Parents angered by schools video ban

Edinburgh City Council was criticised for over-reacting yesterday after it banned parents from filming or taking photographs at school plays because of fears that footage could be used by paedophiles.

The National Confederation of Parent Teachers Associations (NCPTA) said the council risked exaggerating fears of paedophilia. Any parent who wants to film or photograph their children in nativity plays at Edinburgh's 156 schools and nurseries will have to ask permission from all other pupils in the class.

It is the first time a local authority has introduced a blanket ban, and follows rising concerns about paedophiles using images of children at school in pornography. Last week the Football Association said parents who wanted to record their children playing the sport should sign a form stating they will not be used in pornography.

A council spokeswoman said Edinburgh had adopted a "common-sense" approach. "Authorities have to recognise the risk of paedophiles. This has been introduced purely as a precaution, there has not been a rise in paedophile cases in the city our knowledge," she said. "However we have heard of cases in Scotland and England where paedophiles are found with video footage taken at school plays."

The council said parents could take pictures before and after plays when children who were not to been filmed had left the stage. School staff will also be allowed to film concerts and edit out children whose parents do not want them filmed.

Margaret Morrissey, from the NCPTA said the rules had gone too far. "We think the authority is over-reacting. It should be left to individual schools to make the decision in consultation with parents.The problem is that things like this can spread."