Page 2 | AIBU to burn school work/books

newnewnamename · 2026-08-22T16:00:11+00:00

When you were a child what happened to your school work? What has happened to your child's school work? My kids want to have a bonfire and burn everything but I don't like the idea of it, neither do I like the idea of it mouldering in their rooms for ever. Youngest has just finished A levels. AIBU to ban the bonfire? (would be done in a safe and controlled manner before anyone gets over-excited)

Babybaby2222 · 22/08/2026 17:54

My dd wants to this as well due to all the stress, pressure and upset over the past couple of years.

Im going to tell dd to shred or rip every in anger. So she can express her anger.

LlynTegid · 22/08/2026 17:56

Shred them, place in recycle bin. Not burn.

Agree with destroying them unless there is something such as an artwork that you would want to keep.

Dreamerinme · 22/08/2026 17:57

ThisWiseRobin · 22/08/2026 17:31

I grew up as a very fortunate child in South Africa. Poor but white. In those days 3x more money was made available to white schools than black schools.
White children got given free textbooks while black children had to pay or share.
I will never forget the day a very smartly dressed black gentleman turned up at our door. He asked if we had school books to sell for his kids.
My mother gave him all our old text books and told him to come back next year for the new ones.
my mother forbade us to write in our textbooks. We had to put hard cardboard over the covers then cling wrap them, which kept them like new.
My mother never asked for a penny and the friendly arrangement went on for years .
This was one of those watershed moments in my life. A black man had the courage to walk through a white neighbourhood, have doors shut in his face and beg for books for his children.
I never again took my privilage for granted nor did I ever look at my mother the same again. The Afrikaner farm girl, labeled racist by the world and hated by other nations, her compassion shamed them.
That's what I did with my school books.
Funny to this day, even with my university books. I never write in them. Post Its rock

Edited

Your DM was an amazing, thoughtful, compassionate woman - if only all societies worldwide could be like your DM it could open doors to education for all.

Thepeopleversuswork · 22/08/2026 18:03

ThisWiseRobin · 22/08/2026 17:31

I grew up as a very fortunate child in South Africa. Poor but white. In those days 3x more money was made available to white schools than black schools.
White children got given free textbooks while black children had to pay or share.
I will never forget the day a very smartly dressed black gentleman turned up at our door. He asked if we had school books to sell for his kids.
My mother gave him all our old text books and told him to come back next year for the new ones.
my mother forbade us to write in our textbooks. We had to put hard cardboard over the covers then cling wrap them, which kept them like new.
My mother never asked for a penny and the friendly arrangement went on for years .
This was one of those watershed moments in my life. A black man had the courage to walk through a white neighbourhood, have doors shut in his face and beg for books for his children.
I never again took my privilage for granted nor did I ever look at my mother the same again. The Afrikaner farm girl, labeled racist by the world and hated by other nations, her compassion shamed them.
That's what I did with my school books.
Funny to this day, even with my university books. I never write in them. Post Its rock

Edited

What a great role model your mum was.

Bluebellsintheforest33 · 22/08/2026 18:05

ThisWiseRobin · 22/08/2026 17:31

I grew up as a very fortunate child in South Africa. Poor but white. In those days 3x more money was made available to white schools than black schools.
White children got given free textbooks while black children had to pay or share.
I will never forget the day a very smartly dressed black gentleman turned up at our door. He asked if we had school books to sell for his kids.
My mother gave him all our old text books and told him to come back next year for the new ones.
my mother forbade us to write in our textbooks. We had to put hard cardboard over the covers then cling wrap them, which kept them like new.
My mother never asked for a penny and the friendly arrangement went on for years .
This was one of those watershed moments in my life. A black man had the courage to walk through a white neighbourhood, have doors shut in his face and beg for books for his children.
I never again took my privilage for granted nor did I ever look at my mother the same again. The Afrikaner farm girl, labeled racist by the world and hated by other nations, her compassion shamed them.
That's what I did with my school books.
Funny to this day, even with my university books. I never write in them. Post Its rock

Edited

What an amazing story. Respect to the man for his bravery, and respect to your mum for being kind.

I kept my best GCSE and A Level books for a few years. Each time ive had a tidy up, ive cleared out more books. Now all I have left is some beautiful revision notes in tiny writing that I can't bear to throw away.

Ironfloor269 · 22/08/2026 18:08

ThisWiseRobin · 22/08/2026 17:31

I grew up as a very fortunate child in South Africa. Poor but white. In those days 3x more money was made available to white schools than black schools.
White children got given free textbooks while black children had to pay or share.
I will never forget the day a very smartly dressed black gentleman turned up at our door. He asked if we had school books to sell for his kids.
My mother gave him all our old text books and told him to come back next year for the new ones.
my mother forbade us to write in our textbooks. We had to put hard cardboard over the covers then cling wrap them, which kept them like new.
My mother never asked for a penny and the friendly arrangement went on for years .
This was one of those watershed moments in my life. A black man had the courage to walk through a white neighbourhood, have doors shut in his face and beg for books for his children.
I never again took my privilage for granted nor did I ever look at my mother the same again. The Afrikaner farm girl, labeled racist by the world and hated by other nations, her compassion shamed them.
That's what I did with my school books.
Funny to this day, even with my university books. I never write in them. Post Its rock

Edited

This is the most beautiful posts I’ve read on MN. Your mum sounds ace. Or as my DD would say ‘she is so slay’.

