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

seven-day-weekend

p.mckinlay wrote: »

When my husband was teaching he was given a bottle of wine by an 18 year old pupil and he was very embarrassed. Teachers are paid very well for the job they do and should not expect anything extra. I would complain to the headteacher and refuse to give anything! I used to give a box of chocolates or some nice bubble bath to a good teacher.

Same here, my husband would get sometimes a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates and a few cards from the pupils themselves, no organised collection, that is totally wrong and I for one would not give to it.

CKhalvashi

scotsbob wrote: »

Do you want your kid to get good grades or average grades next year??

Bit of a no brainer really, a bargain at £25 I would say.

Except this isn't the case when it comes to external exams!

CK

chelle_m

This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard, they can't expect you to give an amount like this. I imagine the press would be very interested in this. Has it been discussed with other parents? I'm not sure I could have kept a straight face to someone who requested vouchers for themself rather than a charitable donation.

So what if you had twins, you give £50?

kazt2006

As a school business manager i had the same reaction as one of the other replies - where is this school!!!

The thing you don't say is whether the £25 is to be split by just 2 people in a single class or across the whole school staff - either way it's still disgusting but some how easier to stomach if split between all staff in school. You also make it sound like this has been going on for years unchallenged?

Regardless I still don't agree with it. It's like paying a member of staff a bonus for coming to work. Check the schools "Charging and Remissions Policy" which Government funded schools are required to publish on their web-site. In this I think you'll find that all are voluntary! I would complain to Head Teacher and the if not as someone else suggested the Governing Body. Your Governing Body will have Parental representatives, find out who they are and speak to them.

Finally if part of a Local Authority (Not Fee paying, Free Schools or Academies) complain to the Education department or Local Councillor.

I am appalled that any school could send such begging letters home!!!

Funky_Bold_Ribena

oldtrout wrote: »

Yet another case of MSE making their MMDs up!!!

Hardly a dilemma is it? £25? NO WAY ... Voluntary, ANONYMOUS contributions fine... the child doesn't need to know the amount their parent has contributed.

Total unacceptable!

What's unacceptable? The £25 request or MSE making their MMDs up?

HouseofLoxley_2

A teacher as exceptional as this one - at least in her own eyes - will surely not object to her "recognition" being made public, in the local press and tv/radio, and the teachers' trade newspaper The Times Education. It sounds like she is so "up" herself.

I'm a retired teacher: the most memorable gift I received from a class was a "bracelet" made from heavy-duty steel(!) by one of the students - I was (apparently) known for wearing a silver ID bracelet. Looking back over the years, to me it's worth its weight in gold.

[Deleted User]

One question that hasn't been asked yet,is whether the collection is the idea of the teacher themselves, or someone else at the school, with tree teacher simply expressing a preference if they are going to be getting a gift.

Lhope_student

I have to say that the request from each child of £25 is appalling.:mad:

I certainly think that you should be raising this will the school governors. As a governor myself I would be horrified if I thought this was going on in my school - it is wrong to demand a thank you and gift in this way. I agree with some of the points made about enquiring about the schools gift policy and if it does not have one suggesting this as a way forward when you contact your board of governors.

joannie

£25 is absolutely ridiculous. Donations should be up to the individual and how much they can afford or feel is appropriate. Surely the teachers do not expect this amount.

If you are pressured by your son, just make a small donation, not the £25.

gloriouslyhappy

Maybe it was a typo and they left off the decimal point? £2.50 per pupil sounds reasonable, £75 is a nice but modest total split between teacher and assistants, and saves the deluge of 'best teacher' tat to which others have referred.

Try explaining to your child the school made an error and give him £2.50 to take into school with a note to the school admin saying you've noticed the error. That way he'll feel better at not being the odd one out, and if the school really did intend the ridiculous amount of £25 per pupil, they'll have to explain it to you - just imagine someone having the cheek to write 'dear x's mother, we don't want £2.50, we want £25'!