Bring something in for Harvest Festival or detention

[Chopstheduck]

Is this teacher being reasonable? Please tell me before I fire off a very cross email to the school. Dd's class were told this today - half haven't donated.


We don't usually bother, because I'm not christian, I don't celebrate harvest festival and I prefer to donate food and cash where and how I want to rather than be coerced into donations.

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

WTAF? The teacher is being unreasonable.

Donations are voluntary ffs.

[SkiLift]

well get all the parents to turn up for detention then. As it is the parents who chooose to donate or not. That would make 'em look foolish.

[CasperGutman]

I don't think the teacher is being reasonable at all. Some pupils will be from the very families food banks etc exist to help. What's the logic in trying to force these families to contribute, and punishing the children if they don't/can't?

[LadyBeagleEyes]

Are you sure she threatened detention?
I'm not religious but had nothing against buying a couple of cans of beans or other food items, when ds was little. It was just part of the school year like Easter and Christmas. It all goes to a good cause.

[ProudNeathGirl]

I do think the school are being unreasonable, but would add that you don't need to be Christian to be thankful for a good harvest. It's not orignially a Christian festival anyway.

I think I would send something in, a)to avoid embarrasment for DD and b)so that DD feels they are contributing to helping more needy people. (I know you give money, but this is something for her to do)

But also point out to school that donations are voluntary!

[WorraLiberty]

I read the thread title as though they were asking kids to bring in food to eat during detention

But if that's right it's outrageous OP

And totally unenforceable

[Chopstheduck]

I asked dd about three times now, and she is pretty adamant. She is 12 so not really at the age to get easily confused.


It's not really about the cost, it's the principle of the matter, i don't know - blackmail? I donate food already elsewhere, and do never really given it a second thought when the requests come home.

[Katienana]

I think yabu not to donate something, but school is being more so by issuing threats. Not really in keeping with the spirit of the thing.

[fuzzysnout]

If that is true then the teacher is BU. However it would be wise to check what was actually said before you fire off very cross emails.

It is your right to donate whatever and whenever you like, however if you are in a financial position to be able to donate a can of supermarket basics food to a good cause it would surely be a kind thing to do at little inconvenience to yourself which would teach DD a valuable lesson about helping those less fortunate, regardless of your religious beliefs.

[allthefun]

chopstheduck when the price of everything goes up next year because of this years appalling harvest, you may realise the importance of harvest.

Hopefully schools make it more than the importance of bringing in a tin though!

[Svrider]

Wow this is totally unreasonable
I genuinely wonder if some of the kids will be going without their tea, so they can donate it

[cornsconkers]

Where is the food being donated to?
Allthefun - your post sounds very patronising.

[Chopstheduck]

Tins or cans I think.


I know I probably am being unreasonable not donating, but it's not something I've really thought much about or dug my heels in over - I'd just prefer to give the extra tins to my preferred cause so i just ignore the letters, and it's never really been an issue before now!

[Ephiny]

That's ridiculous, of course donations should be voluntary.

Maybe instead of an angry email, phrase it in terms of checking whether you've got it right (even if you're sure you have!).

[Chopstheduck]

local foodbank I think, and the elderly. Though most of the elderly around here have a lot more money than me, not really sure how that works!


I do appreciate that some people don't have enough food, and I'm non anti-charity - we DO donate food and money as a family. I jsut never really gone along with the whole church aspect of harvest festival.

[Chopstheduck]

Ephiny, good idea!

[Ephiny]

For me it would be about the principle of it, rather than the 30p or whatever.

[Chopstheduck]

dd doesn't have any pocket money. She raided £20 of dt2's money, so is paying that back and still owes £30 in library fines

I could add the 30p or whatever onto her debt, but it's really not the point! I've got tins in the storeroom I could donate, but it should be a choice.

[ExitPursuedByAaaaaarGhoul]

I once sent a tin of peas that was out of date

[UndeadPixie]

"I think really the pupils should be purchasing that out of their pocket money." We're supposed to teach kids that donating is from the goodness of our hearts, most kids would feel like it was a punishment if they had to donate pocket money (no matter how much).

[FireOverBabylon]

Being an utter shitstirrer, could you send something like dog food - because their pets will need food as well won't they miss?

Definitely food, definitely useful to the right person, just not what the school had in mind.....

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

I think YABU. It's a tin of whatever, which apparently you can afford, and harvest festival is hardly an indoctrination session into fundamentalist Christianity. Why embarrass your DD just to be stubborn?