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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teacher's Tea Fund

158 replies

Foxtrot92 · 07/09/2017 21:32

I work as TA in a very small school, working only 2 hours in the afternoon, 3 days a week.

Today a teacher approached me and asked for £15 towards the tea fund for the term. She was very nice and said that's what everyone was contributing.

I refused politely saying that I'm only in 6 hours a week, bring in my own mug with tea and sugar in and only use a splash of milk. I did offer something towards the milk or offered to start bringing in my own. The teacher flapped muttering 'fine, if that's how you want to be' before storming off.

WIBU? As a TA on 6 hours a week for minimum wage, I can't afford £15 for a tea fund I hardly benefit from. I don't eat the cakes and biscuits they buy (don't like cakes and biscuits Shock ).

OP posts:
tinytemper66 · 07/09/2017 21:34

YANBU. I wouldnt pay into a tea fund if I didnt benefit from it.

MummytoCSJH · 07/09/2017 21:34

No I don't think you were since you offered to contribute a small amount towards the milk or bring your own. £15 from every staff member must add up to quite a lot Hmm

Moanyoldcow · 07/09/2017 21:37

I hate those funds - really detest them. Of course you weren't being unreasonable.

Smoothyloopy · 07/09/2017 21:39

In our office the amount you pay in is based on the number is days worked & reduced again for those who bring in their own tea/coffee.

OliviaBonas · 07/09/2017 21:40

It should be pro rata. I would pay £5 tops. Perhaps you could buy a milk once a half term (maybe parents' eve week when more hot drinks will be consumed) and you'd be quits.

HiJenny35 · 07/09/2017 21:41

I'm a teacher and I never paid into ours and got grief about it. I don't drink tea or coffee. Totally reasonable not to However I do think you need to start bringing your own milk in now (or much easier get a load of those plastic milk UHT samples to keep in your locker about £6 for 100 online)

Floralnomad · 07/09/2017 21:43

If by term they mean until Christmas I think £15 is very reasonable , assuming they are buying reasonable quality tea / coffee . It's perfectly reasonable to say no but if you will be having a cup of something everytime you work that's actually not a bad deal .

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 07/09/2017 21:44

Yanbu
If you feel brave get her aside next time and gently explain as you only work 4 hours a week you hope she understands that you don't want to take the Micky but that's 2 hours salary ?!

If she is not a complete bitch she will feel a bit bad I hope

SavoyCabbage · 07/09/2017 21:45

I've always pretended that I don't drink tea of coffee just to keep out of the politics of mugs and milk rotas. I take my own water in my own bottle.

ChocolateRicecake · 07/09/2017 21:46

I drink neither tea nor coffee so don't contribute to ours, but I do separately buy biscuits :-)

Auntpetunia2015 · 07/09/2017 21:48

We have this in my school. And we've had lots of people saying they don't want to pay. We charge £15 for the term till Christmas our deputy head worked out of you have 3 cups a day every day of the school year it works out at 6p a cup. Suddenly no one minded paying

BluePheasant · 07/09/2017 21:49

£15 for one term!?

Not in a school but in my department we pay £24 for the whole year! Covers tea, coffee, hot choc, milk and biscuits. It's so cheap that most part time ppl don't mind paying into it as well as it's still worth it.

I think they just want lots of extra money for cake!

Aliveinwanderland · 07/09/2017 21:49

I don't pay in, I don't drink tea or coffee and bring my own squash.

ALittleMop · 07/09/2017 21:50

Everyone should pay pro rata to their hours
Obviously

RippleEffects · 07/09/2017 21:51

So you do 3/15 of the breaks, assuming am, lunch, pm? So proportionally your contribution could possibly be considered as £3.

If that is more affordable and there are any more rumblings/ mutterings would that be a compromise to offer?

mummmy2017 · 07/09/2017 21:52

It's worth bring in a bottle of milk once a term, the 4 pint one's that cost £1, and give it to the lady who asked for the money, and tell her it's to make up for the amount you use each term, I would do it when everyone was in the staff room at lunch, so they all know your not taking the mickey...

AJPTaylor · 07/09/2017 21:53

Well on that basis OP owes about 2 quid based on 3 cups a week for 12 weeks.

Theresnonamesleft · 07/09/2017 22:00

Every year we get asked if we want some of the staff well fare fund going towards tea etc or do we fully want it going to other things.
I don't know why more schools don't do this. To have a kitty also means the school has to pay for refreshments for all their visitors. Because we buy more together it works out cheaper.
We are also told every year how much tea, coffe, sugar and milk costs.

Original poster
Foxtrot92 · 07/09/2017 22:01

I work two hours an afternoon after the lunch break. I have one cup of tea (if that), even then it's my own tea and sugar from home in a flask. Buying the milk once a half term sounds like a good idea!

OP posts:
AnnieAnoniMouse · 07/09/2017 22:03

YANBU. She is BVFU

I really wouldn't give it another thought, you can bet you are not the only one who thinks she's out of line.

Leavingonajet · 07/09/2017 22:06

Our tea fund was pro rata with a clear tick sheet for payment. I think offering to pay a pro rata amount is the diplomatic way forward. A contribution of a few pounds would show you to be a team player without being unfair on you.

ForalltheSaints · 07/09/2017 22:08

YANBU. I hope the teacher responds in a better way to polite refusals from children or their parents.

NeonFlower · 07/09/2017 22:09

Big impasse at our work because the tea only drinkers don't want to fund everyone elses expensive ground coffee habit.

DressedInBinBags · 07/09/2017 22:10

This is why I drink fruity tea! No need to milk.

WishfulThanking · 07/09/2017 22:10

Wow, every company I have ever worked in provides tea and coffee for free! I didn't know a tea fund was a thing! My current place of work even has an urn so there's always instant hot water. I am very grateful.

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