Primary school parent volunteers asking for cash for teachers

[LavenderGalileo]

A reception parent class volunteer has said that we all have to (yes have to) give money (yes cash) towards end of year presents, to be split between 10 (yes 10)! teachers including the class teacher and assistants, PE teacher, cook, head, deputy head etc

Naturally, I ignored this and the following reminders.

After again being reminded that only 5 people had donated, it apparently shot up to 15 had as per this email from the parent volunteer

“Hi all

Firstly, thank you to those that have donated so far to the teachers end of year cash/ voucher presents.

I have however only received contributions from 15 of the "children". If you don't want to make a contribution and are going to do your own thing, which as I've said before is totally fine, please do have the courtesy to let me know so that I can take you off the spreadsheet and not be worrying on the last day for example that I might be waiting on last minute donations.

Thanks”

Is it me or is this whole thing insane?! Why do we have to give cash or be permitted by a parent volunteer to “do our own thing”?

Is it not the volunteer who is so rude for implying that simply ignoring the distasteful and highly problematic request is discourteous?

This is a reception class by the way so I’ve bought the teacher and class assistants small gifts and my child will draw and hand write a card… surely that’s appropriate?

This has split the parents about 20/10… Roughly 20 (despite the volunteer claiming 15 donated) think the whole notion is a bit vulgar and a bit of a misunderstanding of volunteer “power”

This was done at Christmas too, with odd amounts flying around like £300 was split to the class teacher; £85 to the school head; £7.50 to the chef… I feel the whole thing is so problematic

The head is well aware of this and basically said at Christmas “well the school isn’t asking the parent volunteer to do this” (rather than “I’m mortified” by this and can see the obvious problems 😂)

What are the thoughts here?

To who?

She sounds like she’s trying to do her best to organise an appropriate thanks for the teachers.

typically parents appreciate someone taking the lead on this - I am certainly enormously grateful that I don’t have to purchase multiple presents which I have no idea whether they’ll be appreciated or not.

if you don’t want to contribute you can send a one sentence response. I have no idea why you’d make such an issue of this

If you can’t afford it just politely decline. No one actually cares. I was always grateful to these organisers.

I offered to do this one year and now seem to have been stuck with it.... as have just done it for the third year in a row! It's absolutely voluntary and absolutely normal! We do one at Christmas and one at the end of the school year.
Her email may be a tad strong but the reason she'll want to know either way,
is so that she knows how much money she has to cover all the presents, cards, gift bags etc.
People suggesting there's any profiteering have obviously never done this themselves! I ended up subsiding our year to the tune of £50 this year for various reasons!
If you don't want to contribute it's completely fine. Just let her know.

Funny to think most parents will think you are a star for sorting out a dull admin task for them so they don’t have to and a minority will absolutely hate your guts and think you are a thieving wretch!

Easy sorted.
Quick email to parent saying:
a) I'm doing my own thing
or
b) I don't like the idea of money, how about I arrange ....<whatever you think you be a suitable present>?

I think it's takes a while to get used to as in reception, we brought our own gifts. Now it's the cash request. I think it's fair to do, just hasn't been organised properly. Is there a main school rep? In our school, each year collects a small amount for support, then the school rep gives to support staff. The remainder of the collection goes to the class teacher, ie vouchers. I collected before and used a spreadsheet!!!

It has got a bit ridiculous in my school with some class collections raising £1000!

Give what you can afford OP and ignore anymore messages. I know that these requests can really make some people feel awful if they can't afford to give. For some people even "bunging a tenner" is not possible.

Here is my advice after almost 7 years enduring the school gate. Do not engage with other parents, keep your head down, pretend that you are invisible, do not make eye contact , and for goodness sake, do not join any WhatsApp groups 🙄