No, it's not allowed. Sometimes a school wants to take and publish images of students. For example in the (online) school newspaper, a facebook or the student file. The school needs permission to do this.
If a student is 16 years old or older, the school must obtain the student's consent. Is the student under the age of 16? Then the school needs permission from you as a parent. How the school seeks consent does not matter. However, the school must be able to prove the consent. Withdrawing consent should be as easy as giving consent. Tip: use the sample letter.
A school must properly secure photographs. Especially if minors are involved. For example, by allowing only password access to the photos on a restricted area of the school's website.
Privacy rights
Your child - like you - has certain privacy rights. For example, your child may ask organizations to view, correct or delete personal data (such as those in the student file). From the age of 16, your child can exercise these rights themselves.
Do you think the school does not have proper consent, security or privacy rights in place? If so, start by talking to the school. If that does not solve the problem, you can file a complaint with the Personal Data Authority (AP).
Learn more
Information for children and adolescents: You and your (online) data
Information for schools: Imagery in education
Source: https://www.autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl/vraag-van-de-maand/de-school-van-mijn-kind-wil-fotos-in-het-leerlingdossier-opslaan-en-op-de-website-plaatsen-mag-dat, accessed January 20, 2025.
