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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

148 replies

StickersStickers · 08/09/2021 19:28

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.

OP posts:
GreyhoundG1rl · 08/09/2021 21:47

@TartanJumper

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.
Why would they? The paper had permission from the school, who had permission from the parents. It's done.
Sparklingbrook · 08/09/2021 21:50

The newspaper could have shown the school the photos before printing and then they could have asked parents

Bit time consuming. I believe newspapers work to tight deadlines, and wouldn't have the time for waiting for permissions, going back and forth. Confused And not sure why SM is ok but in a printed newspaper they wouldn't be?

SleepingStandingUp · 08/09/2021 21:51

@Sparklingbrook

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!

Two teachers to take a minute to say there was a photo taken, it should be in the paper in the next week is hardly pouring burden onto overworked teachers is it?
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 08/09/2021 21:52

It takes two seconds to engage and send a quick message and it makes such an enormous difference.

No it doesn't. This is the same comment as 'Just stick the lessons online for people who are isolating' 'Just'. 'It takes two seconds'. Bullshit.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 08/09/2021 21:53

Agreeing to social media and general photos doesn't IMO include printing in a paper.

That's literally what it does.

Catasptrophisemycat · 08/09/2021 21:55

@Sparklingbrook @Abraxan

Yes I would still be livid - not necessarily totally at the school but at the newspaper/editor and anyone involved who did not get full written parental consent for photo to appear in a local/regional newspaper

Why would that surprise you? I understand editorial practices and safeguarding issues - I am a former journalist/editor

I am coming to this from a newspaper angle - it is totally unprofessional

Whether teacher informed parent is another matter but I think the buck stops with the newspaper not getting explicit consent to use (which is still a thing)

I am willing to give teachers a break as it is first weeks back and they must be extremely busy but no decent paper would do this

Have you seen how photos from newspaper archives/back-to-school pictorials are used by those less scrupulous? I have covered plenty of court cases that show how images are doctored and shared way beyond the "innocent" usage here.

And before you ask - no when DC were younger I did not give consent to this

Sparklingbrook · 08/09/2021 21:55

Two teachers to take a minute to say there was a photo taken, it should be in the paper in the next week is hardly pouring burden onto overworked teachers is it?

No idea. Depends what else they have on I guess, and if they know when or even if it'll be in the paper. Bit of a storm in a teacup really.

GreyhoundG1rl · 08/09/2021 21:55

Agreeing to social media and general photos doesn't IMO include printing in a paper.
Op will presumably have been aware of what she was signing the disclaimer for, or she shouldn't have signed it.
I imagine it was worded in a way that wasn't open to interpretation.

Catasptrophisemycat · 08/09/2021 21:56

That's literally what it does - no it does not

Sparklingbrook · 08/09/2021 21:57

[quote Catasptrophisemycat]**@Sparklingbrook* @Abraxan*

Yes I would still be livid - not necessarily totally at the school but at the newspaper/editor and anyone involved who did not get full written parental consent for photo to appear in a local/regional newspaper

Why would that surprise you? I understand editorial practices and safeguarding issues - I am a former journalist/editor

I am coming to this from a newspaper angle - it is totally unprofessional

Whether teacher informed parent is another matter but I think the buck stops with the newspaper not getting explicit consent to use (which is still a thing)

I am willing to give teachers a break as it is first weeks back and they must be extremely busy but no decent paper would do this

Have you seen how photos from newspaper archives/back-to-school pictorials are used by those less scrupulous? I have covered plenty of court cases that show how images are doctored and shared way beyond the "innocent" usage here.

And before you ask - no when DC were younger I did not give consent to this[/quote]
I'm so glad that all this is a thing of the past for me. I wasn't livid at the time and wouldn't be now.

SleepingStandingUp · 08/09/2021 21:59

@Sparklingbrook

Two teachers to take a minute to say there was a photo taken, it should be in the paper in the next week is hardly pouring burden onto overworked teachers is it?

No idea. Depends what else they have on I guess, and if they know when or even if it'll be in the paper. Bit of a storm in a teacup really.

Most parents would want to keep a copy of their child in the paper. I don't think it's ridiculous to assume that's the case. They don't need to promise when or if.

Send child out to Mom. "Oh Mom, Mary had her photo taken today, we're expecting it to be in the paper this week. Sure she'll tell you all about it*

How is that different to saying she had a good day or she had an issue in phonics or any of the other stuff teachers feed back on at home time?

