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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to take un-named, unlabeled uniform from the lost property box?

136 replies

Amoral · 10/07/2008 21:47

It's been sat in reception for a week, everyone has had a rummage and I figured anyone who was going to recognise them would have done.

Have I been unreasonable?

OP posts:
Original poster
Amoral · 10/07/2008 22:24

Oh FFS Q why on Earth would I lie? What could I possibly gain by lying to make you feel more forgiving towards a poster you don't know and will never see on here again? This is a namechange, I did say earlier.

I didn't put much information in the OP because I wanted unbiased opinions - as I am well aware mine is biased.

OP posts:
Original poster
Amoral · 10/07/2008 22:25

Hatrick, the table has been there for a week, but there has always been a lost property box. I actually started rummaging looking for some gloves my child lost before Christmas.

OP posts:
TheRealPhartiphukborlz · 10/07/2008 22:26

i agree, seems very tempting amoral, can you ask the school if you can take it?
i have been tempted in the past, felt very guilty when took a jumper, assuming our label had washed off, between dd and i we decided it "smelt" like hers.
ds lost his and took another - but he is 13 and at senior school.

hatrick · 10/07/2008 22:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

whatdayisit · 10/07/2008 22:28

At our last parent's eve I was actively encouraged to take items from the pile "if you can use it" They know my DC's stuff is always labelled and are sick of the sight of the mountain of lost, unlabelled stuff.

JulesJules · 10/07/2008 22:29

Haven't read all the posts.

OK, [stern look] Whether it is named or not is irrelevant, if it's not yours, to take it is stealing. That's what I think. Any unclaimed lost property after much longer than a week could go into a second hand sale, proceeds to the school. IMO.

UniversallyChallenged · 10/07/2008 22:36

The invite was to take anything that you could give a home to.

Definately you should keep it in that case.

Original poster
Amoral · 10/07/2008 22:38

But was it? Or did it mean that you should take it to your home if it's yours?

I am agonizing over this, I'm not trolling and the name was a poke at myself - I'm an honest person - or I thought I was until today... I got the jumpers out to wash them and it suddenly occured to me that maybe the sign didn't mean "Help yourself"

OP posts:
LyraSilvertongue · 10/07/2008 22:42

Just keep it Amoral. I really can't see what the problem is.
Our lost property box is overflowing atm. The school just wants rid of it all. I might have a rummage tomorrow...

UniversallyChallenged · 10/07/2008 22:46

Amoral - you are obviously - to me- a very honest person who is worried they have taken something they shouldnt. I am sure the school just wants rid of it. They are trying to recycle and you have done your bit to help imo

VictorianSqualor · 10/07/2008 22:46

DD's jumpers always disappear from the class box.
If they take them off they go in a box in class, so whoever takes it must be her class.
If it isn't back within a week I take unnamed jumper from the lost property.
If her jumper turns up, unnamed goes back, plus I give all her school uniform to the PTA when it doesn't fit anyway.

WendyWeber · 10/07/2008 22:47

Oh thank god for a bit of sanity on this thread!

harman · 10/07/2008 22:50

Message withdrawn

VictorianSqualor · 10/07/2008 22:51

Can I just add, there are TONS of unnamed jumpers, we have three lost property chests, so if someone is skint and has lost their jumper, they will still find one.
Also, I've said a number of times to other parents 'DD's lost her bloody jumper again' to be told 'get one from lost property'.
so I assume it's common practice.
Every term they get sold off with all labels cut out by the PTA.

bb99 · 10/07/2008 22:57

Amoral - when our lost property box overflows into the corridor and we have been around all the children a lot of times (and the parents) we put it outside the school on the last 3 days of term with a sign saying 'please take home'.

We really don't mind who takes it home, as if it isn't taken it just gets thrown out after a while. In the 6 years I've been working there if we didn't do this the whole school hall would probably be filled to overflowing with un named school uniform!

bb99 · 10/07/2008 22:58

Oh - last term of the year...

lackaDAISYcal · 10/07/2008 23:01

I've done this in the past....but at the end of term when they lay them all out, and after losing four school jumpers over the course of the year! Anything not claimed gets sold by the PTA or binned if too tatty to sell.

sounds like you have done the same thing in a similar situation and if it was all getting binned because they don't have uniform sales.....

VictorianSqualor · 10/07/2008 23:09

Our uniform sale was at the summer fete, last week, I took a jumper this tuesday just gone, two weeks after DD's school jumper went missing.
There have been three she has never found, plus a grey cardi.
I'm really not harming anyone by taking a jumper that isn't named, didn't sell and is obviously not missed.
I'm not paying £15 for a jumper for two weeks.
I'll give this jumper (plus DD@s other ones) to the PTA next term anyway!
I'd keep the jumper, and suggest school sales for unclaimed uniform, and give all yours in to make you feel better about it.

Lovesdogsandcats · 10/07/2008 23:10

What a load of old crap...stealing my arse...thief??? Thats a bit strong, honestly.

Last time I went searching for a missing jumper, the staff told me that they were sick of this mountain of stuff and if anything fits 'please take it as its going tomorrow'.

They had put an 'is this yours' sign up and there was still loads left.

Yes, I took the jumper I was looking for, plus 2 others.

sallystrawberry · 10/07/2008 23:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

biscuitsmustbedunkedintea · 10/07/2008 23:16

I'd take it.

And yes, have "stolen" from lost property before. An umberella.

TheRealPhartiphukborlz · 10/07/2008 23:27

sally, the mother you talk abaout was undoubtedly unreasonable

lou031205 · 11/07/2008 07:59

Ok, I was the first responder. Your posting name was "Amoral", which didn't help. Your OP stated:

"It's been sat in reception for a week, everyone has had a rummage and I figured anyone who was going to recognise them would have done.

Have I been unreasonable?"

On that basis I stand by my original post.

Having said that, given the further information, I would say you have not been unreasonable to take items that would fit your child, given that the sign asks for the items to be given a home.

This is nothing to do with your namechanging itself (although name choice gave the impression that you consider yourself amoral), or your financial situation, but your lack of information on the issue.

I hope your DC is nice and warm in the Autumn term, regardless [amile].

LIZS · 11/07/2008 08:11

Ours goes into the second hand uniform sale every term or so with proceeds to school funds.

saltire · 11/07/2008 08:17

sally - at our school, things get taken, regardless of wether they are named or not. There have been parents whose child's jumper/pekit/coat has gone missing, and they ahve found their ripped out name tag lying on the playground.
DS1 lost his entire PE kit just after feb half term. it has never turned up, despite it all being named (with sew in labels and his name written on the washing label), and despite the teacher offering 500 house poi8nts tot eh child who found it.
On another note, DS2 lost his rainjacket on Monday, he came home without it. On Wednesday when it was very wet, I saw another child wearing the same style of coat- I was in the cloakroom looking for DS2's rainjacket). I had a look at the label, and there inside was DS2's name. So I took it back.