Class rep didn't include all kids names in the end of year card

[Whydiddnt]

Aibu to be mortified?

The class rep organised a whip around for the end of term teacher gift. Not everyone chipped in for various reasons however, the vast majority did.

I've just found out that the rep only listed the children whom contributed in the card, instead of writing it from the full class.

Is it just me that finds this mean and horrible? Why would anyone leave out a couple of children who's parents probably couldn't afford to chip in.

It wouldn't have taken any extra effort to address the gift from the whole class. It's not the children's fault that their parents couldn't afford it. I really hope those poor kids were none of the wiser.

@ConnieHeartWhy do parents need a link between the school and themselves? It’s just as easy to ring the school/ask at the office/check the app/speak to the teacher as it is to speak to some random parent. And why is the class rep somehow superior to the other parents- are they a super parent? Bizarre concept.

I was a class rep. It wasn't a link between the school and parents, it was to go to meetings to organise the various events like the summer fair then organise whatever stall your class had been allocated and sort out a rota.

Because it's sometimes easier to catch the class rep in the playground rather than speak to the teacher or the receptionist. If everyone who had a question, that they couldn't find via communication from the school, asked the teacher or queued up at reception it would use up valuable teacher/receptionist time, along with stuff like raffle/dosco tickets etc & organising stall holders for fayres etc

Answer how would it be fair if child A parents donated £5 and got on the card child B parents didn’t donate and didn’t end up on card , surely then all parents would feel it’s unfair that child B got on card without a donation?

Pretty much.

Why so up in arms though? Unless you're the OPs sock puppet account. No need to get all upset about 2 strangers on the internet.

The concepts of school reps that I know of are that it's part of the PTA.
Nothing to do with communicating between parents and teachers about mundane school stuff but about organising anything PTA related - like organising the Christmas fair, cake sales, selling raffle tickets, uniform exchange etc.
Obviously not all schools do it the same but that's the general concept as far as I know.

Agree with this.

Let me guess, you didn't read the full thread?

Nah. Because it's not that serious, is it.

Serious enough that you felt the need to blindly comment some completely irrelevant statement.

Fair. Oh well. 😀

I’m sure no-one wants PTA funds to be used on cards. Schools are so woefully funded that every penny is treated with care.

Maybe 🤔
However the PTA I used to belong too raised about £7000 on their summer fair this year and I imagine similar at the Christmas one.
Half termly cake sales usually bring in about £200. That's 6 times a year so (lazy maths).....£15 thousand plus a year from a very mixed demographic school.
I'm sure less than £100 out of that on spent on some cards is fine.

@ConnieHeartBut why are you a more reliable source of information than any other parent? 🤣 You might give me duff information and I might not want to chat to another parent I might not like the look of in the playground. Your version of class rep is some Queen Bee who thinks she’s somehow above the other parents and has a special relationship with the school.

The other explanations make more sense.

And I don’t want to be “represented” by anyone in the context of being a parent at the school.

op i think you fail to understand that contribution to he joint gift isnt compulsory so anyone who doesnt want to contribute isnt on the card and they can do their own gift, not do a gift at all if they cant be bothered.

Nothing wrong with a card from the child. Agree that's more personal / more effort / much appreciated

But I still don't understand why someone would not contribute to a collection and yet expect to be included in the list of people who did

I never contribute to the class "gift" to teachers and definitely don't expect to have DS name on it. We do our own thing comenserute with how good the teacher has been that year but I don't communicate this on the class what's app. I just ignore the collection.

Why though… the whole point of the thread is that people want to do a collection and give a gift.
PTA money shouldn’t be used for cards… which poorer families could make,

Exactly!

But that gift was only from those children. I’m sure the class rep assumed others opted out as they wanted to sort their own card or present. If someone had indicated they couldn’t afford to contribute, however, I would add that child’s name but it wouldn’t be my immediate assumption!

I also don’t get the class rep thing and would absolutely hate this… if I have a question I’ll direct it to the teacher and no one else.

How does the class rep get chosen? It does sound very queen bee like and stuck up. It also alienates shy parents who wouldn’t want to approach another parent. I’m not shy but wouldn’t approach another mum I didn’t know/like….
I disagree with there being school reps and find it very inappropriate

Class reps don't ask questions to the teacher - that's not their role.
It's just part of the PTA.
They're volunteers.
No one is chosen.
(At least that's how it is in the schools I know)
It was joining the PTA that gave me confidence and be less shy. I definitely wasn't a "queen bee".

Same. I'm a class rep. It's nothing to do with communication between the school and the class. It's just about representing that class on the PFA. I volunteered. Nobody else wanted to. Nothing Queen bee about in the least.

The problem is no PTA will be spending money on things that every parent/carer will agree on.
The PTA I was on raised money to turn a classroom into a library. According to some parents we "wasted" money on beanbags for the children to sit on.
We also "wasted" money on paying for a professional theatre group coming to the school and giving a performance.
Oh and a day out to the seaside - that was also a "waste" apparently.
Doesn't matter what PTA raised money gets spent on - some parents will always bloody whinge about it.
And....as I keep saying. Many "poorer" families are the ones who can't make a homemade card at home.