To Think I Shouldn't Pay Full Whack for 'Educational' School Trips?

[JoffreyBaratheon]

On the breadline, here. Minimum wage, tax credits, 5 kids only 2 still at home the rest are adults. Xmas coming; this very week have had to pay for husband's work do, colleague bday contribution - even £15 down is enough to turn into a tailspin for us and we have somehow had to find and put aside a small amount of cash for our teenagers' xmas present.

Now I just have had a call from my kids' high school 'finance officer' (wtf?) insisting we pay £30 for a school trip that is happening in March.

I said due to our circumstances, I can only pay some of it now and some later.

Pisses me off because I used to teach in the inner city and if a parent couldn't afford to pay for a trip, I'd turn a blind eye, tip the secretary the wink, and so long as the forms were signed, the child came along. I wanted to pay only £10 now but after some argy bargy, she pressurised me into £15. On the twatty Parentpay website, so she said she would go into the site at her end and adjust the amount (she hasn't - but I know it is a primitive and badly designed site so maybe they can't?) She said even if I pay £15 now I have to pay the rest in January.

She caught me on the back foot - I was busy and had no idea who she was or why she was phoning.

Now I am starting to feel royally pissed off. Are educational school trips still not free or reduced for the poor, then? How the fuck I am supposed to find £30 not only christmas month but with one boy needing new shoes, them both needing hair cuts etc etc.

If schools can afford to employ 'finance' people they can afford to cover shortfalls on trips, no?

Or is it me being the dick? It's a long time since I was a teacher but I did everything in my power for every child in my class to be a part of every trip and with zero humiliation for parents. I handled it myself (no 'finance officers') and I handled it kindly and discreetly.

Or do we now have to pay for educational trips in full regardless of circs? What happened to that voluntary contribution thing?

We have a local charity that will provide funding for school trips - anything like that close by?

Lulu there is a limit to how many times I can repeat myself. The trip is in March. We normally pay for trips closer to the date they happen. Normally = every trip I have ever paid for in over a decade (apart from the residential my oldest son had abroad).

The christmas do was already paid for - not money he could have clawed back even if he'd wanted to. Husband never has the money to go out and do anything much - neither do his colleagues. They are all on minimum wage - except their manager. Who is not on a wage private companies would generally pay management, either.

Like millions of people on minimum wage they provide an essential service.

The friend's birthday present (a mighty fiver) also paid and gone a couple of days before I got the "Emergency! Pay me today bitch!" phone call. Probably said that several times upthread but hard to hear over the rattle of your pitchfork.

It's dealt with now.

stopfaffing you put into words better than I could. This kind of thread shows MN at its batshit worst and its lovely best. I have been on the internet a very long time - I've seen the mighty warriors of the internet many times. If I could afford to go down the pub - I'd raise a glass to them. ;o)

Oh as if. Everyone on MN would have had total sympathy had you not a) drip fed ridiculously and b)not been so antagonistic about a job which after how ever many years you know nothing about.

FFS. some people really get off being nasty.

Exit, I was not 'drip feeding' - I didn't think anyone wanted or needed my entire life story and the reason I stopped teaching. When it became apparent that the thread made more sense if I explained I was a carer - I explained. I'm sorry. Next time I start a thread, I will supply you personally with my entire life history and my vital statistics and what my dog ate for breakfast, before I hit 'Post Message'. As you are so bored without all the extras, upfront.

Although personally I don't think it was really the 'drip feeding' that was bothering you. And although it is a nice attempt, that was not a good save. Or even a save. You still look an arse for posting such a pointless, unpleasant thing after I mentioned my son's disability.

Sigh, Joff you can never win with the 'kick you when you're down' types that mn can attract. They know they're arses , but can't help themselves. Hope 2016 is a better year for you all.

Cheers, stopfaffing. You are right. I just didn't want to let that little gem upthread pass unremarked. The rest I can cheerfully ignore!

Hope your 2016 is lovely, too as you certainly deserve it to be. And everyone else on this thread.

Have had a fun day making xmas wreaths from willow from the garden with Son 5, and later tonight, he's decorating the tree. (Also dug up from the garden before I'm seen as enjoying frivolous expenditure!) These small things seem to mean a lot more when you have less money which is, in itself, a gift.

Told Son 4 about the phone call - and he knew immediately who this woman was. Nuff said.

For the record my post was just because you were talking about the fund to pay for trips and it just reminded me of the clothes show trip. I was in no way insinuating you were doing anything similar.

I am slightly offended by you saying I hadn't tried enough. I tried everything with that girl and her parents. I was supportive of her going on the trip despite her rudeness. I even said nothing when she flaunted all her new expensive clothes in front of everyone else. I offered to help her do her homework at lunch or after school but she always rudely refused. Her mum was rude every time I rang up, even when I rang home to praise. Her mum never once turned up to a parents evening. It was a secondary school in a deprived London area and she wasn't the only student to get a free ticket, and rightly so. She (well her Mum) is the only one who abused the system. You did come across as holier than thou; it wasn't necessary in my opinion. However, if you misunderstood my post as being 'aimed' at you then I can sort of understand retaliating by having a go at my teaching. Teaching is bloody hard and is not the same as it used to be. I'm not saying you had it easy, but things change. For the record I am 'outstanding' for whatever that's worth!