Can School Charge for Lost Books

FBaby

Yes, it is addressed to you, but it is about an issue that concerns him. If you want to consider it this way, then maybe you can write back to them and say that your son is now an adult and independent and you would recommend they take it up with him directly.

justontime

FBaby, I have asked very politely and clearly several times now that all I require is the answer to the question can the school make me pay. I do not require your/anyone's opinion on any other aspect of this situation. My question has now been answered and I am grateful to those people who answered my question rather than passing judgement

FBaby

It is the same old issue, a new post and the OP not accepting that people might provide views/opinion/advice.

I don't think my post was agressive nor judgemental. I provided you with a perspective which you could chose to consider or not. You had no need to respond defensively.

You got a response to the question you were after in the second reply, you yourself chose to expand and provide information on your son's ability to cope with the situation.

victory

I understand what you are saying fbaby that to teach/show him how to do it is more life useful than just doing it for him.

It is very hard to step back and realise that even though you have had to guide/help/sort out/interveene/protect/over compensate all your life for your sons disabilities and have been very successful otherwise how did he manage to get to Uni without your invaluable asistance? but now as a grown adult he should be trying to cope better with less mother and more him, most probably you feel that he could always need you but he would be better served to deal with you from afar, just scanning the area rather than in the middle of it all

System

From the school's point of view 2 books are missing. If it can be shown that they were in fact returned that should sort your problem, OP.

The choice is yours whether you simply write and confirm that the books were returned, or whether to phone the school and explain the situation. The latter might lead to them accusing your son of being mistaken, whereas the former might be more assertive (?) but that is just my opinion. It is up to you.

There is nothing more you can do about it today (Sunday) so I recommend to go out and enjoy the sunshine

Jagraf

Op it this has happened to me I would ask the school for their procedure regarding return of books, so that they can prove to you that he didn't hand them back in.

I'm not sure they can ask you for money without the correct procedure in place.

Also, is there proof that he had the books in the first place (we know he did, but again what is their procedure).

pollypenny

I would say that a school can charge for non-returned books. Each student will have been told that such and such a text book is on loan.

It's their system for recording returns that needs to be queried.

I aways asked students to return them directly to me, so that they could see me tick the book off in my file.

A-level students often wanted to buy the text, usually a novel, play script or poetry anthology, of course.

Mrs_Soup

Is there anything in the Home-School agreement which you, school and son may have had and signed at some stage about responsibilities? These are quite common now- I even had one for my 4 year old who clearly can't sign anything, but because they are normally done when the child is a minor it involves the parent too. If you have/had one it may not have anything like this in it but it might.

Indie_Kid

Did your son ever get given a form for the teacher to sign, saying the book had been handed in?

Buzzybee90

This happened at my school, but was sorted so I'd suggest the letter/call from him stating he and friend returned on such a such date.

But yeah books are very expensive and they have to take unreturned items seriously.