Being asked for a donation for teacher's birthday

[IdrisTheDragon]

Today DS has come home with an envelope with a note stapled onto it asking us to contribute a pound to celebrate teachers' birthdays.

Presumably you need to do this for each child in the school (only DS is there so far).

I find it a bit odd - when I was a teacher I would have been surprised to get a birthday present from the class, and done in this way we are being "asked" but it isn't what I would have chosen to do. I am very happy with the school and DS's teacher but don't like the feeling of being made to feel I should be doing this.

I do realise I don't have to do it, but was interested in other people's views, and whether it happens in other schools.

When my son was in reception they were asking we all donate £20 for christmas presents for the two teachers and the teaching assistant. The class had 30 children. They said, if it was meant to cover both a card and a decent present for three people, it HAD to be £20 donation...

Well, according to my calculations, 30 children x £20 is £600, divided by 3, so £200 for each of them should be a pretty decent present and a card.....

If I am not mistaken, she bought them a vase each at the Conran shop.... show off

Everybody complied. Nobody stood up to the class rep who had her haid in the clouds most of the time. (wealthy family, never worked, daddy paid her house) Nobody had the guts to tell her the amount was too steep.

This is just making me crosser and crosser.

Teachers are professionals. They are paid a salary for their time and expertise.

Do you give your doctor a birthday present? Have a whip round when your accountant has done a particularly good job of the nominal coding.

It's symptomatic of a culture where people have too much. Chipping in a quid hardly demonstrates the value we place on our children's happiness and education, and those placed in charge of it.

The woman who is ding it ought ot go and weed an old person's garden or do meals on wheels instead.

don't blame the teachers - they didn't initiate the collection and would likely be v embarrassed about it!!!!

I'm not blaming the teachers at all. As I have said I do value them a lot. I just don't like being told asked to give a donation.

sorry op, wasn't directly at you

QS I'd hate the thought of a £200 vase too!
not that im ever likely to have one...god thing too as they all end up chipped

It's a most peculiar idea. Personally I'd save the money to spend on a large bottle of strong alcohol at end of term/year as I reckon teech needs it by then.

Of course most teachers are very deserving, but there are one or two who are not.

There was one mum who used to make a very big thing about getting everyone to contribute to end of term flowers/present etc (not all of which were necessarily suitable tbh) and it was more about this woman needing to be seen making a cery public presentation to the teacher (always an extravagant bouquet) in front of whole class and as many parents as poss. She stopped doing it after a year or so as her supply of donations from everyone else rapidly dried up

Ahah - don't think I was the only disgruntled parent as a note came home from school today from "helpful parent".

It apologises if the request was in any way offensive or insensitive to parents. It also wanted to make it clear it was completely voluntary and that no one was under any obligation to make a contribution. It was a way of valuing all staff, from teachers and support staff to kitchen staff and cleaners. It was simply a gesture to thank staff for their contribution towards children and school.

I wonder how many people have contributed?

Sounds as if helpful parent has had some of the hot air and pomposity squeezed out of her.
It's a learning curve for her, keep reinforcing it Dragonlady!