Accused of Wrongly Taking Items from a School After Resigning

[RechaeT]

I took them because during my employment she complained so much about them. Should I give them to the parents?. That is what I had in first mind to do

[eerelations]

I took them because during my employment she complained so much about them. Should I give them to the parents?. That is what I had in first mind to do

I don't understand - you took photos of the kids because the director of the school complained so much about the kids? The photos? Or what? You need to explain this before we can advise on whether or not giving the photos to the parents is the legal thing to do.

[RechaeT]

For one, she complained about them being up and when I was removing everything I brought, I decided it would be best to remove the photos I took so that she does not have a reason to complain about them. I seriously do not want the pictures. I contacted 1 parent that I have pictures on my hard drive that I never posted in the classroom and would like for her to have them because I am not employed there anymore and have any reason to keep them.

[eerelations]

For one, she complained about them being up and when I was removing everything I brought, I decided it would be best to remove the photos I took so that she does not have a reason to complain about them. I seriously do not want the pictures. I contacted 1 parent that I have pictures on my hard drive that I never posted in the classroom and would like for her to have them because I am not employed there anymore and have any reason to keep them.

How would the director's complaint about the kids "being up" (whatever that means) cause you to take photos of the kids? And why would she complain about the photos if you left them behind? And why would you even care?

And contacting parents and telling them you have photos of their kids on your computer is just plain weird...this is going to get you into a whole lot of trouble much worse than the theft charges you may be facing. Plan on never teaching again, for one thing.

[RechaeT]

I do not have a theft charge. She claimed she could charge me for theft and the pictures are in my hard drive because as a teacher we are told to use pictures for the classroom and also the student's online portfolios that track their growth in certain subject areas.

[eerelations]

I do not have a theft charge. She claimed she could charge me for theft and the pictures are in my hard drive because as a teacher we are told to use pictures for the classroom and also the student's online portfolios that track their growth in certain subject areas.

I never said you did have a theft charge. I said "you may be facing" theft charges. Completely different.

So the photos were taken as part of your job - ergo the photos belong to the school. Now that we've established that, please know that according to the law, you have committed theft. So that's two counts of theft you may be facing - one for the canned goods and one for the photos. If you want to avoid being charged with theft, you should send the canned goods receipt and the photos to the school asap.

And don't call any more parents! You've already creeped out one set, you might be facing serious trouble for this. Creep out any more parents and your life won't ever look the same again.

[RechaeT]

I emailed her the donation slip for the canned goods yesterday, and the pictures I'll just mail those to her. I do not want to step foot in that place.

[TechWorker]

So the photos were taken as part of your job - ergo the photos belong to the school. Now that we've established that, please know that according to the law, you have committed theft.

Not so fast.

If I am a student in a school and I am told to buy school supplies (notebooks, folders, pencils), then those supplies belong to me, and I can take them with me even if I quit going to that school.

Similarly, the OP may have been told to take photos of the kids and to use those photos as her "teacher" supplies.

If the school does not reimburse me for my notebooks, folders, and pencils, then the school does not own my supplies. If the school does not reimburse the OP for the photos, then the school does not own the photos. The teacher that replaces the OP, can then take new photos at that new teacher's expense.

And don't call any more parents! You've already creeped out one set, you might be facing serious trouble for this. Creep out any more parents and your life won't ever look the same again.

Why would having non-sexual photos of kids be creepy? Ever hear of school yearbooks? Or school newspapers?

[RechaeT]

Exactly what I thought! I love this logic. It makes sense. It sounds like you were or are a teacher!

[eerelations]

Not so fast.

If I am a student in a school and I am told to buy school supplies (notebooks, folders, pencils), then those supplies belong to me, and I can take them with me even if I quit going to that school.

Similarly, the OP may have been told to take photos of the kids and to use those photos as her "teacher" supplies.

If the school does not reimburse me for my notebooks, folders, and pencils, then the school does not own my supplies. If the school does not reimburse the OP for the photos, then the school does not own the photos. The teacher that replaces the OP, can then take new photos at that new teacher's expense.




Why would having non-sexual photos of kids be creepy? Ever hear of school yearbooks? Or school newspapers?

Oh please. At least try to brush up a bit on employment law before you start battling with experts with decades of training and work experience in this area.

OP took photos of the kids at the behest of the school. Ergo, the school owns said photos. This has nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not the school reimbursed her for the photos. Period. (And it has even less to do with students buying their own school supplies - why did you even bother typing that? It's totally irrelevant to this issue.)

And really, school newspapers and school yearbooks are not in any way the same as a no-longer-employed-there teacher taking home photos of kids that belonged to the school (the photos, not the kids). I would certainly be more than a little creeped out if I discovered that a no-longer-employed-there teacher at my child's school had stolen my child's photo from the school and taken it home with her! (And I would be astonished if she phoned me to tell me about it! What kind of total unfamiliarity with good judgement and common sense is she exhibiting with this phone call?)

Exactly what I thought! I love this logic. It makes sense. It sounds like you were or are a teacher!

Just as an FYI, TechWorker is not a teacher and he has no knowledge whatsoever of employment law (or pretty much any other law, I suspect). He has come very close to being banned from this site on several occasions for providing wrong information and bad advice. Just so's you know.