Teacher hand delivered certificate usually given out in class.

[howmanycorners]

I don’t know what to make of this, dc is in primary school and every week someone gets a certificate.
Suddenly I saw my child’s teacher walk past the lounge window at about 8 pm and post a certificate through the door.
Aibu to find it a bit strange and wonder why she did this having had to look up our address and purposely drive to our house when all certificates are handed out in school and she would see my child in the morning?

In that case either you've now forgotten the information you previously understood, or you weren't assessed on how to apply the 3 part test to legitimate interest.

Has anyone ever suggested that you can come across as mind blowingly arrogant? Someone, well trained, possibly better trained than you has a different opinion on this aspect of data protection law and you think you automatically know best, and they must be deficient in some way.

GDPR isn't a matter of opinion. The 3 part test is mandatory and explicit. Somebody can wave around their exam and audit credentials all they like, but the law doesn't care how "well trained" somebody is if they're wrong.

I think it's mind blowingly arrogant to ignore all the teachers, DSL, a headteacher, people who have worked cross sector and who have also taken data controller tests etc who have said this is unusual and inappropriate.

There is at least one head teacher on this thread who said it was fine.
what is truly mind blowing is why op did not ask the teacher on Friday why she dropped off the certificate?

Different people have different opinions. Despite what @Oliveoy may believe, all laws are subject to a certain degree of interpretation. That’s why there are bodies and mechanisms in place to judge whether someone is in breach of the law. Some people may think this is a breach, some people may think it’s not a breach, but is still inappropriate, others may believe it is neither a breach nor inappropriate. When someone makes the argument that their extensive experience, training and understanding of the law leads them to think this is a legitimate use of data, then yes it’s arrogant to come back with “well, you’ve clearly forgotten or weren’t assessed properly”.

As it happens, the OP, at least initially, didn’t seem to be seeing this through the prism of GDPR. Rather they ‘wondered why’ it was done. As has been noted, repeatedly, at no point did they seem to wonder quite enough to just ask.

Why would I when there is 3 weeks left of the school year then he’ll have another teacher?
Maybe at the beginning of the year but hardly worth making things awkward now.

Because you wondered why they dropped it off, and you could have discovered why by asking?

Because you were clearly upset and felt violated that the teacher came round – so much so, you started a thread on MN about it. So why on earth wouldn't you ask? Any normal person would've.

But what about the 30 pages oF discussion on mumsnet? The in depth analysis of GDPR, the role of the letter box, the differences between a postie and a teacher, …- you owe it to us all to find out!

Very odd situation. I would ask why they delivered the certificate. It makes no sense and no one here could possibly explain it. Crosses a boundary in my book.

Is your dh having an affair with the teacher? Is there anything written on the back ofvthe certificate with invisible ink? Or is the teacher having a crush on you and just wanted a reason to check out where you live? So many possibilities...

But again, the law here isn't a matter of opinion. Yes of course laws can be subject to interpretation, and what constitutes a "legitimate interest" certainly could be. That is exactly why the ICO provide a legally binding explicit 3 part test that must be passed to determine whether something is indeed a legitimate interest.

So, is necessity in the test open to interpretation? No. It is not necessary for a teacher to access a pupil's home address in order for them to receive the certificate. There is another way they can do this: give the certificate at school. That's it. There can be no further debate on that point. GDPR has been breached.

If you have a word with the teacher, they’ll make sure that the school office notes that you’ve not to have this situation in the future.

I've no idea what the t word was but I've seen words on here that I'd never use, are banned in my presence, I'd challenge anyone using. Context is everything. You're not banned though are you.

I agree it would be an awkward conversation - teacher is likely to respond in a defensive way and suggest she was only being nice - even if other motive were at play.

Everyone gets bored sometimes

There was no need for OP to ask in a critical tone. A simple and friendly 'hi, child was very pleased to get his star of the week award. I was surprised that he got a personalised service though! Was there a reason for it being posted this time?' would have done the job.

Precisely!

Seems like a big old fuss about nothing.

Still doubt she’ll get much from it.

Legitimate interest is only one of the lawful bases for using the data. You haven’t seen the school’s privacy notice and you don’t know what the OP has consented to.

As has been said before, if the OP really does object to items being hand delivered then this gives her the opportunity to make that objection and prevent it happening again.

For the GDPR lawyers, she can explicitly remove consent for her data to be used in this way.

Well we won’t know as she didn’t ask. Despite all the wondering, the concern about boundaries being overstepped, the invasion of privacy, the feelings of discomfort, she did not take advantage of the perfect opportunity - now that really is something to wonder about and surely worthy of a further 30 pages of discussion and speculation.