Unsolicited school pictures that you have to pay for or return

[bonoriffic]

Our preschool does this. When the pictures are picked up, we have to sign for the package to take them home to avoid this very scenario. You can refuse them right from the start.

There is a second photo company that comes in and does "dress up" type pictures where they put your kid in a tuxedo or something like that. I'm not about to have some stranger dressing my child in costumes, so I asked if my kid could not participate. A form was quickly produced to sign and not have my kids picture taken. They had a huge stack, just weren't making it obvious that this was an option.

I imagine the school would legally have to have a similar waiver, which may not be offered up unless asked for.

 

[2Kds2K9]

Did you know that this is a fundraiser for the school? Here in VA, the photo company pays the school $1.00 per child photographed! Then, the school gets a portion of the sales.

You can bet that under this deal, the school is not going to stop doing this. Our elementary school makes about $800 just for the initial photos. Not bad for a day of lining up the kids for pictures.

 

[DisneyScraps]

I hated it until my DD brought a note home saying that the school pictures are in and I have to GO AND SIGN FOR THEM before I can see them. I had to sign a litle statement that the photography studio had attached to the pictures agreeing to either return them or pay for them. I want one school picture a year so I did this but in the spring I am not doing it. They can keep them, I ain't signin' nothin'!

Lisa

 

[allison443]

This came up because DW found an 8x10 of DD6 on her bedroom floor last night. We never looked at the whole packet, but apparently DD left it in her backpack when she went back to school today. I just got an email from her teacher a few minutes ago telling us that the 8x10 was missing and if we'd like to keep it, please send a check for $14.

I emailed her back, explaining that we didn't order the pictures and were under no obligation to pay for them. When I told DW that I replied to the email, her response was "oh no, what did you say?"
I think she's afraid we are going to get labeled as the troublemaker parents.

I guess we'll see what kind of response we get.

Your email sounds like you are going to keep the 8x10 without paying for it? Why don't you just send it back?

I don't like this practice either, my kids' school never did this. But I doubt your child's teacher has any say in the policy. Take it up with the administration. Don't make the teacher's life harder.

 

[mjkacmom]

Your email sounds like you are going to keep the 8x10 without paying for it? Why don't you just send it back?

I don't like this practice either, my kids' school never did this. But I doubt your child's teacher has any say in the policy. Take it up with the administration. Don't make the teacher's life harder.

 

[AKL_Megs]

If the photos were unsolicited and taken without your knowledge, and then sent to you through the mail, who's to say they didn't get lost in transit? If you weren't expecting them, you wouldn't know to send them back!

I say keep them. They shouldn't be stupid enough to trust the USPS anyways! Tell them they must have gotten lost on the mail!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Dear photography company,

We appreciate your offer to sell us the pictures of our children. We wish that we could buy them from you, but space is very limited here. In fact, I'm afraid that we're going to have to charge you $9.95/week for storage until you come and pick them up.

Thanks

 

[npmommie]

I'm starting to get really annoyed with our school.
Just about every holiday (Easter, Christmas, etc.), the kids are coming home with pictures that we are supposed to either pay for or return to the school.

Does your school do this?

We didn't order these pictures and I don't see why we should be expected to pay for them or take the responsibility of making sure they get sent back to the school. It would be different if order forms were sent home before the pictures were taken and we were given the option of ordering them or not.

I know that if some company sends you something in the mail, they don't have the right to force you to pay for it or return it. This seems like a similar situation and I'm very tempted to just keep the photos and refuse to pay for them on principle alone.

It's public elementary school.

You are right that it's not a big deal. But I don't like the tactics and it's starting to annoy me enough that I'm going to refuse to pay or return them on principal alone.
Besides, what if the child lost the pictures?
Should the parents be responsible for something they never asked for?

I agree, I would keep them on principle alone.
also why doesn't the school have to notify you that they are taking photos of your child? I would want to know and have the opportunity to opt out of a picture.
what if you don't want them to take the kids pic??

Dear photography company,

We appreciate your offer to sell us the pictures of our children. We wish that we could buy them from you, but space is very limited here. In fact, I'm afraid that we're going to have to charge you $9.95/week for storage until you come and pick them up.

Thanks

I like this!

