New Webpage Provides Information on Taking, Using Pictures of Students

Eldorado student Justine Solan worked with the APS Web Team on creating a page that provides information on student photos, permissions and website images.

Justine Solan, EHS student and APS Web intern

February 9, 2012

As the APS Web Team began migrating schools into the new district-wide website system, questions arose about photographing students and posting their pictures to the Web. Schools wanted to know:

• When is it OK to take pictures of students?
• When isn’t it OK?
• Is parent permission always necessary?
• Can photographs of a student be posted to a school website?
• What about using pictures and images that come from other websites?
• When is media allowed to take pictures and interview students?

All good questions.

The Web Team assigned intern Justine Solan, a junior at Eldorado High School, to research the topic and create a webpage that answers those questions and more.

Under the supervision of Web Manager Lesley Molecke, Web Technical Writer Kalisha Weidemann and Web Graphic Designer Aaron Jaramillo, Justine created an informative page complete with links to permission forms and other resources.

Justine, who also is a writer and photographer for her school’s yearbook, said she was surprised to learn how often websites violate rules pertaining to copyrights, trademarks and photo permissions.

“Photos on the web are complicated because people often go to Google, search for images and copy and paste them onto their pages without being aware they are violating copyright laws,” Justine said.

The Photo and Image Guidelines page is designed to help clarify the rules pertaining to taking photos of students at school as well as using copyrighted images.

For example, Justine explains that parent permission is needed to take pictures of students on campus during the school day if they are under 18 and are going to be recognizable in the photo.

Parent permission isn’t needed to take pictures of students at public events such as sporting events, assemblies or public after-school activities.

“Once an event at school is open to the public, minors do not need to be permissioned,” Justine explained.

Media must follow these guideline as well as school and district staff, parents or other students who plan to use the photographs on a website.

Justine also warned against using photos and images from other web pages. She suggested getting permission and providing attribution when using other people’s images.

Of course there are websites that provide free, approved images and photos, she noted.

Justine said communication is key when taking photographs of students and staff. “It's important to give students, parents and staff an opportunity to say no,” she said.