Question regarding images on our school website.

[jaredt]

hi,

 

i have a question regarding placing images on our new school website. We wanted to make it media rich.

 

i know their are child protection laws but in some photos its just not possible to get everyone identified and checked off. for instance, we have a photo of an award ceremony with a gym full of students that we would like to use.

 

is there any way to have an opt out system? i may send out a permission letter for every kid in each picture everytime i post a new picture and keep a large file cabinet full of slips lol.

 

any links yall could provide would be appreciated. i see so many school websites that never change and look horrible and i refuse to let ours look that way.

[elsiegee40]

We use an annual letter home to get permission. We do it at the same time as the check on the information held on the MIS.

 

Those who object will tell you immediately, but make sure the letter gets home! We only double check if something focusses on a specific student that is to go into the paper.

 

There is no law saying that you must have the permission of parents to use a photo, BUT the school does have a duty of care under Safeguarding law. This means that we don't identify children by name in photos and take care who appears in photos.

 

I recently read something by a lady who's violent ex husband identified the children in a group photo published against her permission. He tracked them down and she ended up having to move It doesn't happen often, but it does happen and respecting these requests is important.

[jaredt]

We use an annual letter home to get permission. We do it at the same time as the check on the information held on the MIS.

 

Those who object will tell you immediately, but make sure the letter gets home! We only double check if something focusses on a specific student that is to go into the paper.

 

There is no law saying that you must have the permission of parents to use a photo, BUT the school does have a duty of care under Safeguarding law. This means that we don't identify children by name in photos and take care who appears in photos.

 

I recently read something by a lady who's violent ex husband identified the children in a group photo published against her permission. He tracked them down and she ended up having to move It doesn't happen often, but it does happen and respecting these requests is important.

 

Cool. I am not used to designing for schools but my number one priority is child safety. I wish their was a joomla extension that would let me tag faces in photos with a name and have it checked against a database.

 

I may have to code it this summer lol. Thx for the advice.

[elsiegee40]

I couldn't find the original story I spoke of, but this is from a Mum of adopted children. In this case she's arguing against anyone taking photos at school... it makes you think.

 

My sons have been adopted from the care system, like about 2000 children a year.

 

Like most modern adoptions, we have "letterbox" contact with birth families and we send photos. For people on the edge of literacy, a photo of a happy and well adjusted child seems a very little thing to give, when we have the pleasure of the chilkdrens' company for the rest of thier lives.

 

However, some members of the extended family do not agree with the adoption. And, sometimes, birth families have been known to seek out children and try to reclaim them.

 

With that in mind, how do I feel about all the parents taking photos of my child next to theirs in the school play/sports day etc? The answer is, anxious. Let us suppose that they put their photos on facebook. And suppose that a friend of a friend sees them and says, ooh look, there's our Fred: I didn't know he goes to Hogwarts. Let's stand outside Hogwarts and see if if we can find him."

 

How can I stop this happening? Well I can ask the school to stop all parents taking photos, and I have done this till I am blue in the face. I can say, little Jimmy cannot be Joseph in the nativity/captain of the football team -- which is pretty tough on little Jimmy because it is the only thing that he is good at.

 

Or I can do what I have had to do to keep my child safe, and say to his poor sad and pathetic family, no you cannot see any more photos. You will just have to get someone to read the letters I send.

 

Now do you all understand why schools stop parents taking photos of their children? I only wish my school would.

[witch]

But isn't @jaredt in the USA? The child protection laws may be a bit different?

We have a situation where it is made very clear to the parents that they have to opt OUT of allowing their children's pics to be published - having said that, we never identify children in pictures.

[elsiegee40]

But isn't @jaredt in the USA? The child protection laws may be a bit different?

We have a situation where it is made very clear to the parents that they have to opt OUT of allowing their children's pics to be published - having said that, we never identify children in pictures.

 

Posting from an IPhone, I could not see the nationality. I've checked now... @jaredt your child protection law may well be different. Please get local advice on the law. As I understand it, the law can vary from state to state.

[hardtailstar]

Getting the permission of parents is still a good idea though, If they kick up a fuss about it in future when thier feelings change at least you can say you have got the permission slip that the parents filled in so you cannot be held for any wrong doing