To not agree with the way the PTA have asked for donations?

[LittleMissGerardPoppyButler]

Prepared to be told I am unreasonable, but genuinely interested in opinions.

Our school PTA sent a letter asking for donations (gifts) for the Christmas event in December, and said they are to be in this week, and any child who brings a gift gets to take part in a treat afternoon on Friday, which includes snacks and a DVD.

I don't mind them asking for donations, and always send something in, but I don't like the way they have asked, they are basically saying its compulsory!

AIBU to not like this and think its unfair?

YANBU. Horrible. I would complain to the PTA.

Yes, nasty and unfair.

I mean, "YANBU and it's nasty and unfair ..."

No, that's not on.

Not very inclusive is it?

YANBU. I think that is awful.

They are very silly thinking they will all be in this week for a start , i reckon 30% of the proper parents will do this , 30% of the normal folk will hand them in , in dribs and drabs over the next week or so and 30% won't bother at all

Terrible! Surely some parents will not be able to afford to send in a gift? And surely someone is bound to forget and with then feel terrible?

I think it's always wrong to reward/punish the children for something that the parents are in sole control of.

donation - a voluntary gift (as of money or service or ideas) made to some worthwhile cause

Hmmm, a very bad idea, poorly thought out and discriminatory. I am surprised that this 'request' was approved by the Headteacher, if indeed it was. It would never happen at my school. No child is left out of any event if they haven't paid for it, why punish them for something their parent's have or haven't done? Cruel and unnecessary.

OP, can you send a note to the headteacher explaining your concerns about this, that donations to the PTA are voluntary and children should not be either bribed or excluded in this way? Good luck.

Thats pants - we would never do that. We collect booze and smellies the day before our xmas fair, the children have a non-uniform day and are asked to bring a bottle of something, most folk manage to find the oldest bottle of wine (probably won in the previous years raffle!) but not everyone remembers or has anything spare, we don't send those children home to get their uniform

Thank you everyone, glad it's not just me.

A few of us chat on Facebook and we feel strongly about this so we are each sending a message to say we are not happy.

Be interesting to see if the head is aware of the letter.

My daughter's school had a big Christmas Fair and asked if cakes could be brought in for it; and on the Friday children could wear home clothes in return. But they made it very clear that the request was max 1 cake per family, and towards the end of the week we were then told any child could wear home clothes that day. Seems a different "vibe" to the OP.

Another Christmas fundraiser in progress is a colour-themed hamper that each year-group prepare for auction (or raffle - I forget ...); a variety of stuff can go in and it seems to work quite reasonably.

yanbu

The school my boys go to expect you to send something in for each child every friday for 4 weeks in the build up to the Christmas fair. Only children who take something in can wear their own clothes on each of the Fridays. I think it's a bit over the top.

It's unfair, and I also don't think they should be giving kids an afternoon off school for such a crap reason.

dreadful! I am a stalwart on our PTA and we ask, nicely, for bottles/tombola prizes etc in exchange for a non uniform day, but we certainly do not keep tabs on who brings what and who might be in mufti without having donated. What a way to segregate the kids whose families absolutely cannot afford to donate a single thing! Awful!

Yanbu. I always try to accommodate appeals for fairs (3 sons at school so it's lidls and poundshop). That's not very inclusive!

YANBU.