School cancelled Mufti

[tibni]

My dc's school has always asked for a "voluntary contribution" of £1 per term towards funds. This term we got an enveloped (with the childs name on) stating that the contribution was now £3 per child per term.

Well tonight a note has come back in school bag saying because school has asked for a lot of contributions recently (this fee and expensive school trips) that the head has decided to cancel next Fridays Mufti day as she feels "charges have been made for a number of events".

AIBU in thinking that children's fun events at school should not only be allowed if school is going to make money out of them!

No you're not being U. FHS, couldn't they just let the mufti go ahead and not charge for it?!

Or have children bring in a tin of something for a tombola/charity instead of cash. Cancelling is just mean, but putting the voluntary contribution up to £3 is off too. Do they know families are struggling to make ends meet? What if you have more than one child?

So, because the school keeps asking you for money, they're not going to let the children do something fun. Interesting logic there... Maybe they could say, the £3 per term of course includes the Mufti day, or would that be too sensible for them

I have 2 children and dh is out of work right now! Mate has 3 children in school and her dh is out of work too! School is not in an affluent area.

Makes me mad for the dc's and gives such a bad message that reward is on a pay basis

I have to say I'm startled by these "voluntary contributions" you have to make. I don't think they have them up here, certainly didn't when my DS was at primary school. I had this weird idea we had free education in this country!

I think there are going to be a lot of very unhappy children next Friday when there is no Mufti day. Children look forward to things like this, it breaks up the term nicely.

I also think it is actually wrong of the school to ask for "voluntary" donations and to fix a price. I thought the idea of voluntary was that it was of your own free will.

There will always be some parents who unfortunately cannot pay and there will always be some that can possible afford more than others. You would hope that the two would equal themselves out without putting pressure on those unable to pay because of circumstances beyond their control.

YANBU. I think the school is definitely being unreasonable and mean!

What is Mufti? Have never heard of it.

Mufti is non uniform day. Believe it's an army phrase? Contributions should be for charity and definitely not compulsory.

They should have Mufti and not charge. Miserable sods.

At our school Mufti money ususally goes to a charity chosen by the children or to purchase games, DVDs for wet break-times.

Just had message from a friend (2 dc's at the school) "I'm surprised she has cancelled - more her style to shame the kids who don't pay". Because the "voluntary contribution" envelopes had names on the kids got "reminded" if they hadn't bought them in!

That would make me mad.

Our school holds mufti day the Friday before the summer and christmas fairs, and always asks for something to be brought in for the tombola. (second hand toy, box of choccies, jar of jam, whatever) But they always very clearly state on the flyer that the bringing in of a gift is NOT compulsory and that everyone should wear Mufti regardless of the bringing of a gift.
Also, they ask the parents to just drop the gifts into an empty classroom, so no-one knows who has donated and who has not. A very fab system

I would see the head on Monday and tell them what you stated in your op. Especially the bit about how it is wrong to teach the children that fun comes at a price. Because letting the children come in their own clothes is not going to cost the school anything, but the children just love it.

It always pees me off anyway as our school's policy states that "uniform is not compulsory."

Then they charge parents for the privilege of a mufti day.

Apparently if they say that uniform is compulsory the LEA has to provide free uniform for those for whom they provide free school meals.

mufti always sounds rude IMo lol.

dd's school, they had to bring i na bottle for bottle tombola tomorrow at the school fete./

Its the fete tomorrow; so they have already had the donation per child. (list of what each year group has to provide, child hands over to the teacher in class)

I have my ds Annual Review on Monday so yes I will be mentioning it to the head (not in the meeting obviously).

What they will do is rearrange the mufti so they can get more money out of us (they are never fixed). My dc's would be mortified if I didn't send a mufti contribution but next year they will not have the £18 envelope contribution.

Message withdrawn

Is this a state school? A religious school? It all sounds very strange. Asking for money at every turn. And then shaming those whose parents haven't contributed? Just all wrong.

Although I don't have DC at school yet so don't know about schools now.

I do know that we had mufti day at school and contributions were voluntary. Some children didn't give anything and that was fine. And this was a private school.

Hold on, the voluntary contributions have to be put in an envelope and given to the teacher before the event?

That is just wrong. Surely the children just bosh a quid or 2 or none or whatever in the box on mufti day.

This all seems very peculiar. What sort of school is it?

Standard state school in the middle of a council estate. Not religious.

Parents are annoyed and have talked about just having mufti anyway but the children are too frightened.

The voluntary contributions are for general school funds and insurances and it is these that have to be put into the envelope. Official reason for cancelling mufti is that parents have been asked for a lot of contributions recently.

We as parents can complain and moan but head never actually takes note. I have lost count of the number of PTA members that have resigned due to heads attitude.