Harris County Constable Mark Herman wants parents to think twice before hitting "post" on those first-day-of-school photos.
In an advisory posted Thursday, Aug. 6, Herman urged families to review images for identifying details that could put children at risk. The warning lands less than a week before Clear Creek ISD students return to class on Wednesday, Aug. 12, and 11 days before Friendswood ISD's first day on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
"Take the picture. Make the memory. Protect the details," Herman said.
What to check before posting
The constable's office listed five steps parents should take before sharing photos publicly:
- Avoid showing school names, logos or locations.
- Remove or cover teacher names, grade levels and ages.
- Check backgrounds for signs or details that reveal personal information.
- Blur or cover details visible on clothing, backpacks or decorations.
- Share the milestone, but protect student privacy.
Even small details can matter, the office noted. A school logo on a shirt, a classroom sign in the background or a name tag on a backpack could expose information families didn't intend to share.
Part of a broader online safety push
The advisory follows an internet safety presentation that Lt. Jeffrey Lee of Herman's Criminal Investigations Division delivered on Saturday, Aug. 1. That program, announced on the Precinct 4 Facebook page, focused on protecting children and seniors online.
Precinct 4's Criminal Investigations Division includes a High Tech Crimes Unit that handles internet-related offenses, giving the office direct experience with how personal details shared online can be exploited.
The advisory doesn't ask parents to skip the tradition, CW39 reported. It asks them to take a few extra seconds to review a photo before making it public.
How to reach the constable's office
Parents with questions or concerns can contact Precinct 4's 24-hour dispatch line at 281-376-3472.
