to think that school have a bit of a cheek

[bluevwcampervan]

A school employee is leaving and forms have been sent home to be filled in for a donation for the leaving present. No problem with that but then they expect you to fill in your donation amount and the name of your child ... surely a letter and the name of the person to send the donation to would suffice! A bit crass or aibu?

WTF?! It's a bit crass to ask for a donation for a staff leaving present full stop, isn't it?

Surely it is up to other staff to buy the leaving gift? I have never heard of this. Even when DS's headteacher left the school last year after FIFTY years of service, parents weren't asked to contribute. That's not to say that the head didn't get loads of leaving gifts, but we weren't asked!

Am

Do you want to donate? If you do, don't write anything on the form.
If you don't want to, throw the letter away, I'm sure you wont be the only parent to do it.
My 2ds school asks for 'voluntary contributions' but if you don't pay they send a snotty letter home!

Surely it should only be the staff that make donations?

I wonder whether money has "gone missing" before? Is it another parent asking or school?

I've also noticed in the last couple of years an increase in group presents only being from those who have donated (any amount).

Not sure what I think about this, because it's hard on the children whose parents don't bother or can't afford. Otoh I've noticed that the parents that get stroppiest about what the gift is/who hands the gift over/other petty things are usually those who haven't donated

But I wouldn't like that myself. I'd probably happily put the name down, but write something like "undisclosed amount" on the amount bit.

A note saying bring your purse there will be a collection box being rattled at the gate is one thing, but non anonymous demands for donations quite another.

I know we had one collection for our longstanding head because some one found out she had was a mad keen baker and wanted a new mixer.

The letter's already in the bin! Just thought I would ask for the general consensus. Yes, it is up to the staff in my opinion.

SkinnybitchWannabe - that is unbelievable.

The donation needs to be returned to another member of staff, marked private and confidential.

My dc don't even know this person and have had nothing to do with them!

Yanbu

I hope whatever is raised will be declared to the appropriate governing body.

I find this inappropriate and unprofessional tbh.

I am sure the member of staff leaving would be embarrassed if they knew this was happing.