surely the school should be buying books...?/maybe should be in AIBU (also, bit of a long rant, sorry)

[chocolaterainbow]

When DS1 started full time two years ago he brought back his 1st reading book, just a short one with two-word sentances,big pictures, y'know, them. But instead of an actual book, he got a photocopy of a book. Not just a photocopy, but a really bad one and it was put together in such a way that some of the words where cut off/not clear. I deemed this unaceptable and complained to the school. I mean, do they really care about him learning to recognise words or what. Shoddy.
So, assumed that was dealt with he always brought back book books afterwards.
Now DS2 has started full time, brought back photocopy of a book (addmitidley, a better quality one, but still). This is the same book as DD1 brought back as a photocopy version. Surely they sholud have got new books at some point.
Should I complain? I don't want to be a pain in the ass nuisance to the teachers, but I don't want them to get away with being so lazy.
Also, their homework is photocopied work sheets, which frankly are very badly photocopied too, eg this week it was put names of body parts on a diagram of a person, but the person was so faint it wasn't clear where her hands where etc so I drew them in with pencil. Additionaly, we're Welsh, kids learn in Welsh. But said worksheet was downloaded off an Engish website. Okay, fine, obvs they don't want to waste money on making new ones. But body part names don't translate properly (there's only one word in Welsh for hip&thigh) so it confuses the kids re homework a bit. It just seems like lazy teaching to me, like they don't even bother checking if the homework makes sense, whether the crappy photocopied books are readable.

I know I probablly do sound as if I'm making a big deal about not much, but it really bugs me, these people are supposed to be teaching my kids, and if they can't even be bothered with this, what the hell do they do all day in school.

Also, they're constantly fundraising, they even charge us ££ for crafts the kids made in school.... where's this going if not on books?

Ask them where the money is going, ask them what the spending is on books. But I'll bet anything you like that they simply don't have the money in their budget to supplement the very meagre books allowance they get from the relevant authority. Books are horrendously expensive.

YABveryU frankly.

YANBU. Schools should have some money for books.

Look here to see what your school does spend it's money on.

Does your school get about the national average per head? If so, there really, really should be some money allocated in the budget for books.

Photocopying a whole book almost certainly infringes copyright. However is it possible that this is a book that's available as a download? They would pay less for those, allowing them to get a greater variety of books.

I wouldn't be happy with this either. Have a chat with the teacher, if no satisfaction speak to the Head. I'm not sure why you assume it's laziness on the part of the teacher though - surely it's a lot harder work to photocopy books than just give the originals out? I would assume it's a shortage of money/books not being prioritised issue which would presumably be the Head's fault rather than the teacher's.

My kids go to a Welsh school and we have only ever had handouts/worksheets that are entirely in Welsh - with an english translation for those parents that need it. I wouldn't be pleased with them coming home with stuff in English.

Maybe you could join the PTA and help the school by fund-raising? Or you could become a Governor next time a vacancy comes up and get involved in how the money is spent?

Rather than just whining to the headteacher, you could ask her what you could do to help.

sparkle they do have books, it seems to be this particular book that I raised the issue about two years ago, they said they had a shortage of that book, but still haven't done anything about it (and I'm a bit paranoid that the teachers look down on me because I'm the youngest mother at the school and that that is why it's my kids that get shitty photocopies as oposed to the KidsWho'sParentsAreFriendsWithTheTeachers)

indigo that link only works for schools in England but sure I can have a look for the Welsh equivilant, cheers.

Dewe It's quite obviously a really crap photocopy of an actual book...

gravy Yeah, I think I will say something. No actually, I definatly will.
It's an english worksheet which they themselves have translated at the school it's originally downloaded from some website. That's not the problem, what bugged me was that in welsh - one word means both hip and thigh (apparently) wheras in English obvs, 2 words. Thus, worksheet had two boxes for one word, which I just think is stupid. They should be putting in at least a bit of effort with making sure the work they gives the kids is understandable instead of creating some (albeit very mild) confusion. And, again, the quality of the photocopied stuff is just a joke.

monsters I can't really be arsed with the mothers on the PTA, I know I shouldn't whinge if I'm not willing to do anything about it, but the school is a bit 'clicky' to say the least so, no.

Sorry if I'm just a bit today

& calm down init

It's really unlikely the teachers care how old you are. Why would they?

...I don't know, okay, no.I am being silly.
But they are a very clicky with some parents (I suppose that's natural that they just get on, whatever) and I do honestly feel like they don't really give a toss listen to what I have to say...

If it's only one book then I would let it go to be honest. It does sound a bit rubbish and also illegal, but perhaps they like to start every single child on that one title. I have heard that very first reading books are the ones which never come back after being given out, so perhaps they've got fed up with replacing lost copies.