Jennifer McKendrick, Pennsylvania Photographer, Refuses To Photograph Teen Bullies

A Pennsylvania photographer has chosen not to photograph a group of high school girls for their senior portraits after she found evidence of the teens bullying other students on Facebook.

Jennifer McKendrick, from Indiana County, Pa., wrote on her own Facebook page earlier this week that she came across another Facebook page with nasty comments from four high school girls whose names matched her scheduled clients.

She emailed the girls and their parents to cancel their senior photo shoots, while including screenshots of their comments to explain why she was calling off the session.

McKendrick wrote more about her decision on her personal blog in a post titled "I Won't Photograph Ugly People."

"I mean how could I spend two hours with someone during our session trying to make beautiful photos of them knowing they could do such UGLY things," McKendrick writes. "Realistically, I know by canceling their shoots it's not going to make them 'nicer people' but I refuse to let people like that represent my business."

The photographer told WTAE-TV that the comments she saw were more than just targeting other students for appearance.

"It was beyond 'your clothes are ugly' or 'you don't have any brand clothes' or 'you are ugly, your hair is not right," McKendrick told WTAE-TV. "It was vicious. It was talking about sexuality."

Her Facebook page has since been flooded with hundreds of comments from people supporting her decision.

McKendrick blogs that she hasn't received backlash for her decision so far, but she's prepared if she does. Two of the teens' parents responded to her with apologies, noting that they were surprised by their daughters' actions.

"If you are ugly on the inside, I'm sorry but I won't take your photos to make you look pretty on the outside … I simply don't want to photograph ugly people," she writes.

Comments

[Marisa Hammond Olivares]

12:17 PM on 09/14/2011

I'm glad to see her take a stand. She has every right to do this. Bullying is a severe problem and we need to take effective measures to stop it within our schools as well as in our communities. Well done Jennifer!

[zombieroses23]

11:17 PM on 09/11/2011

I am a senior in high school, and everyday I see girls like them stomping on people's self-confidence. I myself was bullied by comments after receiving a position over a more popular girl. They wrote horrible things about me. Even a GROWN woman was degrading me. So I fully support this woman's choice to not allow such girls into her business. Every business owner has the right to refuse service to anyone.

[TMitch2011]

01:28 PM on 09/06/2011

I'm glad to see more people are making firm stands against bullying!

[rwilli1972]

11:18 AM on 09/06/2011

Just recently aired an episode on Bullying in Schools. http://www.perspectivestv.com/shows/episodes/55-episode-6-bullying-in-schools
http://www.perspectivestv.com/shows/episodes/56-episode-7-bullying-in-schools-part-2

[Aryeh Melaris]

10:19 AM on 09/06/2011

Funny thing about high school is that it ends at graduation for all but a select few. The bullies generally stop advancing socially beyond those halcyon days while their victims become very successful and fulfilled as well adjusted adults.

[graceland9]

08:12 AM on 09/06/2011

Good for her.

[kemcha]

12:44 PM on 08/29/2011

I applaud the moral standing that this photographer is taking. It's about time that people started saying "enough is enough" when it comes to school bullies. School administrators refuse to do anything to these bullies and they basically get away with murder.

It's about time that some within the business community have decided to tell these students that there are consequences to your behavior and I applaud this photographer's action in NOT photographing these students. If school administrators wont do anything than I'm glad that others are taking it to the next level.

Your behavior has consequences and this is going to be a very valuable lesson to school bullies.

Oh, and for every moron who is claiming that these photographers are school employees? WRONG ON ALL ACCOUNTS. They are contracted to perform a service and the U.S. Constitution protects these photographers from not taking photos of someone if they believe it offends their personal convictions. Believe it or not, threatening behavior is a personal conviction.

[PeeWeesHerman]

03:32 PM on 08/29/2011

which specific insult did you find the most offensive?

[Loyal Whig]

06:17 PM on 08/28/2011

As an agent of the school this photographer violated these students first amendment rights.

I hope her parents sue the school for violating their free speech.

I am surprised, so many people on the Huffington Post are ready to throw away the first amendment because they hear the buzzwords cyber bully.