Owmyelbow · 22/08/2026 18:17

As a teacher I'd gladly accept any textbooks that could be passed on to students with low income families. We just put exercise books in the recycling bin!

ProudPearl · 22/08/2026 18:25

I don't think the OP means text books, I'm pretty sure she is referring to her kids' exercise books and notes. My daughter wants to do this with her GCSE stuff but unfortunately it's not a great time for fires at the moment. They've gone in the shed until bonfire night!

Original poster

newnewnamename · 22/08/2026 20:53

Absolutely only the notes and exercise books, not the textbooks, they're already back at school. We have a stack of revision books though, do they change every year? Going to phone school and find out.

Keeping art and a couple of primary books.

OP posts:

summater · 22/08/2026 21:05

Are they antisocial hooligans, surely you just recycle most of it.

ThatLassFromLeeds · 22/08/2026 22:27

newnewnamename · 22/08/2026 20:53

Absolutely only the notes and exercise books, not the textbooks, they're already back at school. We have a stack of revision books though, do they change every year? Going to phone school and find out.

Keeping art and a couple of primary books.

Always worth offering revision guides around, whether on Freecycle or give to a charity shop. Most subjects don’t change that much year by year. When I was at school my parents couldn’t afford revision guides, but I picked up a couple in a charity shop, and although they were a bit out of date, they were still really helpful (and really all that “out of date” meant was that they covered a couple of topics I didn’t need, and they missed out a couple that I did. But the information was still accurate, so it was way better than no revision guide!)

stargirl1701 · 22/08/2026 22:32

Recycle?

MyArtfulGreySloth · 22/08/2026 22:43

As if op means actual text books Fucksake 🙄 we keep a couple of my kids books each year, usually their art stuff and English, nice things to look back on. Things like maths get recycled.

SummerNocturnal · 22/08/2026 22:50

Textbooks and study guides, hand back to school to give to those who cannot afford them (even with levelling up and PP/LAC they'll need them, can use them as spares or for losses).
Notes/exercise books - if they are good and legible and no family/siblings will need them, it would be kind to find out if friends' friends/siblings could use them (those who have just picked those options). Teachers may / may not want them for passing onto sick/long term absentees/using as examples under the visualiser.
Art sketchbooks and portfolios you'd always want to keep.
If not, hand in to art dept as they'll always want them to show current candidates what grade/ boundary examples look like.

BlondeBanshee · 22/08/2026 22:51

Centuries ago when I went to school, we had a real fire and we did burn a few as a symbolic gesture. I don’t see why you can’t use a chimenea and do the same. It’s not going to affect the environment any more than turning you car on. Have a nice evening in the garden together talking about the past few years, best and worst moments. What the future could bring! I’m extremely keen on saving the environment but please, let’s be sensible.

my mum still has a lot of my exercise books and I have no idea why. No one will look at them.

PeloMom · 22/08/2026 22:53

At end of each school year I may keep a couple of pieces that are meaningful and the rest put in recycling

BlondeBanshee · 22/08/2026 22:54

geumsun · 22/08/2026 17:48

Why are people suggesting donating written in school note books and papers? Do you take all your shite to charity shops for them to toss in a skip?

Spot on! Another bit of Mumsnet madness.

Calliopespa · 22/08/2026 22:54

Won't there be chemicals in plastic coverings and coloured ink?

I wouldn't ...

RaraRachael · 22/08/2026 22:56

My mother threw away all our school books and toys. With my own children I kept everything and let them decide what to keep.
Now my daughter has kids of her own she loves showing them her old stuff.

HaveCreditWillShop · 22/08/2026 22:58

I’m a hoarder so not a good person to ask hahah! I’ve still got post it notes my mum put in food parcels from my student days 26 years ago and I’m glad I have now she’s not here. I’ve got some GCSE and A Level project folders - and all of my degree folders. Look back now and can’t believe how smart I was!

ButtercupYellow26 · 22/08/2026 23:02

RECYCLE!!!!!!!

GoogolB · 22/08/2026 23:20

Just recycle or donate. No need for dramatics.

BratPitt · 22/08/2026 23:31

Ridiculous idea. Recycle the paper/note books, don't burn them, no matter how controlled you think a fire can be.

I kept a few folders and books (mainly English & History) from my school days. DC15 is delighted as he is doing the same set works in English and a similar syllabus in History and has all of my notes to use. He also gets to take the piss out of my handwriting after all the nagging I've given him about his.