School charging for broken equipment

Owain_Moneysaver

Why is the school using netbooks with squeezable screens anyway?

Buy all means make him pay if it's deliberate, but if it was an accident then he shouldn't have to pay if the school uses consumer equipment and expects it to survive what will be on occasion less-than-careful handling.

mvteng

Teddy_KGB wrote: »

See link:

A new netbook is available for £175, plus schools probably get discounts for buying bulk, do schools have to pay VAT? We don't know how old the netbook was.

ok - its possible to buy a new netbook for £175. I don't see why that is relevant.

We have no info on the spec of the original netbook. For instance, my childrens schools have standardised on Macs.

Are you honestly suggesting that they have 20 identical netbooks where the teacher can run clearly through the instructions & demonstrate on the same model what to do, & then 1 random netbook that was bought purely because it was the cheapest available. That makes absolutely no sense in a teaching enviroment.

Marisco

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Why is the school using netbooks with squeezable screens anyway?

Aren't most screens "soft" though? I know (I've just tried it ) that my laptop screen is. It goes a funny color on the sides IYKWIM, but I'd have to give it a bear hug to bust it though!!!:eek:

puddy

with regard to insurance, even if the item was covered and able to be claimed on for this sort of damage (which doesnt seem to have been accidental, perhaps just enthusiastic?)

the school would still have an excess, i know our excess for our home and buildings insurance (and we dont have accidental damage to keep costs down), is about 400 quid or something (to keep costs down)

Teddy_KGB

mvteng wrote: »

ok - its possible to buy a new netbook for £175. I don't see why that is relevant.

We have no info on the spec of the original netbook. For instance, my childrens schools have standardised on Macs.

Are you honestly suggesting that they have 20 identical netbooks where the teacher can run clearly through the instructions & demonstrate on the same model what to do, & then 1 random netbook that was bought purely because it was the cheapest available. That makes absolutely no sense in a teaching enviroment.

What are you on about? Where did I say that this netbook was different to the others used in the class? The assumption was that all netbooks were identical, but even then they don't all need to be identical as long as they are all operate on windows and has the software required for the lessons.

I would be suprised if the schools aren't shopping in the bargain basement when it comes to IT as has been the case with the OP's nephew they don't get treated with respect!

Until we know how old the netbook was and what spec we can't decide how fair £115 is, but in my opinion they are taking the mick and given that he own up it should be no more than £50 by way of a punishment to make sure he doesn't do anything like this again.

Lotus-eater

I think what really matters here is if the damage done was malicious, or accidental.
When I was at school we didn't have the expensive things they have to use now, but if I had accidentally broken something in the science lab, then I wouldn't expect a bill.
If I had broken something on purpose, then I wouldn't have been surprised if I had a bill. But it would have to have been purely on purpose, not just playing about a little.

It sounds like he was just playing about a bit, no malicious damage, so I don't think he should have a full bill, but a small one would probably be a good idea, so he won't do it again hopefully, or as someone said, maybe he'll learn the lesson never to fess up.

Mallotum_X

Teddy_KGB wrote: »

What are you on about? Where did I say that this netbook was different to the others used in the class? The assumption was that all netbooks were identical, but even then they don't all need to be identical as long as they are all operate on windows and has the software required for the lessons.

I would be suprised if the schools aren't shopping in the bargain basement when it comes to IT as has been the case with the OP's nephew they don't get treated with respect!

Until we know how old the netbook was and what spec we can't decide how fair £115 is, but in my opinion they are taking the mick and given that he own up it should be no more than £50 by way of a punishment to make sure he doesn't do anything like this again.

Are you being thick or trolling. An IT department will usually have the same machines right though a system - or at least very similar ones. It makes networking a lot easier, troubleshooting etc easier and therefore the costs of running a system easier.

Machines used in schools and elsewhere are often more expensive than the cheap stuff you can get bargain basement often to be tougher, and be of a a more reliable spec. This kid has bust the screen. Getting a techy out to fix or even sending it off will have costs. The school is not going to go for some small outfit that does it on the cheap - and why should they.

