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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teacher telling ds to share his own equipment.

74 replies

Gigglebrain · 08/11/2018 14:42

So ds is in year 7, I had to buy all his equipment (glue, pens, pencils, etc), as the school does not provide anything. I have no argument with this as I know that schools are struggling, however, .he has told me that he’s run out of his gluestick and needs a new one, as his teachers make him share all his stuff with others in the class.
We are on a major budget, and I struggle to pay for things like this. Aibu to be annoyed about this.

OP posts:
BackInRed · 08/11/2018 16:00

Yeah like others said tell the teacher your budget doesn't allow for him to share his supplies end of.

Jenny17 · 08/11/2018 16:00

Buy very cheap stuff for sharing.

SassitudeandSparkle · 08/11/2018 16:00

YANU OP, is he willing to go in without a gluestick for a few weeks to make it someone else's turn? If the teacher asks him to share he can say that his has been used up.

RomanyRoots · 08/11/2018 16:01

And people wonder why those who can afford, go private.

What an awful state of affairs when schools are having to ask parents to fund other kids. There was a time when glue sticks and everything else was provided.
I would send a note saying you aren't prepared to fund other parents so your ds will not be sharing his equipment and suggest PTA cover the price of classroom resources if the school budget doesn't allow for basics.

AllTakenSoRubbishUsername · 08/11/2018 16:02

YANBU. His stuff = his to use. Maybe you could have a word with the teacher and suggest they ask for a certain contribution for 'class supplies' rather than for each child. The school could then get supplies with an educational discount and it would probably work out cheaper per parent anyway.

RomanyRoots · 08/11/2018 16:03

I've seen packs of 3 in poundshop, don't know if they are any good though.
They sell Pritt in there too, still just £1.

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 08/11/2018 16:07

This is why I spend about £100 per year on equipment for my classroom. I can afford it, I know the school and some parents can't, and I don't want children being put in a position where they have to provide equipment for others.

It annoys me because I know I'm playing into the government's hands, but I always get an outstanding in my work scrutiny, because sheets are always trimmed and stuck in, with my glue and scissors.

I tell the kids I buy them, and they do tend to take good care of my things.

I think the teacher is totally in the wrong, and I would complain.

Gileswithachainsaw · 08/11/2018 16:09

Buy very cheap stuff for sharing

I hate this train of thought.

I cant afford false economy stuff so I male the effort to try and source stuff as cheaply as possible but decent quality. That's not always possible to do cheaply. And we shoudnt have to just so other people can use borrow steal or break it.

I would prefer to chip in to a fund as and when I could.

But dds stuff is dds stuff

TragicallyUnbeyachted · 08/11/2018 16:14

The teacher has far far better things to do than to give a shit about glue sticks and to police the sharing of 11 year olds

Then maybe the teacher should stop policing the sharing of 11 year olds (by telling the OP's DS that he has to share)?

Fresta · 08/11/2018 16:15

This is secondary school!

It's normal for students to have their own basic stationary- pens pencils rulers and a glue stick!

It's not just one teacher- it's secondary- they have different teachers for different subjects- people don't write notes to the teachers in secondary!

AnotherPidgey · 08/11/2018 16:15

You're not unreasonable to find it annoying, but it's a sad reality when schools don't have the budget to provide materials and so many pupils don't bring them either. Meanwhile the SLT/ academy trust/ OFSTED are breathing down your neck and expecting well-presented books. If half the work is missing because it wasn't glued in, then teacher is in for a tough time justifying their teaching standards. Self-funding glue sticks for classes to steal, abuse or neglect gets very expensive, much more expensive than providing it for your own child.

Minimal budgets and "high standards" are a very unhappy combination.

Fresta · 08/11/2018 16:17

If school don't provide glue sticks then how are the kids supposed to stick their work in their book without one? - You can see why teachers ask those with them to share, otherwise it would be chaos with kids losing bits of paper everywhere!

SushiMonster · 08/11/2018 16:17

What are they doing that involved so much gluing?

