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Original poster

This morning there was a mum louding paying that she wasnt going to pay the 8.50 for the farm trip...

77 replies

charliecat · 27/04/2006 12:56

...and I will be sending the money in.
Its irritating me.
Cant work out if im stupid for paying or if shes got sense not too.
What do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
charliecat · 27/04/2006 12:56

she was saying not payingBlush

OP posts:
Tommy · 27/04/2006 12:57

if too many children don't pay, then the trip will have to be cancelled then everyone will lose out.
Ignore her
(easier said than done I know Smile)

Original poster
charliecat · 27/04/2006 13:03

Surely it should be if you pay you go if you dont you stay at home?
Why should my dd lose out because shes not paying, therefore risking it being cancelled?

OP posts:
franca70 · 27/04/2006 13:04

But if you don't pay can you go anyway? It's not fair!

tigermoth · 27/04/2006 13:06

Ignore her - it's not costing you more money if she doesn't pay. The only way it affects you is if the trip is canccelled. If that happens, then it's time to do something ( which might involve getting irritated with the non payers or may not).

macwoozy · 27/04/2006 13:08

I agree, it's very unfair that some parents pay whilst others don't. My ds had a trip to Marwell Zoo last week and the school asked for a voluntary contribution, but mentioned that if they didn't recieve enough it would be cancelled. When I was at school, it was a case of if you don't pay, you don't go. Sounds right to me.

tigermoth · 27/04/2006 13:08

She might not be able to afford to pay. Even if all it is is her meanness, why should her dd suffer?

Littlefish · 27/04/2006 13:10

State schools cannot insist on payment. It has to be by voluntary contribution. But, as has been mentioned, if not enough people are able to pay, then the trips may have to be cancelled.

How many school trips are you expected to pay for each year?

Caligula · 27/04/2006 13:12

Actually, it's far more unfair that some people can pay without even noticing and others will make sure that they open tins and defrost food that week instead of buying fresh, to ensure their children go.

FGS, if you can afford to pay, thank your lucky stars and stop being jealous of the very poor. It's pathetic.

sobernow · 27/04/2006 13:13

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Caligula · 27/04/2006 13:14

Exactly Sobernow.

shimmy21 · 27/04/2006 13:15

If the trip is in school time schools are not allowed to exclude some children from trips just because their parents wont pay because that would be excluding pupils from the curriculum. if nobody gets to go then the school in theory would provide an alternative way of teaching the bits that the trip should cover.

coppertop · 27/04/2006 13:20

Agree with sobernow. Also, what about parents of twins or even triplets? Why should their children miss out because parents understandably can't afford to pay double or even triple what everyone else is paying?

sobernow · 27/04/2006 13:20

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Caligula · 27/04/2006 13:26

Honestly, sorry to have such an aggressive response to this, but the reason schools don't demand payment is a) because they can't legally and b) because they understand that someone who has a household income of £60,000 per annum is in a different position to someone who has an income of £6,000 per annum. I'm horrified that people think it would OK to deprive children from poor families of education or trips out because their families either can't afford, or won't prioritise them.

jenkel · 27/04/2006 13:30

When I was at school it was also dont pay dont go. Things were quite tight for my Mum and Dad when I was younger, and I can remember being given choices and going without some nice things just so they could afford to send me on school trips. Didnt do me any harm, in fact probably helped me to respect money a bit more.

sobernow · 27/04/2006 13:33

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sobernow · 27/04/2006 13:34

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belleofball · 27/04/2006 13:38

A teacher at ds's school told me that it is the same people that pay all the time!(i know she shouldn't be telling me,shhhhh.)And it's not the ones that can't afford it.(her opinion).
I always pay if i can, But with 3 at the school it can get a bit much! I only don't pay if i don't agree with the trip.

belleofball · 27/04/2006 13:41

But thinking about it,just because i don't agree with it i am stopping kids who do want to go aren't i. difficult one.
so do you make everyone pay? the're not allowed.

zippitippitoes · 27/04/2006 13:43

8.50 does sound a lot though

Caligula · 27/04/2006 13:43

I always pay. But I figure that's my choice. I wouldn't automatically condemn anyone whose income is higher than mine not paying though, I don't know what their outgoings are and what their attitudes to school trips are. Some people don't think they're a priority and resent being asked to pay and I don't blame them not doing so, but I think they're a benefit which I'm happy to prioritise.

Caligula · 27/04/2006 13:44

It depends how often you're asked to pay it I guess Zippi. If it was every couple of weeks, I'd think it was too much, but if it's once a term, I'd think it was OK for me.

macwoozy · 27/04/2006 13:46

I'm sure there are many parents who will willingly let others pay when they know damn well their child will not miss out, and that has nothing to do with how much money they've got.

sandyballs · 27/04/2006 13:50

A timely thread. I've just paid out £12.50 each for my twin DD's to go to on a farm trip (which I haven't got a problem with), and I do know a couple of mum's that refused to pay. What I do have a problem with is that I regularly see both mums coming out or going in our local pub. Different if they genuinely couldn't afford it, £12.50 is a lot of money for some people, but I think their priorities are wrong.