Teacher gift: unprofessional?

[WizardLizardsLotus]

Young primary DC. We had a class whip-around for a Christmas present for the teacher and TA. On the last day of term, the teacher handed out Christmas cards — but not to all the children. She made it clear that some were excluded because their parents didn’t contribute to her gift (a substantial John Lewis voucher). I understand she feels under-appreciated and I know teaching can be a really tough job, but this just seems cruel. It’s a state school and some families won’t have the money/don’t speak much English/have a different religion. Some parents just didn’t contribute for whatever reasons. But surely you don’t exclude a child for that?

I feel like I should say something so it doesn’t happen again in the school. But what?

How did she know?

I didn’t contribute to class gift. But teacher has no idea because the card was signed from “class parents”

This is SO unlikely to have actually happened as you describe.
Are you sure it wasn't thank you cards that were being handed out?

This issue aside, this teacher will be shit. No question if she behaves like this.

So I am pretty sure you have more serious grounds to complain about, just add this to the list

If - if - this happened yes you complain. But bear in mind you could be wrong.

Surely they were thank you notes!

My spidey senses tell me that there’s more to this OP and you and this teacher don’t get on? How do you know this happened?

If this is true I am gobsmacked and I would definitely have to say something.
I did the Christmas gift this year for our class, in usual years its a suggested £10 donation and the mum puts the name of the children who's parents contributed in the card (same mum does it every year).

I said people could give what they felt comfortable with and signed the card from 'class name'. Not everyone gave in but I wasn't leaving names off a card.

I think its horrible to leave children off the card when there could me a million reasons their parent didn't chip in so for the teacher to do this, IF they have done this, I think it's disgusting. I am wondering (hoping) you have been mistaken.

I can’t see a teacher doing this. It was thank you cards , or it didn’t happen.
Teachers are professional people and rise above such pettiness.

Thank you cards, surely. Under no circumstances would a teacher exclude children from a little Christmas card. You’re mistaken. I guarantee it.

It would have been thankyou cards.

If this story is even real...

Presumably they were thank you cards. But really, I think even thank you cards would be on the edge of inappropriate. Precisely because there is room for misinterpretation amongst the little kids who tend to hero worship their teachers.

Teachers don’t generally give every child in their class a Christmas card. Thank you cards for gifts, yes.

I always write Christmas cards for all of my children in class!

Goodness me…..

This is unusual from a teacher.

They will have been thank you notes.

Yeah I'm sure that happened

When did state primary schools get like this?

Class reps and all that shit..

God, this is what you expect in private schools.

Heads should issue notes in newsletters that presents are not required. Especially if the area has some deprivation factors.

I'm just waiting for the

'I'm the teacher in question' post. It's coming,

It's poor form to identify who contributed to a class gift for this very reason. And the teacher could have done happy Christmas cards for those who didn't and thanks and happy Christmas for those who did.

@EVHead

I write a Christmas card to every child in my SCHOOL. I have never known a primary teacher who doesn't send a card to every child in the class!

They were obviously thank you cards if this happened at all. For maximum teacher baiting you should have posted this on the day not two weeks later.

Yeh right....

Did you not get a card op @WizardLizardsLotus , surely then you’d know if it was a Christmas card or thank you card?

Were you in the room when the cards were handed out?