The school apologised after forcing children to line up by skin colour (posed by models)

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I don't even see why this has made headlines. Who cares? As far as I can see the fuss is about the fact that the photographer has actually realised that not all people are the same colour and thought 'wait a minute, I can make this photo rubbish and nobody will buy it, or make it good and everybody will be pleased' but unfortunately not everybody possesses such common sense. Seems like it's illegal now to even notice that there are different colours of human. There are different colours of dogs, but that’s not racist? SAME THING!

- Michael, Glasgow, Scotland

I have two children at this school, both fair hair and fair skin, my youngest's class was asked to line up in order from light to dark, my oldest was asked to line up from dark to light, so one of them was near the front and one was near the back when they went in for their photos. Both my children said NO ONE was upset or crying so where all that came from I don't know. This order of line up could been seen racist from both black and white parents - I do not have a problem with this and cannot see why other parents do, the photographer requested this to make his job easier. This is political correctness gone wrong - obviously some parents want to make it a racist issue when in fact all it is someone doing his job. Complete madness once again. My children are a minority at the school and if anything it should be the other way round but, like I said I don't have a problem with it, regardless of some parents stirring up unnecessary trouble wanting to make the school to be seen as racist when in fact it is the complete opposite, the school is and always will be a good school.

- Sonia, London

Firstly, I think it needs to be said- once again - that it was the photographer who asked for the children to be organised in this way, not the teachers. Secondly, Denise, the children were asked to line up in skin tone-they were not asked to line up with the white/black children at the front! You're jumping to your own conclusions there.
I have friends whose children go to this school and I fully intend on sending my own children here. It has a wonderful record on racial harmony. I think the parents behind this story have a lot to answer for! You just have to read the school’s Ofsted report to see what a fantastic school it is.

- Polly Short,, Lewisham

School misjudged this one. School should not have permitted this. I understand that this was not intended to do any harm however the harm was done in these youngsters mind, an false impression has been set of their school. Isn't the photographer being paid for this JOB which involves adjusting lighting? Aren't the photos being purchased by the parents whose children where put in the "Dark Line"? One parent claimed the intention was to make life easier for the photographer. Well maybe the school should have chosen another photographer who was not so worried about making their life easier but just doing their job which they are being paid for to do. This is the first photographer that I have heard of who thought of such an absurd idea. I am sure that if this photographer was a Professional he/she could have thought of some other sensible techniques.

- Dee, Brampton On

I am so surprised that this issue has gone so far. I have two children in this school and neither of them saw any other child in tears or otherwise upset by this issue. Yes it was a bad error of judgement and yes I can understand why the photographer asked for it to be done this way. But, it has never be organised this way before and my children have been at this very wonderful school for 6 years now. One child in my daughters class referred to it as being 'racist' at the time and was told by the teacher why it was being done in this way. I think this is a sad reflection on the parents rather than on the school. And yes my children are children of colour and neither of them felt there was a problem with the way the pictures where taken.

- Mum From Sandhurst School, Catford

Denise - The photographs were individual photographs and the white children had to go to the back of the queue. If any group were discriminated against it was that group. I find it really sad that 8-9 year old children have learnt to play the race card so early in life. If their parents are so insecure in their own skin, they shouldn't inflict it on the rest of us.

- Terry, Watford, England

Clare, and Denise, perhaps the photographer or the school should have explained this to the children?

- Daveb, London

Whatever the technical pros and cons, let's not forget that these are impressionable CHILDREN. I wouldn't want mine told they couldn't stand where they wanted, with their friends, whatever the skin tone. I've photographed groups at conferences, and when delegates have seen the results, no one has ever complained about the way they were LIT, for goodness' sake! A school photo should be a memento of fellowship, friendship and achievement - not something that's polished enough for Tatler.
What next - “I know you won the gold, Denise [Lewis], love but can you just stand to one side so we can get a better shot of the Russian and Chinese athletes?"

- Karli, Tottenham, London

One parent told the Evening Standard her daughter had come home in tears and said: "My school's so racist."

How sad that young children are being taught how to play the race card at such an early age.

- Terry, Watford, England

I will presume all your previous commentators are white and therefore never experienced the negativity of racism first hand. If they had, they would clearly realise the racial motivation behind the photographer's request. In this day and age with all the modern technology available I find it incredulous to believe that the way only way to take a decent picture is to divide black from white pupils. When I take pictures of my black and white friends on my somewhat less advanced digital camera I don't have to separate or line them up under the guise of "lighting difficulties" so why should a professional? What on earth were the teachers who were supposed to be supervising thinking? What a great message to send out to youngest and most impressionable members of society.

- Karen Reynolds, London

From what I can tell, the photographs were of individual children rather than a "group photo", so putting black children at the front is irrelevant. However, as a method of reducing the time taken (and hence cost to the parents for the photographs) the children were photographed according to skin colour as thius required the least amount of work in rearranging lighting and filtration beytween shots.

Yes the photographer could have taken the children in random order, alphabetic order, age order or anything else in order to be politically correct. But the cost of the photographs to the parents would increase with the time required to take the photographs.

- Graham, Reading, England

Criticism of this school is pathetic. They were just being practical. Accepting that the children needed different types of lighting for their pictures is as realistic as accepting an artist would require different shades of paint to paint their portraits.

- Clare, London

I am a part time photographer and know techinically it is much easier to light white skin than black, so if the argument for doing this was about skin complexion, it would have been physically easier to put the black children at the front. It's amazing the defences people can come out with when unconscious views like this come to the forefront in such a public arena.

- Denise Maxwell, Walsall, UK

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