Theft from school, how to approach

pulliptears

My DD is 10 and always asks for a nice pen for school. Originally she had a fountain pen which she loved because she said she could write neater with it. It disappeared from her desk, presumed stolen. We replaced it, and 2 more fountain pens vanished as well...

I took her shopping a few weeks ago and she pointed out a very weird looking pen that apparently had a grip on it to ease writing. A few other girlfriends of hers had these pens and grudgingly I bought her one. It cost £4.00 and I told her given the history she had to look after it.

She put it on her desk yesterday as they are told to do with her books and then had to go down for her saxophone lesson. As you guessed, it to has gone walkies.

Im rather annoyed to be honest. Yes, I could give her a cheap biro, but her writing does suffer and why shouldnt she have a decent pen for school?

I was considering writing to the school, or maybe nipping in to see the head (her teacher is away ill until after easter), but do you think Im making a fuss over nothing or am I right to be a bit miffed?

melancholly

does she have a pocket that she can keep it in? or scratch her initals into one. then if it goes missing again she can tell the teacher right at the time when it happens and they can see who it is. if multiple students all use the same pen it's going to be very difficult to prove theft. if you're buying special pens to help her write better, i think it's completely fair that you're miffed that 4 have gone missing!

flower7

No you are not making a fuss over nothing someone is stealing and getting away with it. Tell the teachers and try and label the pen. If you use a fountain pen you can put a small piece of paper inside with your childs intials on or scratch the inside in a particular way. If it gets stolen and your child sees the pen later being used they can ask the teacher to check if that is their pen. Good luck

squashy

I used to tippex my initials onto my nice school stationery!

horsechestnut

You are not making a fuss. Report it. It will draw attention to the fact that someone is stealing. It may well stop, if only because the thief doen't want to get caught!

pulliptears

Thanks all, some great suggestions there.

I think I will mention it to the head on Monday, he is usually out greeting the kids as they arrive (its a very small school, that's what adds to my annoyance!). None of the ones that have vanished have had her name on them unfortunately, I think I had far too much trust in her classmates. Added to that the teacher asks now that they leave all bags etc in the cloakroom and the kids leave their books and pen on the desk so its more open to things going missing.

In the meantime I will buy her another pen and try some of your suggestions for marking it.
Thank you

ailuro2

I have one of thsoe handwriting pens but it doesn't seem to help much, tbh!

The nicest writing I do is with rollerball pens, which are about a pound each.

Buy her some of these, and use a hot needle held with pliers to mark an 'X' on the end of the pen, then fill it in with tippex.

It won't be her name, but is easily identified as hers if someone steals it, then she will know who it is and be able to point it out.

It might help to take a picture of it to have proof.

I agree she should keep things in her pockets if they go missing from her desk.:mad:

borntobefree

I'm not sure kids should have pens in their pockets - it's abit of a safety issue if they are running around, I think:o

pulliptears

borntobefree wrote: »

I'm not sure kids should have pens in their pockets - it's abit of a safety issue if they are running around, I think:o

True, hadn't considered that. I was thinking more along the lines of "ink all over the school polo shirt" myself

Ephemera

Hope you manage to get it sorted pullip, a theft is a theft and the perpetrator(s) will likely pinch bigger and more expensive things if nobody does anything to stop them!

Zazen999

I had a whole pencil case stolen from me whilst I was at Catholic school - it was big, fluffy and had fantastic pens/pencils and all sorts of other goodies in it. i was devastated. I was 7.
i never went into the playground again, and from then on used to help the nun that ran the art classes during break and lunchhours by cleaning up the morning paint and setting out the afternoon paint.

To say it had a long lasting effect on me was an understatement.

I am still in therapy for my stationery fetish. My heart is pounding at the very thought.

You need to see the head immediately, before it goes too far.