School invoicing for books however I am not able to invoice for school uniform damage

[TashaMorgan1807]

My daughters primary school are invoicing us for 2 damaged book due to water damaged, from a water bottle we are required to provide for our child. I am not disputing these charges however I find it a double standard when my daughter comes home nearly everyday covered in paint that wont wash out of her white shirts and I am not able to invoice for that damage when it is incurring under the same circumstances

I once offered loads of points from our reward system to children if, and only if, no one on their table had paint on their clothes at the end of the lesson. This made sure they not only had to make sure they didn't get paint on themselves but also didn't wave their brush too near their friends. At the end of the lesson I really inspected them (which they found hilarious) and not one single child had paint on them. It really proved that beyond a small accident now and again, children can avoid getting paint on their clothes if they really try. Many don't bother. How old is your daughter? Beyond Reception age, she should be fine with paint.

Errr, this is not remotely the same!

The uniform can still be worn fine, whereas the books are ruined for everyone else.

If your daughter is getting repeatedly covered in large amounts of paint that is ruining her clothing, you need to send in a painting overall/smock for her to wear and she needs to make sure she wears it every time she does art and craft activities.

What’s the context with the books? I wouldn’t pay for damage but school provides the water bottle, they wash them, we never even see it and they control their access to it during the day so letting it near books and any resulting damage during the school day would be their fault. However, if school gave a book to go home and it was damaged in my house because DD spilt a drink all over it then that’s our fault so if it’s something like that and you should replace it unless you literally can’t afford to.

The school shirts with paint stains are still perfectly usable. I’d continue to use until outgrown or the end of the academic year. But maybe as a polite suggestion ask if the school could use aprons going forward, or parents could send in an old shirt. But it would be bonkers to ask them to reimburse!

Drinking at break times is sufficient.
They won’t turn into desiccated husks if they’re not continually topping up.

The school lent your child a book belonging to them,which was then damaged while in her/your care. What do you mean by saying that the shirts were damaged "in the same circumstances"?

Did your daughter lend her shirts to the staff, who then damaged them?

You're right about the two things happening in the same circumstances - your child got the books wet and your child got paint on herself. So why would the school be paying for either of those things?

Get her an ion 8 water bottle. They don't leak!

I work in a school. It probably isn’t black marker pen but whiteboard pens for mini whiteboards. If they get that on clothing I imagine it stains, but there isn’t really an alternative item to do the job.

It’s really it the same thing unless the teachers splashed paint over your dd. Presumably she got paint on herself? You have to look after the school books as they don’t have the budget to keep replacing them. Put the books in a separate book bag or clear zip wallet.

You are so fucking unreasonable, I just can't....

Books destroyed by water can't be used.

Stained jumpers can be worn.

Schools are strapped.

Books need to be replaced ASAP or there won't be enough for the next reading group.

Schools can't afford to replace every ruined or lost resource so unfortunately have to ask parents to cover cost sometimes.

Messy play is important for learning. Stains par for the course. Would you like your child to sit out of these activities? Let your child wear the stained uniform. Staff don't judge.

I hope you’re not throwing shirts in landfill and buying new just because of a bit of paint.

This obsession with drinking water is just crazy - we have existed for 1000 of years

its just a con bottling up water in plastic bottles and selling it - madness

I know, no one’s fault (well, it’s DS’s but he is four when all is said and done!)

There is a big spectrum between “well hydrated” and “desiccated husk”
I would argue that we are wanting to avoid “slightly dehydrated” as opposed to half dead.

not only have we learnt more about optimal performance since the 80s, we tend to care about kids more too.

Dehydration is a medical condition. It is not reached by not having had a sip from your water bottle since last break (a maximum of two hours).

It’s a fad!

a ridiculous fad this drinking water non stop

not needed at all - break times are fine

Is the teacher throwing the paint onto your daughter’s uniform OP? 🤦‍♀️

I'm pushing 40, I certainly couldn't go between 845 and 1020 without a drink. It's all individual no?

And where do you propose all these drinks come from, if not a water bottle?

Schools don't have time (or resources) to be filling 30 cups with water then washing them all. Far better for children to just bring their waterbottle.

YABU of course

Water fountains 🤷🏻‍♀️
It’s not exactly witchcraft, all schools used to have them.

Most probably still do.

It will probably be blackboard pens I agree. For anyone struggling with whiteboard pen stains on shirts, you need to spray it with hairspray as soon as you can and the stain will just dissolve.

Schools may have a few water fountains.
They also have potentially over 1000 kids. Even a very average sized primary school has 700 children in it. Water fountains only available at break and lunch. Surely you can imagine the queues and the arguments.
There is also the germs issue….

I also remember primary school in the 80s and not having to bring a water bottle and the tiny milk cartons we got with lunch being tiny and getting home from school desperate for a drink as we’d barely had a drink all day.

i don’t think it’s a bad thing to make sure that children have access to water throughout the day. I couldn’t give a fuck whether an adult chooses to have a coffee or not when walking around, makes no difference to my life whether they walk round with a coffee cup.