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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be livid at schools 'theft'

66 replies

misscutandstick · 05/06/2009 17:11

I am absolutely livid.

I have just spent the last 2 days working my one off sorting thru nearly 30 boxes of toys (I have 5 sons)...why?

well I had decided that the bedrooms were far too cluttered and enough was enough and some needed to go. So i was going to have a sort thru the house and carboot the surplus crap clutter. Then i got a letter home from DS4's school (they attend a total of 4 different schools) saying that they were having a summer fayre THIS SATURDAY, and could anyone donate stuff for it?

Okay i thought, worthy cause, donate it to them and let them raise some school funds. However this meant i had only 2 days to get said job completed - not easy with a stroppy 4y/o who is only out the house in the afternoons, and doesnt miss a thing. Anyway, pat on the back job successfully completed and caretaker came to escort assorted bags and 10 boxes away without DS4 watching.

HOWEVER...

at approximately 3.30pm this afternoon upwards of half a dozen people were seen by my husband and neighbour casually walking down the street with OUR stuff in hand!!!

GGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

Okay some of me says i was donating it anyway, and since i wasnt going to profit then whats my beef? equally, actually i was going to carboot it, and it would probably have been worth about £200 (there were lego sets, and fisher price toys {incrediblock, drop and roar dino, peekablocks x50}, etc all good quality in excellent condition - i dont like passing on crap). But i wanted the school to benefit from the cash... not the PTA who got their hands on it first!

And if id have carbooted i wouldnt have run myself ragged trying to make sure it was done in 2 days! Admittedly it is very difficult to get a babysitter to have 5 children from silly O'clock in the morning... but still...

AIBU to be so utterly disgusted, upset, livid, feeling ripped off and used?

OP posts:
londonone · 05/06/2009 17:15

OK first of all the school hasn't stolen it other PARENTS may have. Secondly how do you know it wasn't volunteers moving stuff around in preparation for tomorrow, or they may have had first dibs but still had to pay.

Fimbo · 05/06/2009 17:15

I can see your point, perhaps the people with your stuff gave some money to the school though?

LaurieFairyCake · 05/06/2009 17:15

would they have paid for it though?

so the school will still benefit, just that the 'volunteers' got first pick

SouthMum · 05/06/2009 17:18

Whats this PTA - is it the Parent Teachers Association thing? Are they funded by the school or something? (sorry just trying to work out if YABU or not - DS is still a baby so have no idea of what the PTA is all about)

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 05/06/2009 17:19

Agree with the others - it is very unlikely people actually took the stuff without paying for it. I run a stall at our school fair and stallholders often get to browse around before the fair starts - because we don't get a chance to leave our stations once people start arriving. We pay the same for the stuff as anyone else would.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 05/06/2009 17:20

I presume by PTA the OP means the parent volunteers who organise and run the fair. And work very hard in so doing, cf my post below.

Noonki · 05/06/2009 17:20

YANBU if they just took it as that is theft

YABU to get riled before finding out all of the details.

Original poster
misscutandstick · 05/06/2009 17:20

The stuff was still in the boxes as I had packed - so i dont think it was a case of 'first pickings' - i really do hope that they gave donations to the school, but realistically, how likely is that???

I am just hoping that they were being kind and making sure it was all in one peace and clean before putting it out tomorrow... perhaps thats wishful thinking???

some part of me wants to go first thing to see if ANY of the stuff made it, and another part of me really doesnt want to know.

OP posts:
littleducks · 05/06/2009 17:22

maybe they are going to do a tombola.lucky dip and need to wrap items?

totally understand your irritation

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 05/06/2009 17:22

Seems to me like you are looking for an excuse to get riled without ascertaining the facts.

Original poster
misscutandstick · 05/06/2009 17:22

there was even one blokie walking away with just the 'incrediblock' down the street, after collecting his child from school.

the fayre doesnt start while tomorrow.

OOOOHhhhhh id like not to feel so angry, its not good for a person!