DGRossetti · 08/11/2018 16:21

Buy very cheap stuff for sharing

The Sam Vimes "Boots" Theory of Economic Injustice runs thus:

At the time of Men at Arms, Samuel Vimes earned thirty-eight dollars a month as a Captain of the Watch, plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots, the sort that would last years and years, cost fifty dollars. This was beyond his pocket and the most he could hope for was an affordable pair of boots costing ten dollars, which might with luck last a year or so before he would need to resort to makeshift cardboard insoles so as to prolong the moment of shelling out another ten dollars.

Therefore over a period of ten years, he might have paid out a hundred dollars on boots, twice as much as the man who could afford fifty dollars up front ten years before. And he would still have wet feet.

Without any special rancour, Vimes stretched this theory to explain why Sybil Ramkin lived twice as comfortably as he did by spending about half as much every month.

wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Sam_Vimes_Theory_of_Economic_Injustice

Gileswithachainsaw · 08/11/2018 16:22

fresta

Then they send out an email reminding parents.

Equipment lists are in the prospectus and on the web site and in the induction packs kids are also told on induction days .

So no, I have two kids to kit out I can't afford to do any one else's and I'm sure that goes for the op and most if us too

Merryoldgoat · 08/11/2018 16:22

As a parent who could afford to supply extra glue sticks, I’d rather the school gave a list of items they could do with so I could donate them.

I don’t think your son should be forced to share but I do think the lack of school funding is disgrace.

BarbarianMum · 08/11/2018 16:25

I dont see any problem with parents having to provide their children with pens, pencils, glue etc in secondary school. I know education is supposed to be free but come on. Kids who know their parentscare on a budget are far more likely to take care of their stuff then kids who know the school will provide yet another pen / gluestick every time they ask.

Holidayshopping · 08/11/2018 16:29

To save you having to provide glue for the whole classs for the rest of the year, buy another one, but keep it at home.

If something needs to be stuck in, he can just tuck it in the book, leave a space for it to fit and then stick it when he gets home. So can everyone else.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/11/2018 16:30

But secondary schools have never in my experience provided stationery for pupils. I am 54 and had to take my own so it isn't a new thing. Considering the amount of text books they have to replace each year I am surprised more dont ask for a deposit that is refundable when leaving and all books have been returned.

Wheresthebeach · 08/11/2018 16:31

Ah Gluesticks. I swear they eat them.

Not unreasonable at all, but its life at secondary. Buy in bulk and try not to let it drive you nuts.

eggsandwich · 08/11/2018 16:32

I had a similar situation when my dd was in primary school, only it was her p.e kit that the teacher in the next classroom kept asking for my dd to lend it to one of her pupil who every week never brought theirs in.

I got fed up and spoke to my dd’s teacher and said it was not to be used by anyone other than my dd as I purchased it for her and only her to use, they got the message loud and clear.

IdaDown · 08/11/2018 16:32

I’d send in an email to the form teacher and cc in the head of year. Why - it’s very hard for a child to refuse a teacher (person of authority).

ShannonRockallMalin · 08/11/2018 16:32

Just asked DS (year 10) about the glue sticks issue as I seem to be constantly replacing his. His reply was that they have a competition to see whose glue stick can remain stuck on the ceiling of the biology classroom for longest Shock Blush

sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/11/2018 16:36

His reply was that they have a competition to see whose glue stick can remain stuck on the ceiling of the biology classroom for longest

That is brilliant Grin

Malbecfan · 08/11/2018 16:39

Please don't send a note or an email. You will just get the teachers' backs up. I've been dealing with these sort of messages from a couple of parents today and they are so irritating.

I completely understand that you can't afford to replace it and that's fine. When your child next needs to glue something in, s/he should say to the teacher, "I'm sorry but due to the rest of the class being told to use it, I don't have any left. Please could I borrow someone else's today." Job done.

I wish we didn't have to glue stuff in books. I wish we had enough money to buy textbooks, rather than relying on parents to supply the new A level ones. However, the government seems to think we have plenty of cash sloshing about. The reality is somewhat different...