Gracehill PS (Ballymena) sending £2000 to Africa.

happy_gardener

Note came home...we want to send £2000 to Africa so all kids (the whole school)have to do a sponsored walk and bring in £5..that is £5 per kid not per home. The school already sends all old school uniform to the same named school.
Last week there was a letter (from Head:Lexie Scott)in the local Ballymena Guardian about how families on lower income feel too embarrassed to claim free school meals. I wonder was this just for his school )Gracehill PS). Then this week he talked about how the severe school cuts have not yet been felt within schools. Yet he expects families to put in £5 per kid.
There is pressure from the kids to bring in the money, as when I said that I did not have the £15 to send in(3x£5)...my kid said..."Oh, you shall have to send a note in". My child embarrassed as to the prospect of not bringing in the dosh. Aren't people supposed to be able to say no, of just give in what they can afford, in this harder economic time. My youngest is 8 and they felt under pressure...isn't this terrible...i should point out that I am nether a low income family, nor am I against charity work.....I do voluntary chary work myself.
No word about asking families whether they minded supporting this particular charity, or if £5 was too much, or if it was ok for the kids P4-P7 to was about 4 miles from Gracehill to the Diamond in Ahoghill and back. I wonder did they take all medicines for the asthmatic kids??Mmmmm??
The younger ones walked around the school.

Instead of gifts for teachers, or Xmas selection boxes for kids, they prefer the money to go to charity...good Idea....and you pay £1 on monday coming, kids then can go in their own clothes and they get an easter egg....so they get a gift at easter but not at xmas, and you still have to pay.
If only this school put as much effort into the schooling of the kids as they do for charities then the kids would get a better deal.
Do not get me wrong. I shall donate all the kids uniforms once they finish Gracehill (can't wait) and if they wanted tray bakes for a school sale then i am only too happy to help. But the tone and emphasis this time was different.
Again, "fur coat no knickers", as this will be a perfect photo opportunity for the school...the facade of the school is perfect, but it is only when you are in the system , then you see how flawed it is.

absoluteutopia

Ouch at all that slander and even suggesting that the staff wouldnt have the childrens meds. At least you will be easy to find, Gracehill is a small school so there cant be that many parents with 3 Kids aged 8 up.

Pretani

just wait til the letter to raise £1000/kid to travel to Africa comes in, then you'll be sh#tting bricks.

Bet you the teacher is one of those global warming tree-huggers too, more concerned about people on the opposite side of the planet, yet they'll happily drive past a tramp in their eco-friendly chinese built car

parkmoy

Pure moral blackmail. You should support the charities you want to. Nothing against the school having a 'pet' charity but virtually bullying you into supporting it - no way. Complain to the governors.

Old_Git

did you write to the head teacher to express your views .

Snoozle

absoluteutopia wrote: »

Ouch at all that slander and even suggesting that the staff wouldnt have the childrens meds. At least you will be easy to find, Gracehill is a small school so there cant be that many parents with 3 Kids aged 8 up.

Its got over 400 pupils, is that not actually quite big for a rural primary school? Most of the others in the Ballymena area have less than 200 !

jadedson

Wait til they get to big school, the demands for money for this and money for that become even more frequent.

mamabuddah

if they go to Cambridge House, they have a "voluntary" donation you are expected to pay every year to cover coach trips for teams and other exciting stuff like books etc...they will even write out to you to remind you you haven't yet paid your "voluntary" donation...perhaps they should spend a few £££s in poundland, purchase a dictionary and look up the word....

happy_gardener

I am not against raising money for charity. It really was the tone that annoyed me this time. My kids felt bad that they would not potentially be sending the desired amount in. Do we not have a choice as parent who we support, and the amount we can afford to send in ? if it was a pound or two then ok, but I have not got a spare £15 to send in. I am worried that they will sneek in their own pocket money to cover the cost....I am sad that they are embarrassed...but I am a devil if I do and a devil if I do not..... They have so far gone on the walk to Ahoghill and back, but as for sending in the money I cannot do, I did not want them to miss a day off school. I have not signed anything...and at least the exercise did the kids good! All that money raised from comic relief for Africa and yet we are bullied into giving more...more than some can afford.

In reply to complaining to the Governors/PTA...I do not think it would make a difference...they too are above the normal parent in terms of income. The principal (lexie Scott)is also a local councillor and if he is seen to be doing all they great things for charity then the facade continues. Again a photo occasion for the school, I am sure.

In reply to the first person stating this was slander...it is not...it is just one opinion..and I know I speak for several people with kids at the school. I do not know whether they provided mediciaion for the asthma kids, but kids are not allowed to carry theyr inhalers on them in school, as this is what a friends kids are told.....so you can see how this idea can be suggested...again this is just my opinion.

Again I will say that I am not against charity and I shall definately give the uniform in at the end of their school time.But giving in so much at a time when fuel etc is so expensive is a bit much.
I do not think the staff are tree-huggers as suggested..... but the overall income of parents is higher than the average. I think the PTA is manned by people who are above carboots sales/cake sales/car washes way of raising funds.

My kids are a few years away from entering Cambridge house...but the Principal there seems to be a good person and she is from a secondary background (Downshire, Carrickfergus) so therefore has practical outlook on things..and I would fully support her. Lets hope my lot get in there, or the Academy!!

happy_gardener

absoluteutopia wrote: »

Ouch at all that slander and even suggesting that the staff wouldnt have the childrens meds. At least you will be easy to find, Gracehill is a small school so there cant be that many parents with 3 Kids aged 8 up.

Thanks for you comments. I value all opinions. I might not agree, but you have taken he time to reply.

facingthefuture

I agree and think very well paid headmasters and teachers,with jobs that are more secure than many with lots of holidays, should NOT put this sort of pressure on families who quite frankly are trying to put food on the plates themselves. Fine, raise money for charity but do not announce what will be raised before it happens and strong arm people in to it. OP I am seething on your behalf. Surely you could enlighten the headmaster/governers how inappropriate this behaviour is?