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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the school are robbing bastards!

39 replies

JaJaBinks · 15/12/2010 20:23

Dc each came home from school with a pack of Christmas cards today.

The school have apparently got the children to colour in a xmas picture that they have then had printed onto xmas cards.

They then expect us parents to pay £6 for a pack of just 8 cards. we weren't even asked about this before hand, they've just sent the kids home with the cards knowing how bloody hard it would be for parents to say no!

I have 4 DC in the school!!! TWENTYFOUR BASTARD POUNDS

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 15/12/2010 20:25

:-O

i would hand them back on principle actually! that's really bad

Imarriedafrog · 15/12/2010 20:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bumpybecky · 15/12/2010 20:27

just say no :)

you must have had children at school a while now (assuming you've not got quads in reception!) so know how often letters begging for money arrive. I don't send money / cake / other random items every time they send a letter home, let alone once per dc.

Grow some backbone woman and say no! :)

thisisyesterday · 15/12/2010 20:27

actually, do you know what I would also talk to them about it as well

because it's a bloody waste of money isn't it? if parents don't buy them then they've wasted money and paper and time getting them printed

not on IMO

PositiveAttitude · 15/12/2010 20:27

Xmas Shock No way!! Can't you take a photocopy of each one to keep the DCs happy, then send them all back to the school.

HollyBollyBooBoo · 15/12/2010 20:27

YANBU

I love the sentiment of what the school are doing but £6 for a pack of 8 cards is just a ridiculous amount of money. Someone in the school has made a serious cock-up there.

Original poster
JaJaBinks · 15/12/2010 20:27

I think I will have to send them back, really can't afford that much money. Talk about emotional blackmail though!

OP posts:
HappyMummyOfOne · 15/12/2010 20:27

Its just a fund raiser, say no if you dont want the cards but plenty of parents will probably love them.

Onetoomanycornettos · 15/12/2010 20:29

would not bother, they send the photos home too and my two pleaded for them for about five minutes, but I'd made up my mind this year and said no. They won't care in the long run.

GypsyMoth · 15/12/2010 20:29

The dc won't notice if you hand them into school office once they are in class. Then if they ask, just say you sent them in the post to people

Original poster
JaJaBinks · 15/12/2010 20:29

It is a nice sentiment and I wouldn't have minded a couple of pounds, or the chance to buy a single card for 50p or something, I could have got one of each. It seems like all they want to do is make money at every opportunity.

OP posts:
Original poster
JaJaBinks · 15/12/2010 20:31

My eldest is in yr6 and youngest in YrR. I am use to them trying to make money but since the new head took over last year its got ridiculous

OP posts:
Original poster
JaJaBinks · 15/12/2010 20:32

My DD in yr3 is in the school choir and last week they got together with a few other schools to do a concert. You'll never believe how much the tickets were £18 each!!!!

OP posts:
onceamai · 15/12/2010 20:32

I think I would be minded to write a letter to say you were extremely disappointed that you were not asked before the cards were printed and had you been asked you would have said no. The letter should also explain that you are not in a position to pay 24pds and neither do you wish to disappoint your children. I think you should graciously offer a donation of what you feel you can afford to pay for each pack, ie, one to two pounds and explain you think this is reasonable as presumably no other parent is going to want to pay any more than that for the exquisite and collectible designs produced by your dc.

After that make sure you get each child to write a card to the head teacher thanking him/her for their generosity.

Bloody ridiculous and it's not often I swear on mumsnet.

nancy75 · 15/12/2010 20:33

schools do want to make money at every opportunity - its so they can buy stuff to make school better for your kids!

Twinklenips · 15/12/2010 20:33

What HMOO said, they're trying to raise money for extras for YOUR child. You don't have to do it!

Yulephemia · 15/12/2010 20:34

Cheeky! DD's school to the card thing, but they send a wee proof home first with an order form if you want them printed.

santadefiesgravity · 15/12/2010 20:34

The dc's school do this too. We never buy them. The dc never know I havn't bought them.

Imarriedafrog · 15/12/2010 20:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MarianD · 15/12/2010 20:43

I agree about the colouring in thing- not impressive!
My daughter's school do the cards, but they design the whole picture themselves, we get one sample sent home and we can then CHOOSE to order some.
They are not cheap, but I just buy 2 packs to send to immediate family.
The PTA do use the mony earned to pay for stuff like extra books in classrooms, theatre visits for the kids etc, so I don't mind a bit, BUT I only have the one child at school.

Takver · 15/12/2010 20:45

DD's school has done the teatowel thing this year - a far better idea (and they're only charging £3.99 for it!).

Agree £6 for 8 cards is insane, especially combined with the blackmail of sending them home.

santadefiesgravity · 15/12/2010 20:47

Sorry at the dc's school the pic is completely drawn by the child and it is just one sample card sent home and you keep that sample whether or not you order.

KangarooCaught · 15/12/2010 20:47

And what are they going to do with the cards when you send them back? Bin them?

I'd be very tempted to make up a pack of 8 out of the 4 packs, pay £6 and send the rest back Wink

unfitmother · 15/12/2010 20:50

YANBU!

strawberrycake · 15/12/2010 20:51

I'm a teacher and EVERY year I get hassled by companies trying to get our school to make cards, they are really pushy. One year a rep even said 'Hi are you Mrs x' he then said 'Hi Mrs X, your head has instructed us that you wish your school to work with us, I am ringing to confirm times and numbers'. I laughed at him (if you knew our head you'd know why I laughed at this, a walking Scottish Sterotype).

Our offers though have been better though, pictures or their own artwork. Colouring in is plain lazy.