An East London father of a four-year-old is fuming after a school posted pictures of his autistic son naked on the school’s social media page.
The father, who is not being named to protect the dignity of the child, said he saw the pictures on Sunday after they were posted on the Bellafides Private School's Facebook page.
His son attends Amazing Autism School, which is linked to the mainstream Bellafides.
“They had a beach or fun day on Friday, I saw the pictures,” said the father. “I instantly cried after seeing those pictures of my four-year-old autistic son ... ”
The father said the school normally shared pictures of the pupils on their Facebook page when they had activities.
“I was browsing on their page on Sunday when I saw that my son was the only pupil who was completely naked among the other children.
“I immediately sent an email after seeing the pictures, and I am still waiting for a response from the school, before taking the matter forward as a legal matter,” he said.
He said the school had recently opened a section for autistic pupils, Amazing Autism School. The school comprises 20 pupils with autism in four classes, four teachers and three aides.
The Dispatch has seen the pictures of the child, seated on the ground naked, while other children around him were fully clothed.
The school's principal, who refused to provide her name when contacted by the Dispatch, said the matter was brought to her attention by the parent.
“The picture of the pupil had slipped through among a number of photos of the Games and Water Play Day they were having at the school. It was immediately deleted.”
She said the pupils were having their version of beach day that their sister school was having at the beach.
“The children played an assortment of games that suited their abilities, and then spent time swimming in the shells filled with water.
“The child’s father warned the teachers when he was dropped off in the morning that as soon as he sees water, he takes all his clothes off and will only play in the water.”
“The quality of the photo is not the best and the child is near the back of the photo, so [it] wasn’t obviously picked up as all the photos of the activities were being posted.”
The principal said this was what had transpired and as much as teachers tried to put the little boy’s pants back on, he refused, screamed and fought.
“He was happy playing in the water, and even climbed into the garden pond where the fishing of plastic fish was taking place. He was left until it was the end of the activities and all the children changed from their costumes back into their clothes.
“Finally then at the end of the morning ... he willingly put his clothes back on for when his parents fetched him,” she said.
She said the teacher who took the photos would face disciplinary action. She said an apology has been given to the parent and she would be meeting him on Tuesday.
She explained that Amazing Autism School did not have its own Facebook page, and was situated on the premises of Bellafides Private School.
Bellafides posts content relating to Amazing Autism School onto their page but under their own label.
“As said, the picture went through by accident and was deleted as soon as we were alerted to it.
“The quality of the photo is not the best and the child is near the back of the photo, so [it] wasn’t obviously picked up as all the photos of the activities were being posted,” she said.
Autism SA regional development officer Antoinette Bruce-Alexander said the school had no right to post a compromising picture.
“With the POPI Act as it is at the moment, and the parent did not give any consent, the child’s face must be blocked out and no reference must be made to the child’s name.
“This goes for any minor child,” Bruce-Alexander said.
University of Fort Hare social work department lecturer Kim Schmidt said the parent should get in touch with the school, teachers and governing body and make sure the matter was dealt with properly.
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