Teacher's Tea Fund

[Foxtrot92]

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 ).

Let them drink water I say. Biscuits? Bah humbug.

Our school pays for our tea, coffee and milk! In your case - of course you shouldn't pau full whack!

And I'm at a state school ...

EVERYWHERE i have worked members of staff not fulltime have paid a reduced contribution to tea/ coffee funds. Varying levels of complication in working out how much, but the easy solution to maintaining work harmony

I refused at a school too! YANU. Unless you're there full time drinking regular teas then you don't need to be paying the same amount. I once had a "bill" from the head which I nicely ripped and binned. Don't stress it.

Mino that is hilarious!

Independent school staff get a free lunch because they have to sit and eat with the children each day as part of their directed time.

olivia I have to sit and eat with children everyday too. It is not directed time of course, but i have to.

That's awful count, you deserve a break from the kids surely! I kicked up a fuss when I worked in a jail as we were expected to sit and eat in a windowed room with prisoners all around the outside staring in. I have nothing against them and loved working with them but felt I was entitled to eat my lunch with a bit of privacy for half an hour per day. Plus we got a lot of attention with me being one of the few younger women working there, so it was noses pushed up against the glass the whole time and made me feel like I was a zoo exhibit. I started eating in the toilet til it got sorted out.