Theft from school, how to approach

bestpud

Definitely mark it somehow - we've found etching works best as there is no way of removing that. It can be useful to put something colourful on it too as it is immediately visible, even from a distance, and can be enough to deter an opportunist. Anything really which will render it unusable unless the thief puts in some effort!

With regard to you 'making a fuss', I think you've been more than patient so far!

Teacher2301

Any theft should be reported but as a teacher its very difficult to prove any thing in class especially after the incident. I teach secondary school pupils and we have no authority to search bags now-a-days and the pupils know it - they do it deliberately to cause a fuss and to wind-up other children to disturb the learning - this is one frustrations of the profession and as a parent as well.

barnaby-bear

pulliptears wrote: »

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?

Any key shop or H Samuels can engrave those metal parkers. Thing is as she gets older just putting her mobile down on cafe table will get it swiped so maybe she has to be aware there are loads of theiving scum out there and she has to keep a close eye on her stuff. Tell the staff so they can check bags etc...

bestpud

Zazen999 wrote: »

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.

Ok, I have to ask!

Are you for real?

melancholly

Zazen999 wrote: »

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.

what a sarcastic, unecessary and unhelpful post! in the OP's position, buying special pens to help their daughter write better, i think they're prefectly justified in being annoyed that they are repeatedly being stolen. it's money being lost due to a child stealing - and on multiple occasions... it's not about whether theOP's daughter is 'scarred' from the experience of losing a pen, it's about a parent having to pay money out all the time beacuse there is a thief in the classroom!

anonymousie

Absoltuely report it- TBH I might have let 1 get "lost" but to be on no4- wow!

Everything any child takes into school should be labelled though, we have these for most things http://www.clivemark.co.uk/shop/product.asp?s=cxgaat39929&strParents=&CAT_ID=10000&P_ID=100004 and they are pretty good- easy to use and they stick well- after a bit are hard to get off!!

I guess it shows my age (and that of my parents) though that I do value stuff like pencils even enough to bother to name them- not many do now (with a pencil I use a penknife to strip the paint in a small strip and write the name/initial in biro!).

I have finally managed to curtail the naming fetish though- I no longer name socks and pants (though my mum will when she visits us if I'm not careful:rotfl: )

My dad has a littl engraving tool that will work the name into metal/plastic -my music stand is30yrs old and has my maiden name engraved in it:rotfl: .

Zazen999

melancholly wrote: »

what a sarcastic, unecessary and unhelpful post! in the OP's position, buying special pens to help their daughter write better, i think they're prefectly justified in being annoyed that they are repeatedly being stolen. it's money being lost due to a child stealing - and on multiple occasions... it's not about whether theOP's daughter is 'scarred' from the experience of losing a pen, it's about a parent having to pay money out all the time beacuse there is a thief in the classroom!

I am aware of that - but my post was the truth???

4real

Loving your grammar though.

Gallovidian

Report it. don't let it slide.

We let too much slide.

It will scare the thieves if nothing else, let them know that not everyone thinks their behaviour is all right. Don't rely too much on marking, some of them will steal to destroy or merely to cause suffering rather than solely for gain.

Let the school staff (those that are not off sick) know that at least one person cares
about what goes on.

Gingham_Ribbon

I'd tell the class teacher and suggest that she leaves the pen on her desk next time and the teacher keeps watch to see who lifts it...

queenb1981

you could try marking them with permanent cd marker pens. thats what i do