To give less to the school 'voluntary' contribution

[mosschops30]

Ds1 primary (catholic) ask for a voluntary donation every year, suggestion is £15 per family.
Last year they put in the newsletter they were very disappointed with the donations.

WIBU to just give a cheque for £10 instead

Yes, seems an odd 2 threads to be running at the same time.

I pay (compulsory) $250 for dd's schooling per year. That's state school. 15 pounds seems small in comparison.

over £2700 per child per year for us, so you're getting off lightly!!!

Peronally I think it's immoral to agree to spend more on a prom dress than contributing to the school actually being able to educate your child.

It is such a MASSIVE priviledge in this country to have practically free education, right up until 18. I think to not pay £15 towards that when you can afford Spa Trips and prom dress is very very wrong. That £15 will go towards things like school inprovments, books trips etc, it isn't spent on Pimms for the teachers lounge.

personally

'It is such a MASSIVE priviledge in this country to have practically free education, right up until 18. I think to not pay £15 towards that when you can afford Spa Trips and prom dress is very very wrong. '

Education is free at the point of delivery, but we pay for it through our taxes.It is definitely NOT free!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you really think that every family actually pays enough in their personal taxes to cover all the things their family uses over a year? The education, the use of the NHS etc? For many families they actually take far more out the system each year than they put in.

That is a luxury. How many developing countries allow people to take out more than they put in? I really do believe that we are all very lucky to live in a country that allows someone on minimum wage, who hardly pays any tax to have access to education for their children, potentially life saving treatment in hospital which can cost £100,000 +

To begrudge £5 when you can afford to go to Spa Days is just a horrible attitude. 'Why contribute when I can get it for free?' Because if everyone contributes the school actually becomes a better place for all our children?

The fact that OP wants to do something special for her dds 16th birthday has nothing to do with the school asking for voluntary contributions! They are two completely separate issues.

If she doesn't want to pay the money to the school, she is not obliged to, she already pays tax! I have no idea why they are using this school, but even if they are not Catholic and chose this school just because it was the best they had to choose from, then that still does not mean she is obliged to pay.

My ds's secondary school asks for a contribution of hundereds each year. I don't have it so they aren't getting it, but I won't feel guilty that when I do have spare money I spend it on ourselves rather than the school, because that's what my taxes are for.

What Blu said.
At my dc' school (Italy) all the extra curricular activities are funded by parents' voluntary donations. I think extra curricular activities are very important.

The school have said its for buildings and maintenance. How dies it cost more to give religious instruction?

Ours is £75 per family, and until recently my 3 kids were at 3 different schools
(currently 2). All Catholic schools are obliged to fund at least 10% of their budget through the "catholic community", ie church and parental donations, this shortfall will not be made up by the local authority.
If you're struggling to find the money, fair enough ( although they usually allow staggered payments), but if you're just narked that you aren't given a breakdown of where the money is actually used, then YABU.

Agree with Mrs M. And there are teachers to be paid.

It is voluntary because it has to be called that, but it is needed, hoped for and, I would say, very reasonable.

I think parents who make the effort to pay the donation or above are doing the right thing for their children's education. Personally I think it's money better spent than spa days and prom dresses.

MrsM that's not the case at all in Catholic and CofE and Methodist schools - it's the money they have to find to maintain the buildings.

I'd pay the whole amount.