To think school shouldn’t insist that everyone wears a poppy and donates £1

[moonlightholly]

It’s supposedly in a deprived area too - there are constant reminders of the high percentage of pupils with PP.

Also, I don’t think a school should insist everyone wears a poppy - or AIBU?

I am pretty anti-poppy, but I go along with it for the school. I don’t do politics with the kids. It’s only £1 and there are loads of things throughout the year charity wise.

What did PP please OP?

Pupil premium.

Pupil premium I suspect. I agree with you OP. In better times perhaps but with schools creating their own food banks and kids coming to school without jumpers, a well known charity doesn’t need £1 from a family where Mum hasn’t eaten a full meal in months...

I agree. £1 is a lot to some families and they might have more than one child in the school.

I am an avid wearer of the poppy and think it so important to remember - but others who don’t wish to should have the freedom to make that choice.

How can they insist? What if you just don't?

Our school just asks for a donation, most kids seem to wear a poppy but not all.

Why Streetwise?

Thankfully dd school makes them out of paper
No cash down for us
It's literally just a fun craft project for her

Now the day the school demands we attend a dawn service is the day the school learns how anti morning and anti war love I am

What do you mean they insist ? They can’t refuse a child to attend. Quick email to the head maybe?

Our school is in a very deprived area. We said that paper poppies were sold 'for a donation' - didn't put a price on it.

Newsletter makes it Very Clear This Is What Is Expected.

Fuck knows tbf

Very unfair. I hate this compulsory poppy wearing and poppy shaming. It makes a mockery of it all.

I refuse to wear a poppy however I find it more disgusting that in a deprived area they are forcing kids to wear one and donate a £1. Are they trying to soften the children up so they are easy pickings for the army when they come canvasing?

I still haven't got over the RBL's treatment of the women's section. After years of supporting the charity, it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

“Why Streetwise?”

I dislike the annual poppy circus and awful jingoistic stuff like festivals of remembrance with gun salutes, military fly lasts etc. There’s nothing solemn nor dignified about it.

I also deplore how the poppy charity and those who publicise the poppy never criticise the government who create the requirement for this charity and do not look after soldiers who have suffered.

In amongst this annual mass hysteria there is no acknowledgement that WW1 was a complete and utter obscenity. There is no recognition of the worst war crime in human history with the dropping of nuclear weapons on Japan. There is no recognition of the millions of civilians who died across Europe and the Far East. And when the UK has been in recent foreign adventures the annual poppy bonanza has been used as promotional propaganda for that.

It’s awful and I take nothing to do with it.

I don't wear a poppy so I'd be miffed at this.

Forcing poppy sales undermines the poppy

@DDIJ that's the reason I don't wear one as well. I will still remember them though, just minus a poppy.

I did wonder if it would start to wane after 2018, but it is still going strong. I suspect anyone who says it’s become a bit meaningless would be crucified.

What exactly does the newsletter say?

Is there someone selling in the playground? If so, was it the Pupil Parliament who came up with it?

Because all charity decisions in our primary were made by the Pupil Parliament, and there was usually one event a term plus selling of Poppies.

No minimum donation for Legion Poppies though. So you could get one for 1p if money is the reason.

If you disagree with Poppies, then you will need to tell your DC's teacher (much as anyone with an ethical objection to anything that happens in school needs to do). If enough people do that, then this might not happen in future years

(Same for withdrawing from assemblies of religious character - until parents voting with feet occurs, there will be no change)

@StreetwiseHercules
Just out of interest, have you got any living relatives that were alive during WW2?
My now deceased grandparents and father were, plus my still living mother. Gf in particular fought in WW2, was a POW and clearly suffered undiagnosed PTSD. He was extremely proud of his fellow soldiers and did lots to support the British Legion in his later years. They supported him a great deal. I wear my poppy to remember him and what he suffered in the war.
BTW, I’m very anti war, would have been devastated if my children had chosen the armed forces as a career, have marched in demonstrations against wars, and feel very strongly about peace. But I wear my poppy with pride.

I'd be tempted to send my child in with a white poppy.

Without meaning to be disrespectful, whether I have living relatives who were ever in the military isn’t relevant. I do though.

I’m also a teacher and would never advocate making children wear a poppy let alone making them pay a set amount to do so. I do, however, use it as a teaching point about the history of war, and the futility of it all.