Updated 28 minutes ago
Tempest has apologized to parents at Aboyne Primary School
A photography firm has apologized after parents were offered a choice of whether they wanted class photos with or without pupils with complex needs.
Parents at Aboyne Primary School in Aberdeenshire complained after being sent a link from Tempest Photography.
The company said it deeply regretted any upset it had caused and “sincerely apologised” to affected families.
It said it was “not standard procedure” and it was taking the matter very seriously.
It is understood some class photographs were taken before the pupils with additional support needs were brought in.
Despite pictures then being taken which included all the pupils, parents were still given the option of both.
‘Not standard procedure’
Tempest, one of the UK’s largest school photography firms, said it had spoken to the photographer involved.
In a statement, the firm said it “regretted any upset” caused.
It added: “We are a family run business and photograph at schools across the UK and would like to reassure our customers that this is not standard procedure for our company and we are taking this matter very seriously.
“We are committed to implementing meaningful changes to prevent such an occurrence in the future.
“We deeply regret any upset this has caused and would like to sincerely apologize to the parents and children affected.”
Aberdeenshire Council also apologized for the incident on Thursday.
The local authority said the decision had not been taken by the school and links to the photos were immediately removed.
They added it was “completely unacceptable” and said they had raised the issue with Tempest.
A spokesperson said: “While this was not a decision taken by the school, we absolutely appreciate the distress and hurt this has caused some parents and carers and we are sincerely sorry.
“Aboyne is an inclusive school and every single child should be included, engaged and involved in their learning and school experiences.”
Model and TV personality Katie Price said she was upset when she heard parents had been offered the photos.
Her son, Harvey, 22, has Prader-Willi syndrome, autism and is partially sighted.
He has frequently been the target of abuse and jokes.
Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle attracted about 500 complaints to Ofcom for jokes made about Harvey, who was eight at the time, on his Channel 4 program Tramadol Nights in 2011.
Katie Price said son Harvey was frequently targeted with jokes and abuse due to his disabilities
She said: “Things like that upset me because, at the end of the day, we’re all different. Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you should be treated differently.
“I always tell people ‘just remember, you might think your life is perfect but one day, one of your family could have an accident ore something and become disabled and you have to become their full-time carer.
“So always remember, never judge anything, because it could happen to you. And let’s see if you take the mickey then or you exclude them out of photos.
“I just feel really strong. I think we should all be treated the same.”
