Photo ID Check Protocol
Exactly how a coach checks photo ID against the authorized-pickup list before releasing any child at Rainbow DJ Lab.
Status
This policy was adopted by the Ras Tafari Inc. board on October 17, 2026. It applies at every pickup, from the first class.
The rule
Every pickup, every time, every adult. A coach checks photo ID before releasing a child, even if the coach knows the adult well, even if it is the enrolling parent, and even if it is the last week of the season. Checking everyone means no one is singled out and no one is skipped.
What counts as photo ID
Any current photo ID that shows the person's name, for example:
- a driver's license or state ID card (any U.S. state);
- a passport or passport card;
- a consular ID card;
- a military ID;
- a city or other government-issued photo ID.
Expired IDs are accepted only if the photo clearly matches and the name matches. A photo of an ID on a phone is not accepted.
We do not ask about immigration status, do not copy or photograph IDs, and do not record ID numbers. The sign-out tool records only that ID was checked.
The check, step by step
- The adult comes to the coach at the sign-out point and says which child they are picking up.
- The coach opens the child's authorized-pickup list in the sign-out tool. (Only coaches can see it.)
- The adult shows photo ID. The coach checks: - the name on the ID matches a name on the list; - the photo matches the person in front of them; - the adult is 18 or older.
- The coach checks for any custody order or "do not release" note on the child's file.
- The coach checks the adult appears able to take the child safely. If not, the Impaired adult protocol applies.
- If everything matches, the coach records the release in the sign-out tool: who picked up, the time, and "photo ID checked."
- The child leaves with the adult.
If something does not match
| Situation | What the coach does |
|---|---|
| No ID with them | Child is not released. Coach calls the enrolling parent. The adult may return with ID, or the parent may send another listed adult. |
| Name not on the list | Child is not released. See "Someone not on the list" in Arrival and sign-out. |
| Photo does not match the person | Child is not released. Coach calls the enrolling parent. |
| Adult is under 18 | Child is not released, even if the person is a sibling. |
| Person barred by a court order on file | Child is not released. Coach keeps the child inside with the other adult and calls the parent; calls 911 if the person refuses to leave or tries to take the child. |
| Adult becomes angry or threatening | Coach does not argue or physically struggle. The second adult keeps the children together and away. Call 911 if anyone is threatened. |
Every "not released" event is written up the same day. See Incident reporting.
Why we are strict
A coach who is relaxed about ID once has to be relaxed every time. A 9-year-old cannot be expected to say no to an adult they know. The check protects your child even from mistakes made in good faith.
What you'll be told
- A call at once if anyone tries to pick up your child without matching ID or without being on your list.
- On request, your own child's sign-out records: who picked up, when, and that ID was checked.
Sources
- U.S. Center for SafeSport, MAAPP (supervision and release of minors): https://maapp.uscenterforsafesport.org/