To be pissed off I have to buy things for summer fair?

[woodenrule]

I work in a school.

I have to attend a summer fair and run a stall.

AIBU to be a bit pissed off I have to buy these things? I spend enough on pens, glue etc.

Ask you for colleagues for second hand books and have a book stall.

Ask the Head of Yr 11 to contact Yr11 parents asking for unwanted items of uniform and sell the second hand uniform

Former teacher here.
This is the thin end of the wedge.
It is becoming more commonplace.
If it is directed time then obviously you have to attend/run a stall. You shouldn't have to pay towards it though.
Here is a strategy...think of something you want to do, then bound brightly up to SLT and directly ask them for the money.
If everyone did it then they might re-think this nonsense. Also, they really can't tell you to your face that you have to spend your own money. At that point you say no. Don't refuse to attend/run a stall but do refuse to spend your own money. Make sure you have witnesses around when this happens.
Your union is always an option.
Finally, if you are under standard terms and conditions (although since the advent of shit academies, many are not), you cannot be directed to work at a weekend.

YANBU. Usually parents do this not staff! And it’s still ridiculous imo.

*Wodkavodka
Rachelover40 ask your doctor / nurse / bank manager to run a stall on a day where they will not be paid to work? They are part of the community too! *

They probably already do some sort of unpaid service at times, just not running a stall.

You cannot be compelled to run a stall at the school summer fair. If you really object to doing it, you can get out of it. However you might actually enjoy it! Summer fairs can be fun.

Yes actually rachel, you can!

HTH!

Don’t buy anything. Run a shit stall.

I'm sure this isn't an allowed use of directed time is it in the holidays? Say no! And I say this as a teacher who does loads outside of directed time - that's cheeky!

Wrap a multicoloured scarf around your head and wear a floaty dress, take two chairs into a fairly secluded corner with a home made sign saying ‘Madam Zaza’ tells your future. No financial outlay needed. Make up a load of nonsense for each of the massive queue of ‘customers’ you will have.

Well I don't think that's right, woodenrule. School fairs and similar that I've been to in the past were manned by pupils and parents who volunteered. It should be voluntary.

Wrap a multicoloured scarf around your head and wear a floaty dress, take two chairs into a fairly secluded corner with a home made sign saying ‘Madam Zaza’ tells your future. No financial outlay needed. Make up a load of nonsense for each of the massive queue of ‘customers’ you will have.

Not the worst idea.

Or run ‘throw a sponge at the head teacher’ ?

Could you run a 50/50 raffle? No outlay for a prize as the winner gets half the takings and the other half go to the school. The more folk that take part, the more prize money on offer. The only outlay is a book of raffle tickets and you can redeem the cost of that from the prize money.

No rachel, directed time stipulates it.

Just because the ones YOU went to were manned by volunteers doesn’t mean every single one is.

Learn a magic trick with some marbles/dice and some cups.

Even if it’s shite, so what? Charge 10p, none of the kids will do it and you can sit there all afternoon playing with your balls.

The HT needs to manage this better, not you.

Could you not keep receipt and reimburse yourself? Then just profit goes in the pot?

I would love to see their break down of how this is directed time. I bet it isn’t. I bet that’s taken up my teaching and PPA and meeting and parent Eve etc etc. It’s just a way to try and bully you into doing this.
And I expected you’re going to have to pay to drive or get public transport. How shitty it would be if your car wouldn’t start.

How about a "Guess the combined age of the teaching staff"
It would cost nothing to set up, winner gets half and school gets half.*

Perfect!

I run a PSA, at a secondary school, we have staff helping at our Summer Fare, but it’s voluntary, and we cover costs. All the money we make goes back into the school, so staff are keen, as they see the benefits to students. It also helps to build a good community spirit. Most profitable stall this year was to throw a wet sponge at a teacher, it didn’t cost anything ..
we also contribute money to student support for uniform, shoes, school trips etc.

*woodenrule
No rachel, directed time stipulates it.

Just because the ones YOU went to were manned by volunteers doesn’t mean every single one is.*

Yeah I know all that, I said so. I don't think it is right to force someone to work for nothing in their own time, such things should be voluntary. Is it even legal to compel employees to do stuff on their days off? You can't be the only one who objects.

I hope you can get out of it.

I wouldn't. There's loads of good ideas here, though. However...how small is tour secondary school!?! There's over 200 teachers at our ordinarily sized secondary....that's one hell of a lot of stalls!

Our school has each form run the stalls. The kids come up with the ideas and then run them. My son's form did scalextric racing, 50p per race. No prize.

Have you got an old teddy knocking about? Grab an old map (the geography dept will probably have one) and draw squares on it. Kids pay 20p to guess where the bear is going for his summer holidays- whoever gets it right wins the near.

Not sure if it’s appropriate for secondary age but we do it at our (pta run) fair every year and it’s the cheapest to run stall I can think of