Arboga cancels the school photo: “Takes time from the business”

In Arboga, it has been decided not to continue with school photography.
Richard Fallqvist (L), who is chairman of the children’s and education board, believes that it takes time away from regular activities.
– So there are many municipalities that have taken this decision. I can imagine that there will be more who do it later too, he says.

In Arboga, school students will no longer be able to find themselves and their friends in a school directory. Richard Fallqvist (L), who is chairman of the children’s and education committee in Arboga municipality, says that they chose not to extend an agreement when it expired and therefore no more school photos will be taken in the municipality.

– The administration has reasoned and concluded that the needs you have can be solved in a simpler and more flexible way yourself, he says.

He clarifies that it is about the school’s need to have photos of children and staff, such as class photos for substitutes or other staff who need to learn the children’s names.

But isn’t the school photo for the sake of the children?

– In part it has certainly been like that. But then you can also say that this is not ordinary business and it takes time away from ordinary business.

He believes that if the students want class photos, there are other ways to solve it, either to hand it over to student organizations or parent groups.

“Thinks it’s boring”

Reactions have been mixed. Richard Fallqvist says that there are many who find it boring, but that many also understand the decision.

– There have also been some on social media where people think this is boring, of course. There are probably one or two who might think it’s nice to avoid that rigid pose too, he says.

Not alone in making the decision

After the new data protection law, GPDR, came into force, many schools and municipalities stopped using school photos, including Sundsvall and Arvika, so Arboga is not the first.

– There are quite a few municipalities that have taken this decision before. Our neighboring municipality Kungsör has had it for several years, Eskilstuna has it, Säffle has it, I’ve heard that Malmö has it. I can imagine that there will be more who do it later too.