Over the top teacher gifts

[SausagesSausagesSausages]

Our small village primary PTA has been organizing for all the teachers to have a day at the local very expensive day spa, and has been piling the pressure on parents to donate to this., saying individual names will be on the gift cards. It’s a very expensive gift, and I feel poor taste when there are families who are concerned about losing their jobs. We are in a reasonably wealthy area, although not all families are in this category. AIBU to say no way? I could probably afford it but I think it’s poor taste. BTW they really haven’t gone above and beyond, not compared to other schools.

Grim idea. I work in a school and I feel bad when families that I know are financially struggling send in kind and generous gifts that I don't need.

I'd hate a spa day, and the staff will know that the thumbscrews have been put on people.

Re declaring gifts, we have to declare gifts over £50 from individuals, but I don't think there's really any issue with a gift from a whole class or year group because there's no real bribery potential! I would still declare it though (were I ever to receive such a thing!)

I doubt my DC even remember their teachers as they haven't been to school for that long! They've not gone above and beyond as a PP said.

Jesus Christ @WoWsers16 can you really (really?) not see how you are coming across here?

Maybe 'you' do enjoy this..but seriously, are you so self-involved (or as one poster has already asked, immature?) that you can't understand the issue with the original posters point and post?

THIS gift is being given to EVERY member of staff who PROBABLY WILL NOT enjoy it in the same way that you do ffs 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

And the OP is being harassed in a very inappropriate way to contribute to something that a) she can barely afford and b) she knows will probably not be appreciated by some/many of the staff receiving it, thereby meaning her money is being wasted!

Are you really that shallow/stupid to understand this? It's not about you! It's about an entire body of people being given something that is very likely not wanted and another body of people being bullied into paying for it 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

I never asked for a collection, I never organised the collection, I did not know a thing about the collection - I'm not exactly going to refuse it once given to me!
Don't call me stupid or immature - I am neither - just because I don't agree with everyone else doesn't make me those things.
I don't agree with anyone being bullied into giving money for anything at all - and I love the artwork my children give me at the end of the year! I put them all in frames up In my classroom. However that does not mean I can't appreciate things. I don't work in a posh area at all- however I do work in a school that has gone above and beyond for every student and their family- and we have so many parents who are so grateful for everything we have done.
We never ask for gifts , and if parents don't want to donate they don't have too- they have a choice. In fact there had only ever been one other year that all clubbed together for shopping vouchers which was lovely,
Spa days aren't everyone's favourite things - fair enough, I would hate costa vouchers as I don't like costa- I also don't drink wine and the amount of that we have some years / but I'd never say- oh I don't like this and give it back.
This is something I can not control - but am grateful for.

The parents in the year my daughter is in are collection for the teacher and assistant, i just cannot afford it now, they want the money by Friday and i dont get paid for 2 weeks. I feel guilty as i have always contributed to collections, last one was for Christmas.

But they want £20 now, which to some is nothing but when you are skint 2 weeks before payday...

They must be up to £400 now easily.

@WoWsers16 if you didn't know anything about the collection how do you know how much choice parents had? How on earth do you know if people were guilted into it? Especially if it's not an affluent area.

No one is saying you don't love a spa day, but it's really concerning that as a teacher you can't see how it could be problematic.

who are the activists organising it? have some stern words with them.

it reeks of bribery

This type of stuff pisses me off. Our primary school is the same; on the class WhatsApp group the voluntary ‘spokesperson’ has organised a collection for the 2 teachers and TA. They got vouchers, wine and flowers each costing about £120 each. Completely out of proportion and inappropriate at the moment. And of course it has to be presented which is essentially to let the teachers know who organised it. Same at Christmas.
Of course we put money in! Though I didn’t last Christmas just felt it was over kill. They’re doing a job and really a lot of families simply don’t have the money.

Spa days are like Marmite if you are collecting for presents at least make it something that would cover all tastes!