Express & Star comment: Parents in pickle over play photos
Every proud parent wants to capture their little ones in action in the school nativity play.
The images caught are often treasured for years, and plenty of people of a certain age who are reading this newspaper still have photographs of their children dressed as Mary or Joseph.
But times have changed, and the rise of social media has muddied the waters when it comes to taking pictures of youngsters.
Many parents are understandably concerned about images of their children being shared online.
For this reason, schools are increasingly bringing in policies that effectively ban parents from recording film or photography of nativity performances.
While these rules can leave parents who want to take pictures in a quandary, we are all well aware of the reasons behind them.
We live in a world where an image can be shared online in a matter of seconds.
Although the vast majority of people are acting with the best intentions when they take photographs at nativity plays, there are those who have more sinister purposes in mind.
For that reason it is time we had some clarity over what exactly is acceptable when it comes to photographing youngsters on school premises.
At the moment there are no set rules in place, meaning parents are often left confused as to what they can and can't do.
The law dictates that schools are quite within their rights to restrict or ban photography on their property.
However, many schools in the Black Country and Staffordshire adopt a different approach, allowing photography as long as certain criteria are met.
This usually involves the signing of a consent form.
The golden rule is that parents should avoid sharing photographs of children without obtaining prior consent of that child’s parent or guardian.
In the long term, some form of compromise needs to be found that is acceptable to all parties.
Leaving such an important decision up to individual schools may not be the best way to proceed.
While we all want to preserve our children's nativity bow for posterity, it is important that we operate within the boundaries of the law.
We also need to show common sense and respect the views and wished of other parents, carers and family members.
The safety of our children is of paramount importance.