Longdistance · 08/09/2021 22:00

It would have been nice if the school informed you, do you could get copies.
My dd has appeared on Girl Guiding literature before and we’ve always been told.

Sparklingbrook · 08/09/2021 22:03

How is that different to saying she had a good day or she had an issue in phonics or any of the other stuff teachers feed back on at home time?

Admittedly I am out of the loop as my last child finished First School in 2011 but there was no feedback at hometime about anything back then. No talking to the teachers without an appointment in fact. I didn't know class teachers talked to the parents at the end of each day now.

itsgettingwierd · 08/09/2021 22:05

@Sparklingbrook

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!

But they actually chose 2 children to have their picture.

They knew what 2 children would be in the paper.

Takes 2 minutes to inform the parent.

I could never not tell one if my pupils parents about it but would also be honest that if other bigger news came in it may not happen.

I'd never not tell them as I'd hate them to miss it.

MyBadHabitsLeadToYou · 08/09/2021 22:06

No it doesn't. This is the same comment as 'Just stick the lessons online for people who are isolating' 'Just'. 'It takes two seconds'. Bullshit

Lol why?? Is it not just like sending a text message to send a message on Seesaw??

Obviously not the same as putting lessons online, I’m not that daft, but sending a message is hardly arduous.

clary · 08/09/2021 22:07

@TartanJumper

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.
Thing is, that is not going to happen. Newspapers do not have time to liaise with schools over which picture to use and when, and ask parents if it is OK.

If the Op signed a permission saying "ok to use pictures in social media or other external publicity including local media" then that's fine. TBF Op is not arguing about that.

Where I work we ask people to tick various boxes - internal usage/external inc social media/our social media only/consent to be named. Works pretty well.

itsgettingwierd · 08/09/2021 22:08

Yes switching to online is a MAMMOUTH task.

Typing a quick paragraph or sending a text or walking out with the child at the end of the day really isn't!

IMO if we are using our pupils as good publicity for the school it's the least we can do to let their parents enjoy it too!

itsgettingwierd · 08/09/2021 22:09

And btw for those commenting about consent. OP clarified in the opening post she'd given consent.

This was about the fact she'd not have known and seen it if her friend hadn't.

Avocadodo · 08/09/2021 22:09

@Orangedaisy

Our school put one of the kid’s photos on the back of a lot of local buses without asking (general photo consent was given). I’d say you got off lightly.
Wow! I'm definitely going to refuse consent.
AngryPrincess · 08/09/2021 22:09

Nope. School kids are in the paper all the time.

clary · 08/09/2021 22:10

Yes I would still be livid - not necessarily totally at the school but at the newspaper/editor and anyone involved who did not get full written parental consent for photo to appear in a local/regional newspaper

Wow really? I have never sought written consent from a parent for a photo to appear in any newspaper I have worked on. Imagine the time taken to do that. I would take it that the school was aware which DC could be photographed and which not tbh.

My kids have been in the paper a lot too and no one has ever asked me to confirm I am OK with it. I have not always been there when the pic was taken (for example at school)

Catasptrophisemycat · 08/09/2021 22:12

@Sparklingbrook - thankfully in past for me too - negotiated childhood without added pitfalls of social media etc... and feel relieved because of it. I really feel for any parent/teacher/ treading this path now - lawd knows what it will be like when/if I have GC

saraclara · 08/09/2021 22:13

@GinIronic

You may have signed a disclaimer for the school to take photos for the school - this is not giving consent to share with third parties. I would complain.
How do you know? At the school where I taught, parents signed to agree to photos being used within and outside school.

We put loads of photos on the school website, and occasionally they'd be in the local paper. But we'd only find out which photos were used when parents did. If we'd let the parent of every kid in a photo taken by a newspaper photographer, we'd have had to tell half the school, and nearly everyone would be disappointed!

Catasptrophisemycat · 08/09/2021 22:19

@clary fair enough practices may have changed - and I now work in Comms (public sector/civil service) and not in newspapers -but each and every story/photo/quote used needs (in my experience) parental or guardian consent

saraclara · 08/09/2021 22:20

Jeeze. But sorry, at the end of the day, a teacher's head is full of so much stuff. Most of it much more important than a photo being taken of a child. They might remember to mention it, but that day, there might be bigger issues with one or two of the other 30 kids in the class.

Seriously, it's so easy to think that your child is the priority in the teachers day, but depending what else is going on that day, and at that moment (another parent needing a chat, teacher preoccupied because they've got a meeting straight after handover time, an interruption just as they're about to send an email) that sometimes they'll forget.

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