OP posts:
Ivykaty44 · 05/06/2009 17:23

Do you think they may have taken the stuff home to store for the school? The school cuboard may have been full?

SouthMum · 05/06/2009 17:24

Oh right, if thats the case then sorry OP I think YABU. If they have paid the money for the stuff anyway then for me it would make no difference who bought it.

Although, and I can't explain why, I think my bum would clench a little at the thought of them getting in there first. Probably because I'd be furious with myself for not car booting it as you say.....

sagacious · 05/06/2009 17:25

Hmmm
Doesn't sound right (am on PTA) (SOUTHMUM : PTA generally try to fundraise for the school on a voluntary basis)

Any donations we get we use (if we get a lot we may stockpile for a future event but theres NO way we'd let committee members skim off the best stuff beforehand. Even if they gave a sizeable donation I still think its a bit off [cats bum face]

School are not responsible for PTA (PTA has seperate insurance etc.. )

But its weird I'd ask TBH

Original poster
misscutandstick · 05/06/2009 17:26

I dont WANT to get riled, i just cant think why people would NEED to take that amount of stuff home obviously without even checking if its stuff they want, unless to check it for cleanliness/damage and bring it back tomorrow.

I really would like to think well of them and be and happy, but i just dont.

OP posts:
Original poster
misscutandstick · 05/06/2009 17:27

IVY the stuff was taken to school at 2pm, the fayre starts at 11am tomorrow - not really a storage issue i think.

OP posts:
sagacious · 05/06/2009 17:27

X POST

I would think that if they're still in the boxes they are taking them home to ticket them up

(I have a garage full of bottles and filled jam jars sitting in my dining room at the moment)

sagacious · 05/06/2009 17:28

[thud]

Hang on it wasn't ME you saw unloading boxes today was it?

Totally legit honest !

bigstripeytiger · 05/06/2009 17:28

Sounds a bit wierd. Is there anyone on the PTA who you could ask what happened?

ingles2 · 05/06/2009 17:29

I think it's very likely they are taking it to sort, clean, wrap or price and if not they will have paid for it.
That's what happens in my PTA anyway, people don't just steal stuff donated to the school. Honestly do you really think members of the PTA are just opportunistic free loaders?????

Northernlurker · 05/06/2009 17:29

If it was still in the boxes etc then I think they've taken it home to sort and the bloke with one thing has taken that to go with the rest of the stuff for his stall - it was probably on top of a box and easy to see. Ten boxes etc is a lot for them to sort out and price on the spot tommorrow. I bet they were pretty overwhelmed by the amount you've given - and will have wanted to bin any crap in the comfort of their own homes. Not that you will have given crap but it is amazing what people think they can get away with disposing of 'for charity'

SouthMum · 05/06/2009 17:29

Thanks Sagacious, OP I can kind of understand where you are coming from now if they did indeed just take it, but am sure they gave a donation. However I'd be wondering if the donation would be less than the amount they would have got for selling it tomorrow.

I've changed my mind and will say YANBU for getting a bit about it....

laweaselmys · 05/06/2009 17:30

The fact that they have taken them as individual items I find odd and I would ask tomorrow. And come back and tell us, because inquiring minds want to know.

BestFootForward · 05/06/2009 17:30

When we get donations for our school fair we have no choice but to store things at home. There is no storage at the school whatsoever. I really could do without 20 bags of cuddly toys (that all need washing) sitting in my hall but there is no where else for them to go.
Of course this may not be the case for your school but I would ask what happened to your donations before you get hot and bothered about it all. FWIW if the things simply were taken without payment then I would be very annoyed.

Original poster
misscutandstick · 05/06/2009 17:31

heheheh you made me SAGACIOUS, XXX

I feel i do want to ask something along the lines of "did you get a good donation for the stuff that was taken yesterday?" to the head tomorrow - but i rather feel that she will make anything up rather than cause a scene.

CAnt win at the mo, if i decide to go tomorrow then i shall brood all night, if i decide not to and let things lie, then I'll probably grudge it next time they ask for donations.

OP posts:
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