I am the sponsor of our yearbook and ran into the same problem. Our school, during registration, has each parent fill out a form granting permission for their child to be photographed, videod, etc. If permission is not given, then they cannot be in the yearbook. Most parents don't even think about the yearbook or class pictures, for that matter. Your school might want to try something like that.

Every school my son has gone to has required a media release form. I even went as far as to get permission to post photos on the bulletin board in the school's hallway just to be safe.

While it's great to be willing to remove photos upon request, it's a tough spot to put parents in.

Your ideas sound great! But I agree that release forms should be signed.

Just cuz the teachers do it doesent mean its OK, or even ok with your school district policies.although one would certainly HOPE so!!!!!
Check with your super or district legal folk for official position if you want to be safe not sorry.

Our school also requests permission to use pics but that is done at registration and lists out specific communication areas; the parents say yes or no in each area.
Check to see what was done at registration?

I am the webmaster for our school and I also do email newsletters for our school. I recently sent an email to our families announcing a new email address, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for our families to submit pics to be used on the web site.

Our principal emailed me back that we need the permition from the parent of every child in a picture before I could use that picture.

While I understand her concern with today’s issues, this seems a bit unrealistic to me. Teachers use pictures of the class on their web sites and there are tons of random pictures in the kids yearbooks. I am completely willing to remove any pic that a parent asks me to remove.

Thoughts?