 

[allison443]

If the photos were unsolicited and taken without your knowledge, and then sent to you through the mail, who's to say they didn't get lost in transit? If you weren't expecting them, you wouldn't know to send them back!

I say keep them. They shouldn't be stupid enough to trust the USPS anyways! Tell them they must have gotten lost on the mail!

The school photos weren't set through the mail, they were sent home from school with the child.

 

[sparklynails23]

Your email sounds like you are going to keep the 8x10 without paying for it? Why don't you just send it back?

I don't like this practice either, my kids' school never did this. But I doubt your child's teacher has any say in the policy. Take it up with the administration. Don't make the teacher's life harder.

Don't send it back. I want to see what happens.

Our school sent home a solicitation to buy insurance for our son at the beginning of the year. The form made it sound like purchasing the insurance was required. It pissed me off, but I just sent it back. I'm sure other parents just went ahead and bought it. Fundraiser or not, this crap is getting out of hand.

 

[mill4023]

Your email sounds like you are going to keep the 8x10 without paying for it? Why don't you just send it back?

Because I shouldn't have to. If they are going to use these kinds of distasteful tactics, why should I encourage them?

If someone sends me unsolicited merchandise, it's not my responsibility to return it to them.

 

[mill4023]

I agree, I would keep them on principle alone.
also why doesn't the school have to notify you that they are taking photos of your child? I would want to know and have the opportunity to opt out of a picture.
what if you don't want them to take the kids pic??


I like this!

We sign a blanket release at the beginning of the year that allows them to take pics of the kids and I'm ok with that. My issue isn't with the pics being taken, it's with sending home a packet of prints and telling us we have to buy them or return them. We never agreed to that and we didn't request that they send us anything.

I don't know if we got any written notification, but even if we did, that doesn't change the fact that we didn't order anything or agree to have them send us prints that we would have to buy or send back.

 

[mill4023]

The school photos weren't set through the mail, they were sent home from school with the child.

That's correct. If they had been sent through the mail, they would actually be violating a specific law by asking for payment.

In the case of coming home with our child, there's no law I know of prohibiting them from doing it. Instead, it's just an absence of any obligation on our part to return the pictures or pay for them.

 

[The Pink Cupcake]

Our elementary school makes about $800 just for the initial photos. Not bad for a day of lining up the kids for pictures.

I really don't like someone taking a picture of my child (without my permission) and then earning money off of that picture.

I'm not brave enough to do what the OP is planning on doing, but I have felt like keeping them to see what the scammers would do. Yes. I think someone who takes my child's picture, puts together a little packet with said picture and then asks me to act (pay or return) is a scammer.

They play on the fact that most parents know the pictures will be thrown away if not purchased.

I wonder what they would do if you sent them a letter saying "I know you are going to destroy this picture of my child. I have no money to buy this picture. So, since you are going to destroy it any way, I will keep it. Thank you."

OP, please let us know what happened.

 

[Tigger Fans!]

As a teacher I can tell you that I'd be more than happy to just not send the pictures home. You'd just need to communicate your feelings and I'm sure he/she would be happy to keep your packet. It would make less work for the teacher and less aggravation for you.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

As a teacher I can tell you that I'd be more than happy to just not send the pictures home. You'd just need to communicate your feelings and I'm sure he/she would be happy to keep your packet. It would make less work for the teacher and less aggravation for you.

Our neighbors did this - worked for them.

 

[The Pink Cupcake]

That's correct. If they had been sent through the mail, they would actually be violating a specific law by asking for payment.

In the case of coming home with our child, there's no law I know of prohibiting them from doing it. Instead, it's just an absence of any obligation on our part to return the pictures or pay for them.

Yep. I would say "I didn't feel like reading the unsolicited propaganda sent home with my child. It went right in the trash. Oh my. Now you know not to send this stuff home with my child. Thank you."

 

[AKL_Megs]

Nothing ever gets done without someone first taking a stand. I applaud you for being that person! Stand your ground, and let us know what happens! Surely, you can't be the only annoyed parent, but YOU are the one doing something!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Yep. I would say "I didn't feel like reading the unsolicited propaganda sent home with my child. It went right in the trash. Oh my. Now you know not to send this stuff home with my child. Thank you."

Why would you do something so mean spirited?

 

[mill4023]

Why would you do something so mean spirited?

How exactly is that mean spirited?