Teacher gave Nephew a bag of kale. AIBU to think this is strange?

[CyanSnake]

Was speaking to my nephew last night, and he proudly showed me a bag of kale his teacher had given him...

He’s at secondary school; and apparently it was a prize for winning the tutor competition. He picked a prize out of a hat and ended up with the gag prize.

Honestly not making this up. AIBU to think this is a bit weird?

Jesus lighten up. It’s was a gag joke 🤦🏻‍♀️

You don't know much about schools, do you, OP?

I would hate to be a teacher. Worrying about upsetting everyone and their aunt...
Thankless role.

@CyanSnake

I guess I just can’t imagine a professional educator dishing out kale... it just seems surreal to me!

Then you have a terrible imagination. Definitely not “surreal” either

@romeolovedjulliet

professional educator ? surely teacher is quicker to say / write or am i out of touch now since my last dc left education 2 years ago ?

But it wouldn’t sound quite as important/stern/grim .

@SWnewstart

Well I've never heard of a "gag" prize - to me the word means something like retching or heaving, possibly before being sick! Round here it would be the booby prize or wooden spoon. Anyway ...... no problem with the concept and think OP is being a bit over the top in reaction.

You've genuinely never come across 'gag' used in the context of 'joke'?

I really cannot understand what your problem with this is.

It's a bit of fun, but I probably wouldn't have seen it as that funny as a kid if I was expecting some sweets or something. Not necessarily expensive but a proper prize, something enjoyable!

My rabbits love Kale....

I assume the better prizes might be sweets etc @Graciebobcat but this was the gag/booby prize.

I also assume all prizes probably come out of the teacher's pockets so can't expect anything too expensive.

@elliejjtiny

Wasn't there a tv programme years ago where the prizes were like that. You migth get something really good or you might get a cabbage.

Crackerjack!

You even said it's a gag prize. So what's not to understand?

YANBU OP.

A gag prize? What bizarre fresh nonsense is this? Surely a prize is meant to be a nice thing?

Is this a new weird British thing ‘cos it wasn’t around when I was at school, thank goodness, and I’ve not seen it over here.

If I was the parent, I’d assume that the teacher forgot to buy any prizes and grabbed something out of his fridge and tried to persuade the kids that it was a great joke, but it isn’t. It’s shit.

I do not understand why you're getting upset about a bag of kale!! Surely it should be a good thing that the child is getting their vitamins?

Do you have any clue as to how to engage young people?! Kale is an example of how older people view younger people dismissively ( with their Kale and avocado on toast!) so this was a great joke!

@VintageStitchers

YANBU OP.

A gag prize? What bizarre fresh nonsense is this? Surely a prize is meant to be a nice thing?

Is this a new weird British thing ‘cos it wasn’t around when I was at school, thank goodness, and I’ve not seen it over here.

If I was the parent, I’d assume that the teacher forgot to buy any prizes and grabbed something out of his fridge and tried to persuade the kids that it was a great joke, but it isn’t. It’s shit.

Ah yes, the old "if I've never experienced it, then it's 'weird'" mentality... one of my personal favourites.

It happened to me at school. Not kale though! I came first in a latin test and picked a nail brush out of the bag. Part of the fun was seeing what you would get if you won.

Sounds entertaining! I would like to have had a teacher who would do such a thing.

I once played an April Fool on my form during registration, no doubt nowadays I would be pilloried by the saddo faces on the DM front page and hung from the yardarm by MN! The pupils thought it was a great laugh, they talked about it for ages and bragged to their friends that their form teacher had played a better prank than other form teachers.

@keeprocking

I once played an April Fool on my form during registration, no doubt nowadays I would be pilloried by the saddo faces on the DM front page and hung from the yardarm by MN! The pupils thought it was a great laugh, they talked about it for ages and bragged to their friends that their form teacher had played a better prank than other form teachers.

What did you do? In primary school I remember a whole school assembly being called and the headteacher explaining to us all that the prime minister of Thailand was visiting the country and our school had been chosen for his visit. As such we were to learn the Thai national anthem to sing for him. The tune was the same as God save the queen but the words were obviously different. "Oh wattana Siam". We'd had a good few sing throughs before we realised the entire school was singing "oh what an ass I am!" 😂 All the kids thought it was funny. He was a much loved headteacher.

I asked 12 yo DS what he thought. He said it was very funny and better than a pencil, which he usually wins and of which he already has many.

The ‘prize’ is the shared joke. It’s the recognition that your teacher respects you enough to have a laugh with you and believes you mature enough to understand and enjoy it.

@Firsttimemumofone

I do not understand what you would be reporting? It sounds like it was a joke kind of thing in the classroom, one that your nephew clearly found funny. What is the issue?

Why do you think the OP would be reporting anything to anyone? She didn't mention anything of the kind!

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

Its a joke. Its supposed to be weird.

Exactly!!

@Radiatornoise

Kale and bacon soup, made with homemade chicken stock, is my go-to Saturday lunch standby.

I am useless at baking it - I always end up with blackened soggy bits cemented into the oven tray

Do you have a recipe for this? Sounds quite like something that would be good for lunch while I'm working.

Romaine calm cos you've learnt a chard lesson today about the teacher's sense of humour but if you've never met herbivore, you might not have known what she was like. I'd leaf it for now but if she gives out any more interesting prizes, do lettuce know.