Being publically named at school for not doing a lateral flow test

[Lindy2]

Firstly I fully agree with lateral flow testing in school. However, DD12 can't test at the moment as unfortunately we all had Coronavirus in January and you shouldn't get tested for 90 days because of the risk of false positives.

I had conversations with the school regarding this before the children returned and they agreed that my DD should not test until the 90 days is up.

Yesterday though my DD tells me that she and a few others were named in class because they had not registered their online lateral test results. It wasn't a gentle reminder as she mentioned the word selfish had been said.

Clearly this teacher isn't aware of our situation but I'm somewhat shocked that individuals have been named (and shamed) like this at all.

DD has SEN and anxiety and was very stressed by this. She's already phoned me today panicking about something else which usually she might have been able to better cope with.

I'm not sure if I'm being over sensitive because, to be honest, we are all still mentally recovering from the horrible time we have been through as well as our physical recoveries. Surely though, testing information and results should be something that is kept confidential.

Has anyone else's school done anything similar?

@HazelWitch

Alarming how quickly and easily schools have breached CONFIDENTIALITY.

It would have been possible just to say some pupils have not done xyz and please could they do so if they need to.

No need to name names.

Just ignorance and bullying from people who are supposed to be intelligent and anti-bullying.

In my DCs school the pupils go out of lessons to the test area, unless they waste time pretending to test those who haven't consented how can they realistically keep that a secret ? It's obvious which children stay in the classroom.

Are there schools that are doing pretend test?

But you wouldn't know exactly what happened until you've spoken to the teacher, yes, the teacher may well have done the wrong thing but why does she not deserve a the courtesy of a calm discussion as the first step?

The DD phoned the OP about something else which even the OP says only may have been made worse by the test issue, you're putting your own story on top of what the OP has actually said

Pretty fucking clear that confidentially wasn't there. What do you want? The kid to have recorded the incident on her mobile phone, so there's evidence that can be posted to MN?

Jesus christ. Its not hard to actually believe kids and expect the school to answer for a conversation which has made one child feel pressure and be uncomfortable.

This alone is enough to merit a call. Regardless of whatever there has been data breeches.

I remember an incident of public humilation by a teacher for something I did not do. It give me nightmares and still haunts me. It really damaged my confidence.

In my DCs school the pupils go out of lessons to the test area, unless they waste time pretending to test those who haven't consented how can they realistically keep that a secret ? It's obvious which children stay in the classroom.

Are there schools that are doing pretend test?

Shit system then if they can't maintain confidentiality. It in itself could be questioned as coercive tbh.

We don't have to register our home tests with school at all, they say to inform them obviously if someone tests postitive but that's it, I register it with the gov site

@RedToothBrush

But you wouldn't know exactly what happened until you've spoken to the teacher, yes, the teacher may well have done the wrong thing but why does she not deserve a the courtesy of a calm discussion as the first step?

The DD phoned the OP about something else which even the OP says only may have been made worse by the test issue, you're putting your own story on top of what the OP has actually said

Pretty fucking clear that confidentially wasn't there. What do you want? The kid to have recorded the incident on her mobile phone, so there's evidence that can be posted to MN?

Jesus christ. Its not hard to actually believe kids and expect the school to answer for a conversation which has made one child feel pressure and be uncomfortable.

This alone is enough to merit a call. Regardless of whatever there has been data breeches.

I remember an incident of public humilation by a teacher for something I did not do. It give me nightmares and still haunts me. It really damaged my confidence.

So clearly you are projecting your own experience onto the situation, my point still stands, there are few times in life when a calm approach isn't appropriate to finding out what actually happened.

The op has said herself DD doesn't always get facts completely right. I've had children at school for a lot of person years and I've learnt not to believe everything they say as a matter of course. That doesn't mean I'm not supportive.

No where did I say not to contact the school, the very opposite, I said speak to them but do it in a neutral way.

Respectfully, I find it incredibly hard to believe that a teacher called children "selfish" for their parent's actions.

I am saying that you should take the distress of a child seriously.

And you can't get to the bottom of it without talking to the school unless you dismiss the child.

I'd be wanting an explanation from the school, that's not acceptable. If they want to encourage testing then that's great, but it should be done with regard to differing circumstances. Public shaming isn't the way to go for a whole host of reasons, not just this situation. They ought to have processes to deal with kids waiting out the 90 days, be compassionate that home situations vary (not all parents will support the kids testing and that isn't the fault of the children), understand that some might struggle with reporting test results from home (no internet/ data on phone etc), and then do reminders for those who just forgot.

@Newgirls

I’ve been doing tests in school. Teachers collect the kids from their room to take for testing. So any who aren’t having it are left behind. So it might be that?

Obvs I don’t know what happened with your child but not being tested does make them stand out which teens tend to hate.

My son initially didn't want to be tested/ consent but the thing that changed his mind was the thought of being the one left in class as they take the whole class at once, so effectively coerced into consenting.

Hmmm I think some GDPR rules may have been breached here. Information should not be shared publicly by the school. If they have concerns then they should either email or write to the parents.

@RedToothBrush

Isn't that a) against data protection b) effectively bullying by the school c) why did it need to be done publicly rather than privately? d) consent is only consent if it is not under duress - this is deeply coercive and unethical and undermines the concept of consent needing to be freely given - and I suspect if reported to the LEA would led to a rocket up the schools arse for it.

I would be wanting answers to these question direct from the head.

You’re absolutely right. The school should not, under any circumstances, be making public the names of students not testing. It’s against the government guidelines/rules. I will try to find a link.

@RedToothBrush

Isn't that a) against data protection b) effectively bullying by the school c) why did it need to be done publicly rather than privately? d) consent is only consent if it is not under duress - this is deeply coercive and unethical and undermines the concept of consent needing to be freely given - and I suspect if reported to the LEA would led to a rocket up the schools arse for it.

I would be wanting answers to these question direct from the head.

Wow 😳

I’m not sure how schools are meant to ‘hide’ the identity of those not being tested when they are being taken out of class?

Kids do talk as well - ‘how was your test’ etc - not sure how discrete any of this can be?

I don’t think school gets notified who has and hasn’t taken the home tests? That goes straight to nhs/gov. Prob best ask as doesn’t completely make sense?

I fully agree with @RedToothBrush.

These tests are not compulsory.
And your dd should not have to tell everyone and every body her own health situation to explain why she isn’t doing the tests.

I’d be having some very strong words with school tbh.

And btw no it’s not ok for the school to basically name and some people who didn’t do the test at home.

First because naming and shaming is well.... shaming.

Second because there are many reasons why someone might not to the test. The OP’s example is the perfect one.
Now she will have teachers and/or peers wondering what is going on and why she didn’t do the test. It’s opening the door wide open to gossiping. And putting the OP’s dd in a position where the easiest answer is to divulge her health. Which is NOT OK.

@HazelWitch

Alarming how quickly and easily schools have breached CONFIDENTIALITY.

It would have been possible just to say some pupils have not done xyz and please could they do so if they need to.

No need to name names.

Just ignorance and bullying from people who are supposed to be intelligent and anti-bullying.

However, in the same breath, maintaining confidentiality has caused it too, as the testing team has not shared the information that she has tested positive in the last 90 days, so doesn't need to have any LFTs in school.

Still think it was wrong to do a callout, rather than a quiet word, but it sounds more like a single teacher getting the wrong idea rather than the testing team/school as a whole; as had the parents have consented and the kids still didn't go, the school would have been in the wrong for not trying to find out where they had got to and getting them to go back for their LFT.

Worthwhile contacting the HoY/SENDCO about it, definitely.