DS damaged a child's blazer at school, parents demand cash.

[InMySpareTime]

DS (Y11) was messing around, pretended to cut another child's blazer with scissors. They moved, and DS accidentally actually cut the blazer about 1cm into the bottom seam by the pocket.
School phoned me because child's parents want £30 for a new blazer, and they are now giving the parents my phone number to work it out between us. They have shown neither school nor me any pictures of the damage, though the child was apparently still wearing the blazer to school each day since.
I've offered to either mend the blazer, or replace it with one of DS's own Blazers. Given the blazer was not damaged maliciously, and is still perfectly wearable, am I unreasonable to think that's enough, and not pay them £30?
I don't think they'll spend it on a new blazer anyway, they're likely pulling a fast one IMO

If my child damaged something, either accidentally or deliberately, I'd replace it. Because the damage wasn't caused by the owner, it was caused by your child. You need to pay them.

If it wasn't for the actions of your son the blazer wouldn't be damaged. I'd replace it.

You acknowledge that your son cut the blazer so of course it needs paying for. Your son can pay you back but the other family shouldn't be left out of pocket.

Ask them for the blazer and say you will return it mended. If they don't want that, then don't pay the cash. A 1cm cut???? trying it on.

You need to buy them another blazer and warn your child about playing the fool.

DS was messing about with scissors. It resulted in damage. He/you need to pay for it. Sorry.

I doubt it was an accident, it takes a lot of force to cut a blazer. Yes you should pay up.

Do tou have a second hand uniform sale at your school? Offer a price of a second hand blazer

More to the point, what is the school going passing on confidential information such as your contact details? I'd flag that up to the Head.

As far as the blazer is concerned, if your son damaged it then it should be replaced or repaired. Was it brand new? Is the cut visible? If you can do an invisible repair then that should do, along with an apology. Otherwise it should be replaced by you, and maybe get your son to contribute towards the cost of it.

Maybe take the £30 from ds pocket money. . He should be old enough to know not to mess with scissors...

I'd pay it, & dock it out of DS's pocket money / make him do extra chores or something to pay for it. But then I don't have £30 laying about to pay for silly mistakes. Hopefully he'll remember & learn from it.

I agree that school shouldn't have passed on your details without asking you first - I would raise that. I also wouldn't pay without seeing the blazer or maybe getting an independent person like clothes alteration specialist to see and ask could it be repaired.

At 15 you would think he would know that you don't play with scissors. He needs to pay this back.

Well, that's why we don't mess around with scissors (which most toddlers learn pretty early in). Yes, it seems the blazer should be paid for but I would be making sure your son pays it somehow (pocket money, chores, whatever), so he learns not to do it again.

Although on reflection, having re-read the OP, I'd be inclined to purchase a new blazer in the correct size (if you suspect they'll just pocket the cash). They can't get a refund without the receipt, presumably.

They do have a right to ask for it, so Id give it them, Via a sack of 1p's

I would find out the boy's size and buy a new blazer rather than hand over cash.

In fact i like @LegoCaltrops's idea best, as i also dont think it will be spent on uniform. Deffo buy a new one!!

Really querty?

The op's son admitted to damaging the other boy's blazer. Of course the op should pay for a replacement.

@Katmeifyoucan ... hence why my post says to "pay for the blazer"

£30 is more than a month's pocket money for DS, so I'm loath to get him to pay for a new blazer to replace a fairly old, minimally damaged one.
The other parents have refused my offer of a replacement blazer, they just want the cash, and they won't tell me the child's size for me to get a replacement.
I'm not trying to minimise DS's role in BlazerGate, but the repeated demands for cash and only cash with no evidence of the extent of the damage are making me suspicious.

Can you not give them the £30. Ask them for the blazer that was ruined, you could mend that, sell it and possibly recoup £10 to £ 15 for it second hand, that way you would not be paying the full £30. I think if you pay for a new one, then the damaged one becomes yours.

Or your son could use it if it fitted.

You offered to give them one of your sons blazers? How kind

@InMySpareTime you have every right to replace the blazer with a new one. You absolutely do not have to give cash. If they arent happy for an exact replacement of what was damaged then thats their problem.

How do you know his blazer is worn? It's the first month of term.