycat

I assume, before going in livid and all guns blazing, o]you'd check which permissions you have actually signed when your child started the school.

It's due to this kind of approach from the odd handful of parents that we have split our permissions so much and we keep copies of them centrally, as well being in a check list for class/admin staff to double check before anything is posted.

There's 30 in DSs class and I'd expect the teacher to mention it when I picked him up. It was one pupil in their class, they're discharging kids to parents, it's not that hard is it.

The photographer probably took hundreds of photos of different kids. The school won't have known which, if any, were going to be used, so they would have had to put a note in everyone's bags. Which isn't reasonable.

This. There are photos of kids in our local paper most days, parents are not consulted and no-one worries about it. Why on earth would you need to be told about it

I agree it would be nice to inform you her photo would be in the paper and why.

After all they're using her to make the school look good the least they can do is inform the parent!

Ignore the posters who cannot even be bothered to read the OP where you clearly said you'd given permission and just wanted to know to see it rather than because they did it!

The photographer could have taken the photos but in the end decided not to use any of them or there wasn't room in the paper for them after all, so notes in bookbags etc would be a waste of time.

My daughter was in the paper and on the radio because of an initiative they did. We had signed a waiver but they let us know so we could buy the paper and listen to the radio.

I think they should have told you really.

The photographer probably took hundreds of photos of different kids. The school won't have known which, if any, were going to be used, so they would have had to put a note in everyone's bags. Which isn't reasonable. it was the youngest and oldest pupil handing over a gift. I doubt very much they replayed that gift giving with lots of different children to get the best photo. It's not like it was a spontaneous photo of say sports day

@Wheresmybiscuit3

My daughter was in the paper and on the radio because of an initiative they did. We had signed a waiver but they let us know so we could buy the paper and listen to the radio.

I think they should have told you really.

Agree.

My ds was on tv being interviewed by Gavin Williamson!

I was called and a voicemail left to let me know and when it would be on.

I actually don't believe 1 single poster on here wouldn't mind if their child was going to be in the news and they weren't told so they could get a copy or watch.

MN is mental at times

MN is mental at times

This is very true. But more because people expect to be told by the school about something that may not even happen!

Actually I don't think it's really on.
The newspaper could have shown the school the photos before printing and then they could have asked parents.
Agreeing to social media and general photos doesn't IMO include printing in a paper.