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Campaign! I should be able to photograph my kids


Colin James

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Every time I want to film or photograph my kids, whether its at the school athletics or if they are performing on a stage your told you cant! why not?? It's not like there are other kids walking around in skimpy swimming costumes or naked, it's pathetic! We will have no memories of our children when they get older.

 

I think that we should challenge all schools and authorities who prevent us recording these precious memories.

 

I am sick and tired of being told, "oh I don't think your allowed to photograph or film here" or "have you got permission?"

 

I feel so strong about this, that I want to start a campaign, looking for some direction and advice on the local councils views on this subject...

 

People with such corrupt minds as to see perversion everywhere they look are the ones with the real problem. The vast majority of people are decent, well-meaning and caring. If paranoid parents or organisations don't want to allow photography of children that is up to them but stop using non-existent laws to make decent human beings feel like they have done something wrong when they haven't.

 

The Childrens Act makes it illegal to take INDECENT photos of children or to create INDECENT pseudo images of children (under 18's).

 

Why do people find that so hard to understand.

 

Children in bathing costumes or babies at bath times are not indecent as long as there is no sexually suggestive content.

 

 

 

INDECENT = NO WAY

 

DECENT = OK

 

 

People who find them sexually suggestive have the problems not the children nor the photographers.

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It is very sad that schools and colleges have adopted this no photographing/filming policies. It is not illegal to film children.

 

The Childrens Act makes it illegal to take INDECENT photos of children or to create INDECENT pseudo images of children (under 18's).

 

Why do people find that so hard to understand.

 

Children in bathing costumes or babies at bath times are not indecent as long as there is no sexually suggestive content.

 

I like the idea of your campaign. :Thumbs-Up:

So many parents are missing out on keeping the precious memories of school plays and sports events because of stupid do gooders :Angry_32:

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I totally agree!!!

 

What happened to the days when you would video the school xmas play and other parents would ask you for a copy?

 

I have noticed that you are not allowed to photograph at the Hereford Pool anymore, why not?? not only sad but as you have said it's pathetic. :Thumbs-Down:

 

Yes no pictures or filming at the Hereford Pool. This is the do gooder brigade gone mad, what is the matter with the World? :Thumbs-Down:

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I totally agree!!!

 

What happened to the days when you would video the school xmas play and other parents would ask you for a copy?

 

I have noticed that you are not allowed to photograph at the Hereford Pool anymore, why not?? not only sad but as you have said it's pathetic. :Thumbs-Down:

 

Completely agree with everything above, PC gone mad in my opinion, I am pleased that someone is taking a stance on this as it's wrong.

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"Stand ready to challenge any schools or councils that say 'bah, humbug' to a bit of festive fun."

 

I didn't write the above headline, it was said by the UK government's Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham. The full quote is: "Armed with our guidance, parents should feel free to snap away this Christmas and stand ready to challenge any schools or councils that say 'bah, humbug' to a bit of festive fun."

 

It remains to be seen whether or not this official response will finally end the annual spate of incidents where frustrated parents are bullied into not recording their children performing in school plays by condescending school staff.

Data Protection Act

 

The reasons given by a very small number of schools for banning photography and video recording by parents at school performances have varied, but Commissioner Graham was responding specifically to the excuse that schools were taking action to avoid breaching the Data Protection Act, for which Graham is the official watchdog.

 

A number of schools had argued that as adopted and fostered children were in their care during school time, that they risked breaching the Data Protection Act by permitting parents from photographing their own children at school. Commissioner Graham has unequivocally stated that schools do not risk breaching the Data Protection Act in this way. He said: "Having a child perform at a school play or a festive concert is a very proud moment for parents and is understandably a memory that many want to capture on camera. It is disappointing to hear that the myth that such photos are forbidden by the Data Protection Act still prevails in some schools."

Common sense

 

He added: "A common sense approach is needed. Clearly, photographs simply taken for a family album are exempt from data protection laws."

Threat of arrest

 

Most of us may wonder what all the fuss is about as we have not experienced such narrow-minded impositions at the schools of our own children. But only recently news emerged of a parent who, in 2007, was threatened with arrest by police as he arrived at his daughter's school if he proceeded to break the school's ban on photography at a nativity play. The same school in Leicestershire still has the ban in place, although photographs can be taken after the performance is completed.

 

The school's head defended the ban, which was brought in at the request of some parents who didn't want their children photographed, and claimed that it accommodated both these parents and those who did want to take photos. The question has to be asked, if you don't want your children photographed at events like this, why? Indeed, why allow your children to be seen be other parents full stop?

Copyright

 

A few years ago there was a suggestion that video recording and still photography would be banned during a play being performed at the primary school our children attended. It was only a concern about copyright because the school had licensed a commercially supplied play. But by seeking clarification from the publishers of the play it was clear that photographs or recording made for personal, non-commercial, viewing, did not constitute a breach of copyright.

