To think that taking something that doesn't belong to you is stealing irrespective of what it is

[welshdeb]

I am one of the few volunteers on my dc school PTA. We have little or no help from teachers to run any events except the summer fête.
We try to hold a disco every term where we sell penny sweets (aka haribo I am ashamed to say) and small bars of chocolate.
We keep our unused sweets and chocolate in the store room. We don't always have the same people helping so it's difficult to keep track of what's in there on an ongoing basis. However, I think it's obvious that the stuff isn't the school's as they only have fruit for tuck these days.
We have been noticing that our stocks aren't going as far as usual and head said yesterday that she had caught a teacher a few times coming out of the store room eating our chocolates. It seems this has been going on a while.
By the way us volunteers are always scrupulous in ensuring we always pay for anything we or our children have. In fact we don't ask for for any expenses like phone or paper ink laminating sheets etc
So AIBU to be pissed off with this teacher and to think if she did it in a shop it would be theft and the fact it it the pta's is irrelevant.

I'm not sure that even shops are THAT bothered about a few penny sweets so in that respect you are going a bit over the top.
However, it does take the piss that she is just helping herself and therefore taking money out of the PTA pot so in that respect YANBU.
Surely the Head could have a word in the staff room. It wouldn't take much to stop it I wouldn't have thought.

Rude maybe, but not really a moral issue. I think you might be being a tad pedantic about it.

I can see why, because you're giving your time to the school for free and want to see how you're making a difference, and are perhaps seeing that balance being tipped because you see the teacher as 'stealing' from the school when you're trying to give to it IYSWIM

It's not as if you can ask the teacher to pay the school back for the chocs they've eaten, as you'd look a bit of a tit, so you're just going to have to see it from their point of view that they're having a shit day and need a choc boost and feel good inside that you've helped the school keep going that way

Maybe set up an 'honesty box' so anyone who is taking the candy can just pay for it? [optimistic]

Print and laminate a sign that says "Will all dishonest f*ckers please keep their thieving mitts off our chocolates"

Tape the box/boxes shut each time. It'll make it that much harder and may put off a casual helping self.

I think it's wrong of the teachers to take it and I would agree that it's still stealing. I actually think the honesty box idea may well work! Or taping down the lids!!

cat64 - the OP says they were kept in the store room - hardly a "public area" is it?

I'm amazed that people don't think this is a moral issue or a bit deal.

It's the exact same as taking from a shop. The teacher knew the chocolate wasn't her's, but still took it. Would it be okay if the children did this?

I think taping up the boxes with a note stating these are property of PTA should be enough to deter her.

As a member of PTA myself, I would be mightly annoyed by this.

The teacher probably just hasn't thought about it - an honesty box parked on top of the chocs ought to work

Maybe you should ask for a dedicated cupboard/ stock room for the PTA if there is one available at the school. That way, only people on a particular list can have the key for access.

I second taping a note across the top

"To the fat ape reading this note-You are not hungry, you are greedy. Stop stealing from the children and buy chocolate from a shop like we do! Yours PTA"

My friend was sacked over £1.40.

Do the hotel trick

"Should you wish to PURCHASE any of the chocolate donated by the PTA, please contact X who will always be glad to help an honest buyer. The price is £"

So if it was the kids helping themselves that would be ok ? OP YANBU - tape the boxes up

potoftea 'I'm amazed that people don't think this is a moral issue or a bit deal.'

I'm amazed everyone's being so tight arsed about it, and talking about it like the teacher is stealing food from starving childrens mouths.

We live in a first world country, the schools here aren't so hard done by that they can't afford to 'lose' a couple of chocs.

the shops here aren't so hard done by that they can't afford to lose a few pairs of boots and that nice top I can't afford. The banks aren't so hard done by they can't afford to be robbed.

Not the Point.

I can't believe people think this is OK. In every place I've ever worked its only acceptable to help yourself to edible goodies if you've been specifically invited. Anyone passing by from another department and picking up a chocolate on the way would soon be the subject of much outrage. And if such treats were in a non public area then I really can't see any way that this is acceptable.
If its not yours then just don't eat it.
I think you can anly we wise after the event and agree with those who say tape up the box and put a big "Property of the PTA" sign on it.

Thanks for all your comments I am genuinely interested to know if I ABU.

To clarify only school staff go in the store room. It is normally locked. Our stuff is usually stored inside a big storage box which isn't locked but it's not on open display either.
I did think about putting a mousetrap in the box (!!!!). however we are considering getting a lockable cupboard due to the issue. I appreciate the comments saying don't keep this stuff in the school but I have a pile of raffle ticket books and unused tombola prizes etc in my house and don't want to have to store lots of other stuff due to other people's lack of restraint.

We work hard to raise every penny the vast majority of which comes from our parents and don't really want to spend any of our funds on lockable storage when we could be putting the money towards something more directly useful.

I accept my view is probably coloured adversely as I would not begrudge staff a bar of chocolate if they were more supportive.

YANBU

I also don't like people who just take food that doesn't belong to them and eat it.

I used to take a packed lunch to work and put it in the fridge. Most days the yoghurt was gone.

If the teacher needs a chocolate fix during the day then she should bring her own.

It possibly didnt occur to the teacher that they werent there for public consumption. Where I work food left in 'public' areas is eaten by anyone who wants it. If there was a note saying that the chocolate is PTA property then that would probably help people to realise that is isnt for public consumption.

YANBU. Last week I was in a position to see some of the pupils at my dd's school sorting out the operation christmas child (aka Samaritans purse ) boxes. Although the form that went home to the parents had said that gelatine sweets should not be included,some had slipped in. These four children were quite happily tucking in. I politely asked if they thought that was a good thing to do. they looked very shocked and one told me it was the spoils of war, given that they were helping they deserved a reward. Their reward was a talking to by the head teacher.

People are that bothered about penny sweets in shops.

I lived in a sweet shop as a child and a teacher from 'Millfield' school (yes the expensive one) used to steal mini eggs from the counter.....

it is in a store room in a box, the teacher is a greedy fecker and should buy her own sweets.

The fact that we aren't starving doesn't make it ok to steal!

The teachers are stealing and it is not on. It is hard to get people to donate time and resources to the PTA, this sort of thing just discourages people.