Real-life MMD: Should I pay fixed contribution for teacher's gift?

gristm

Is there really anything to debate here? Teachers are paid to do their job. The practice of giving teachers a present for doing what they are paid to do is ridiculuous. If you feel the teacher has delivered over and above what is expected as part of their job for your child then fine give them a present of your choice. I am a volunteer youth group leader and it is very rare to get anything at all from the same parents who think it is normal to give the paid teachers a present. Yet I give up a lot of my free time and some of my much more limited annual leave than that received by teachers to take their kids away.

pollypenny

fergiedee wrote: »

You truly are i in a million and there should be more like you

No, the prat who expects £25 from each kid is the one in a million. ( If she exists at all).

Don't tar us all with that 'greedy brush '.

How many more of we teachers have to post on here that we do not expect presents?

Furthermore, we really appreciate any cards or little gifts that we may be given.

wiffwaff

I see that many share the outrage I feel also at the bare faced cheek of this so called teacher and her assistant.
Thankfully much sense has been written on the previous posts,
I am sure the tax point is a fair one.
What sort of School is it a swanky private school, a free ( tee he) school, an academy or a good old state school. It would be interesting to know.
The child should be taught the valuable lesson that to be the odd one out is very often a very good place to be and will also no doubt save the parents from having to constantly deal with the so called peer pressure that seems to be the excuse for almost every silly garment and ridiculous fashion to appear.
My only other thought would be that if you don't donate, no name on the card and retribution next term?
Maybe Mum should forward this thread to the teacher for her moral enrichment.

MUM STANDFAST AND RESIST THIS OUTRAGE WE FELLOW MONEYSAVERS ARE BEHIND YOU>

L0upyl0u

If I could do it without causing son any embarassment I would be inclined to contact local paper and shame the school for its tactics.
Lots of people work hard and don't expect or get a tip. Personally when I worked in a bar I found tipping was demeaning as it made me feel like their servant not someone just doing a job to the best of my ability. I try to be good at my job and nice to people that I deal with because I should be not because it may get me a tip.

Mojisola

L0upyl0u wrote: »

If I could do it without causing son any embarassment I would be inclined to contact local paper and shame the school for its tactics.

The problem is the paper would probably want a photo of outraged Mum and sorrowful looking son to go with the story.

the_farmer

Fair to say that EVERYONE finds this outrageous - and rightly so. I would say that the parent who asked for this amount of money was either a dreadful show-off or totally bonkers (or both) and the teacher going along with it is not typical of the rest of her profession.

Most teachers I know don't expect these end of year gifts but they are appreciative of them - no matter what the actual monetary value of them are; it really is the fact that their work has been appreciated by the parents and the children.

I would certainly report this matter to the school Governors as has previously been suggested.

Care to name and shame the school as to where this happened ?

helen230578

I qualified as a teacher last year.

I most certainly do not expect to receive a gift for doing the job I am paid to do. (The guilt I felt for the seven-year-old who apologised that he had no gift for me when he saw me receive one from another child...he has no reason to feel bad.) It upsets me to think that a teacher believes they are due a gift (and I have unfortunately observed some teachers that do) but on top of that the ridiculously high amount adds insult to injury. I don't see how any school can sanction this.

I could not be without the smiles and coloured pictures I receive from the children throughout the year. I am lucky to be in the position that, when I feel like I'm having a hard day, I can look at the pictures pinned on my wall and remember who I am there for.

Perhaps there should be a rule that we do not receive gifts...

LisaW123

No.........

Mrs_Money

I am a Local Government employee (and an ex state school teacher). This amount being "demanded" from parents is ludicrous- a complaint to the headteacher and governors and a refusal to pay would be my advice.
In addition, as Local Government employees, we have all been issued with written instructions not to accept any gifts over the value of £10. I assume it's probably the same in any LA- so if this is a state school then staff receiving this level of gift are probably breaking their employment rules anyway- but since when did state schools care about that?

lkate

So £25 plus whatever taxes you have contributed towards education in that year. I think that's outrageous to be EXPECTED to do it. If it were me, I'd flat out refuse and wouldn't be "guilt tripped" in to it.

Unless your child's teacher has done something outstanding to support your child I don't see why they should receive a gift of this expense.