 

Official school guidance is that photography during school plays should be permitted. If there are genuine concerns from parents about the security of their children in the face of an audience of parents snapping their own kids during the Christmas nativity play, then it's that problem that needs to be addressed. Banning cameras is certainly not the answer, and it looks like that's now official.

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"Stand ready to challenge any schools or councils that say 'bah, humbug' to a bit of festive fun."

 

I didn't write the above headline, it was said by the UK government's Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham. The full quote is: "Armed with our guidance, parents should feel free to snap away this Christmas and stand ready to challenge any schools or councils that say 'bah, humbug' to a bit of festive fun."

 

It remains to be seen whether or not this official response will finally end the annual spate of incidents where frustrated parents are bullied into not recording their children performing in school plays by condescending school staff.

Data Protection Act

 

The reasons given by a very small number of schools for banning photography and video recording by parents at school performances have varied, but Commissioner Graham was responding specifically to the excuse that schools were taking action to avoid breaching the Data Protection Act, for which Graham is the official watchdog.

 

A number of schools had argued that as adopted and fostered children were in their care during school time, that they risked breaching the Data Protection Act by permitting parents from photographing their own children at school. Commissioner Graham has unequivocally stated that schools do not risk breaching the Data Protection Act in this way. He said: "Having a child perform at a school play or a festive concert is a very proud moment for parents and is understandably a memory that many want to capture on camera. It is disappointing to hear that the myth that such photos are forbidden by the Data Protection Act still prevails in some schools."

Common sense

 

He added: "A common sense approach is needed. Clearly, photographs simply taken for a family album are exempt from data protection laws."

Threat of arrest

 

Most of us may wonder what all the fuss is about as we have not experienced such narrow-minded impositions at the schools of our own children. But only recently news emerged of a parent who, in 2007, was threatened with arrest by police as he arrived at his daughter's school if he proceeded to break the school's ban on photography at a nativity play. The same school in Leicestershire still has the ban in place, although photographs can be taken after the performance is completed.

 

The school's head defended the ban, which was brought in at the request of some parents who didn't want their children photographed, and claimed that it accommodated both these parents and those who did want to take photos. The question has to be asked, if you don't want your children photographed at events like this, why? Indeed, why allow your children to be seen be other parents full stop?

Copyright

 

A few years ago there was a suggestion that video recording and still photography would be banned during a play being performed at the primary school our children attended. It was only a concern about copyright because the school had licensed a commercially supplied play. But by seeking clarification from the publishers of the play it was clear that photographs or recording made for personal, non-commercial, viewing, did not constitute a breach of copyright.

 

Official school guidance is that photography during school plays should be permitted. If there are genuine concerns from parents about the security of their children in the face of an audience of parents snapping their own kids during the Christmas nativity play, then it's that problem that needs to be addressed. Banning cameras is certainly not the answer, and it looks like that's now official.

 

Good article :Happy_32:

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Stopping parents photographing and videoing our kids takes away the magic and innocence of Christmas and children's school plays and events.

The is ridiculous and I am pleased that your are challenging this Colin, 100% agree with you and petition signed.

 

Still no comment from any councilors I see, trouble with this is everyone is paranoid!! :Angry_32:

 

There is no law preventing you photographing your kids, I have read through your blog on the petition site and found this often not to be the schools problem but a reflection of the society that we live in.

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Stopping parents photographing and videoing our kids takes away the magic and innocence of Christmas and children's school plays and events.

The is ridiculous and I am pleased that your are challenging this Colin, 100% agree with you and petition signed.

 

Still no comment from any councilors I see, trouble with this is everyone is paranoid!! :Angry_32:

 

There is no law preventing you photographing your kids, I have read through your blog on the petition site and found this often not to be the schools problem but a reflection of the society that we live in.

Spot on Jane :Smile_32:

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I find this whole subject annoying, of course you should be able to photograph and video your children, especially on precious days, like sports day and when they are performing, to deny this is absurd!

 

Makes me laugh, every week LIVE on national television you see footballers walking onto the pitch holding hands with young kids in their football kit for the whole country to see as well as 70,000 spectators, yet you cannot photograph your own kids at your local school, with maybe 100 people present, this is absolutely ridiculous and beyond belief in my opinion.

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I find this whole subject annoying, of course you should be able to photograph and video your children, especially on precious days, like sports day and when they are performing, to deny this is absurd!

 

Makes me laugh, every week LIVE on national television you see footballers walking onto the pitch holding hands with young kids in their football kit for the whole country to see as well as 70,000 spectators, yet you cannot photograph your own kids at your local school, with maybe 100 people present, this is absolutely ridiculous and beyond belief in my opinion.

Another good point Phil. I am totally behind protecting kids but this non existent law is really stupid.

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