When DepEd Tayo grabs a photo from your blog, LovinglyMama.com, and posts it as its own with a misleading caption, what do you do? It has been 8 days since they posted our photo, and despite comments and shares, the page has remained mum.

• Related: BACOLOD HOMESCHOOLERS NETWORK: Making a Difference

DepEd Tayo Grabs My Daughter’s Photo | Posted it Without Consent

Last August 14, 2020, a friend of ours tagged us in a post by DepEd Tayo dated August 12 because she recognized that the student in the photo is our eldest daughter Shawna. When we checked the FB post, true enough, it was my daughter’s photo answering a Math PACE!

Here is a screenshot of their post.

Since we are a blogging family with many social media pages and the kids coming with us to events and trips, we live a pretty public life. So more than offended, hubby is even proud to see his daughter’s photo there.

In my case, I felt happy that my photo turned up in Google search. That means my SEO for my homeschooling and mommy blog is in place.

But what troubled me was that, not only did DepEd Tayo post a minor’s photo without consent, they did so with a misleading caption. That’s tantamount to fake news.

What is DepEd Tayo

DepEd Tayo, it seems, is one of the social media accounts of DepEd Undersecretary Alain Pascua on Facebook. The page has close to half a million followers and is actively posting every day, sometimes several times a day.

It has both a link for email and messenger—I chose the latter to reach out to them. My message was still unread after a day so I commented on one of their posts that was posted minutes before that I sent a message to them. That comment, along with my message, were not replied to.

Many People Were Triggered

With that post, many people were triggered, especially parents whose children are homechooling under the School of Tomorrow. Of course, those families who are using PACE would really recognize that the material being using by the model is a PACE and not a module from DepEd.

• Related: Benefits of Homeschooling at This Time

Moreover, many people were angered that a government agency would use a minor’s photo without parental consent. They have also tagged the page of Undersectary Analyn M. Sevilla because that was a direct quote from her. Still, silence.

So, they encouraged me to take appropriate legal actions and to bring the issue to the Civil Service Commission. Frankly, I feel that’s too much, though I have every legal right to do so. I just feel that I don’t want to go through all that trouble.

In my message, all I asked from them was that they correct their misleading caption and credit my blog post as the source. And by now, an apology.

Homeschooling for Years

We have been homeschooling Achi Shawna for 6 years now. Our second daughter Shane has also followed suit. Both our children are under the School of Tomorrow, so we are using the PACE.

• Related: Homeschooling in Bacolod is Best for Our Kids

Homeschooling has given us a pretty flexible lifestyle where the kids can travel with us any time of the year. We are also very liberated with our educational system.

So when Covid-19 broke out, we were not concerned about our children’s schooling because we have been staying home for years!

• Related: Stay At Home – Plead Doctors and Nurses Amid Covid-19

A Peaceful Resolution

I am not wishing for the person who did this to lose his or her job. I AM NOT EVEN DEMANDING COMPENSATION, though we deserve it. All I want is a peaceful resolution. But so far, none of those in that office related to DepEd Tayo has reached out to me. If they asked for my permission, I would even set up a more updated photoshoot with the kids.

Hopefully, in the interest of respect and truthful reporting, I am asking DepEd Tayo to edit their post. Otherwise, it looks like fake news. I am not even asking that they take it down because it has served its purpose about the no-uniform announcement for distance learners.

It is my sincere desire that DepEd Tayo and its social media managers will learn a high level of excellence in their reporting and posting. They are a government agency and should act accordingly.

Other Homeschooling Posts

Meanwhile, here are other posts about homeschooling that you might be interested in.

• Four Types of Learners: Understand Your Child’s Learning Style For A Better Homeschooling Experience
• IQ Testing in Bacolod City for Homeschooled Young Kids
• Handling Negative Opinion About Homeschooling the Positive Way
• Why Do We Send Our Daughters to Ballet School?
• Activities for Kids During Home Quarantine for Covid-19
• DIY Chinese New Year Field Trip for Homeschooling Kids
• Raising Einsteins: Bacolod Intervention and Tutorial Center for Children with Special Needs
• Silay Heritage Tour for Araw ng Lahi
• Teaching Kids How to Budget Money
• Benefits of Dress-Up Play for Children
• Teaching Financial Literacy to Our Kids