to ask you not to buy Christmas presents for teachers.

[Crabapple99]

I have seen several threads on the topic, so want to give my point of view and experiences.

1. Many staff are not allowed to accept a gift above a certain value ( £3 in my school) so these big gifts, especially class gifts, leave staff in a very difficult situation, causing all sorts of paperwork and recording, and leaving us open to accusations of favouratitsm from families, and other allegations

1. Many staff don't want gifts, quite often the item is unwanted, even edibles, if the box is big, heavy, and we already have too much to eat over christams. It is also embarrassing to have to accept.

1. Many staff worry about the reason for the gift, especially if it seems some pupils and their parents feel pressure to keep up: I've been given gifts in the past that when I know the family can't afford even a couple of pounds, it makes me feel terrible. I've had gifts in the past which I suspected were stolen, which makes me feel worse.

1. I don't really think there is a problem with Christmas cards, but even then, as someone who could easiluy have 300 pupils on my timetable, even then that can get a bit overwelming, not to say meaningless.

1. A very small token, such as one of those tiney boxes from thornton's with just two chocolates in, is a nice way of acknoledging when a teacher has really gone above and beond, for your child, but even that is unnessesary rreally.

Hope I'm not coming across as a scrooge! I love christams, but dread this aspect of it.

Infact the only education establishment I have ever worked in where I have not been allowed to receive gifts or cards from my students was in a prison. But that was not for potential bribery about grades!

The only "gift policy" I could find

And it is not in the UK

Why would you bin presents? At least if theres too many chocolates, just distribute amongst family and friends. Bet the teachers in that school are a right barrel of festive joy!

Oh, just hiding here on TES Opinion - mysteriously, a poster has just appeared claiming that she is banned from accepting any gifts also. What a coincidence!

Crabapple is clearly a troll or just plain bloody barking mad!

Just a thought - is this thread for real? is this not a hoax type thread? I am starting to think so. None of the OP's posts and experiences are anything like any other teacher/TA's experiences on here, not even those in the LEAs the OP mentions.

X-posted.
Normal rules dont apply crabapples
I think there's enough evidence in this thread that in regular pupil/teacher relationships, presents are appreciated.
You could have saved yourself a lot of grief if you'd posted your last post a long time ago.

I'm still very about your 'teachers' throwing presents and not recycling them in some way

And crabapple99, what kind of teacher are you? you can't even bloody spell! Hopefully maths!

Is this a 6 Form College?

Can under 16s go to prison?

How do illegal immigrants get to go to school?

YABU OP. DD1 is a teacher last year she got a few presents from her pupils. She found that quite touching but didn't expect everyone to buy get a her a present. When our DD's were in year 7 we got something for their form tutor and they just gave cards to the other teachers.

trololol

Has anyone else noticed that op's spelling has got worse since she said she was dyslexic? It wasn't that bad before but it's terrible now, sort of as if she's trying to prove it......

Animation - under 17s don't go to prison as such. Between 17 and 21y then they go to a Young Offender's prison, above 21y they go to a normal prison. Some YO and normal prisons are in the same building and are mixed. Under 17s would go to a juvenile centre - usually a secure childrens home or a detention training centre iirr.

I wonder what happens to the gifts grougt to the office (feenie 's link poster) Does the HT scoff the lot? Give it to charity?

In some schools they propose to parents give a donation to the chosen school charity in lieu of giving gift but it is not as rule, people can still give gifts. I have given little gifts to my DC teachers, not as a bribery but as a thank you for the time they spend teaching them things I could not myself. I would imagine most parents are doing it for the same purpose and are not expecting special treatment in exchange for a chocolate box.

'How do illegal immigrants get to go to school?'

Detention centre perhaps?

MrsRB Either that or the Op is confiscating the wine as children come into school and is keeping it for herself

Crabapple99 even if I was an illegal immigrant or my kid was in YO, I wouldn't want you teaching them, they'd learn FA!

grougt, sorry, that shold be brought of course!

For Christmas I DEMAND a spell check option on MN!!

crabapple - do you work in a normal state school within England?

I really want to be a patholgust now.
What qualifications do I need?
And what is a patholgust anyway?

Yes, yes, of course Akira, so as to prevent the children from possible arrest....

Cos wine is illegal innit.

So what is she, a teacher or a patholgust?

I

think she is drinking said illegal wine whilst typing, hence the spelling getting progressively worse :)