The kid broke someone elses property, its only right he pays to fix it, without causing inconvenience to the people who have to fix it.

If he put a brick though your window, would you want it replacing like for like or can we stick a bit of old perspex in 'cos it costs less'

Grow up, £115 is perfectly reasonable. Hes lucky its fixable as the machine would more likely be of the £500+ variety than £175.

Its this namby pamby lefty attitude that in part led to kids looting shops. Its time kids realised that actions have consequenses. He wont do this again if he has to pay for it.

mvteng

Teddy_KGB wrote: »

What are you on about? Where did I say that this netbook was different to the others used in the class? The assumption was that all netbooks were identical, but even then they don't all need to be identical as long as they are all operate on windows and has the software required for the lessons.

Yes, but we agree that all netbooks arent all identical. The chances that the netbook you've found is identical to the ones used in that particular school are absolutely minimal.

I would totally agree with you on this point if we were talking about personal use, but the disadvantages of teaching with 1 random netbook dissimilar to all the others in the class would seem obvious.

Teddy_KGB wrote: »

I would be suprised if the schools aren't shopping in the bargain basement when it comes to IT as has been the case with the OP's nephew they don't get treated with respect!

As above, my childrens school have standardised on Macs, hardly bargain basement.

Teddy_KGB wrote: »

Until we know how old the netbook was and what spec we can't decide how fair £115 is, but in my opinion they are taking the mick and given that he own up it should be no more than £50 by way of a punishment to make sure he doesn't do anything like this again.

I'm more than happy to assume that the school have the ability to get a quote for the repair of a netbook screen. I'm also more than happy to agree that if his parents consider £50 to be a suitable punishment, then they have every right to apply it to him. However, in this case, the parents should still, in my view, cover the full cost of the repair.

Teddy_KGB

Mallotum_X wrote: »

Are you being thick or trolling. An IT department will usually have the same machines right though a system - or at least very similar ones. It makes networking a lot easier, troubleshooting etc easier and therefore the costs of running a system easier.

Machines used in schools and elsewhere are often more expensive than the cheap stuff you can get bargain basement often to be tougher, and be of a a more reliable spec. This kid has bust the screen. Getting a techy out to fix or even sending it off will have costs. The school is not going to go for some small outfit that does it on the cheap - and why should they.

The kid broke someone elses property, its only right he pays to fix it, without causing inconvenience to the people who have to fix it.

If he put a brick though your window, would you want it replacing like for like or can we stick a bit of old perspex in 'cos it costs less'

Grow up, £115 is perfectly reasonable. Hes lucky its fixable as the machine would more likely be of the £500+ variety than £175.

Its this namby pamby lefty attitude that in part led to kids looting shops. Its time kids realised that actions have consequenses. He wont do this again if he has to pay for it.

So I'm trolling or being 'thick' because I have a different opinion to you? It would be a pretty boring forum if everyone had the same opinions would it not?

If you work in a school IT department, then fair enough I will bow down to your supplier knowledge. I am basing my bargain basement assumption on the fact then when anyone talks about school budgets they are always described as being tight.

Can you please point out where I said the replacement netbook should be any different to what was damaged?

All you know is that somewhere in the UK a netbook was damaged by a 14 year old boy, so the rest is assumption, why shouldn't the OP's sister question the value of the invoice if they don't have to full facts of the case? If £115 is fair then pay it, but if it isn't then it is only fair to fight your corner for the correct value.

milliebear00001

He broke somebody else's property, through carelessness at best, maliciousness at worst. Who else should pay for it if not him/him parents?

It astonishes me that anyone would think there is a case for him not making financial amends, or that the school was in some way to blame for trusting him with it in the first place.

Man up, tell him he's been an idiot, tell him to be careful with other people's property in future, pay the bill, charge it back to him through pocket money/jobs around the house.

I suspect the bill is for repair. If you're that bothered about the fairness of the bill, ask for an invoice from the repair company - simple.