[Mary Diamond]

06:44 PM on 08/28/2011

Most high school photographers work for third party publishing companies, and many seniors tend to go to private studios for their portraits -which sounds like the case here. This photographer canceled appointments with private clients, which she has every right to do.

You do not have a first amendment right to a picture in the yearbook, either.

[Loyal Whig]

10:17 PM on 08/28/2011

Most photographer have an exclusive deal with the school to take photos and you are not allowed to provide your own photos.

This photographer is a grownup, these teenagers are children.

If this was my child she treated this way, you can bet I would talk to the Principal about that contractor being allowed to advertise her business on school grounds. Her job is to take pictures of students not conduct internet searches on the students that clearly is an invasion of privacy.

Why is an adult searching the internet for what kids are posting on Facebook?

[Loyal Whig]

09:00 PM on 08/27/2011

The School should fire her. She is no better than these teenage girls. The only difference is she is a grown up and these girls are still children. She is bullying them by not taking their picture.

[TMS3100]

12:05 AM on 08/28/2011

You do have the right of association.

[Hektik]

02:48 PM on 08/28/2011

Did it ever say that she was employed by the school? I had to go to a 3rd party photographer for my senior pictures. She has the right to refuse clients. I say that its legit that she has done this.

[Helen Greenfeld]

04:54 PM on 08/25/2011

That Jennifer is an extraordinary human being. Jennifer not only said something she did something. She is a highly principled young woman who lives and breathes values.

[PeeWeesHerman]

08:43 PM on 08/28/2011

thats great....when did the 2 of you first meet?

[graceland9]

08:14 AM on 09/06/2011

Absolutely, Helen - fanned!

[Helen Greenfeld]

08:20 AM on 09/06/2011

Great minds think alike :)

[realityCheckInTheMail]

06:13 PM on 08/24/2011

Brava! Kids need to **learn** social graces from the adults in their lives. All too often, adults say "it's not my kid, what do I care".

Bullying isn't inevitable. Kids can be taught not to bully. When I was growing up, I spent time both at a low budget summer camp, and a low budget public school system. The latter had bullies, the former didn't. The reason why? The counselors and administrators at camp were involved in the social lives of the campers. The teachers weren't - not even the coaches.

I played both sides of the bully coin growing up, but I grew up the most at camp, where I was taught social skills.

[Redtopp]

11:24 AM on 08/24/2011

BRAVA! TAKE A STAND..ANY KIND OF STAND...BUT STAND UP TO THIS KINDA MEAN SPITEFUL BEHAVIOR -- NOT TO WORRY THO, THEY WILL HAVE THEIR PICTURES TAKEN SOON ENOUGH-- THE POST OFFICE WILL BE PLASTERED WITH THEM... THEY ARE CALLED MUG-SHOTS!

[Dan Gerszewskiq]

12:17 AM on 08/24/2011

I'm glad that someone sees how to really deal with the problem.

It's too easy to sit back, and demand a school implement a program or add yet another zero-tolerance policy to the ever-growing list, but the real solution requires the community.

It is the community that creates a permissive culture that allows bullying, it is the community that has to point it out and say it won't be tolerated.

[legalaid]

10:26 PM on 08/23/2011

Good for her.

[Cait Wheeler]

03:09 PM on 08/23/2011

so I hope you people know...you can call anyone "bully". Don't be so quick to judge and applaud this overgrown teenage girl who you all think is some saint. lmao.

[champions1]

07:10 PM on 08/23/2011

well then don't try to bully us....we can think for ourselves....ok

[Cait Wheeler]

08:23 PM on 08/23/2011

you clearly cannot. now don't bully me...see how easy it is?? or do I need to explain AGAIN? :D ugh,never mind just don't reply to this,I may just be getting dumber acknowledging you.
How very mature and open minded of you people.

[AdamWest1313]

11:45 PM on 08/23/2011

Are you aware of what bullying is?

[Cait Wheeler]

12:04 AM on 08/24/2011

are you unaware of the fact that you are all assuming they are bullies? once again,these comments are so full of immaturity I feel ill. Our society is declining because people like you can't separate entertainment from actual news. yes,bullying movies are so entertaining on Lifetime but you clearly forgot to learn the moral of the story.