I have posted many times about the school when they have annoyed me. For example, here and here.
The one thing I haven’t had a rant about is the fact that schools seem to think that parents have a bottomless pit of money.
Now when I was at school we didn’t have to make ‘donations’ to school events on an almost monthly basis. I use the term ‘donation’ loosely because if it was a donation would they really need to have a sheet and put a tick next to the child’s name when they have paid?
I got slightly annoyed last year when they expected us to pay £8 for 8 swimming lessons at 1 hour. I know it seems a reasonable cost but the swimming pool is IN the school, they insist it is part of the school curriculum and we cannot pull our children out. Well if it is an essential part of the curriculum why are we paying?
Another time they did an event (can’t remember what it was for) and again we had to make a ‘donation’. This donation would then be split between the school and charity. Now I have no issue in giving money to charity, I give regularly but I resent being made to ‘donate’ and then a record being kept if I don’t. I also like to choose which charities I donate to.
Now recently the parents have paid £18 for a trip to the National History Museum in London. And guess what….yes we have another letter for another ‘donation’. This time it is for a ‘West End in Schools’ workshop. We have to ‘donate’ £2 for the children to work with a professional dancer and choreographer from the West End. Apparently it ‘helps support & develop many aspects of the curriculum IE literacy, PE, Personal, Social & Health Education’.
This time I am not going to make the ‘donation’. What are they going to do? Shoot me? I would never pay for my child to get involved in something like this out of school so why should I pay for her to do it in school?
Oh I completely understand.
I'm a teacher in a Private school and we are always asking the parents for money for various things. I agree it's ridiculous. We have 'Pizza day' 4 times a term and the kids pay an extortionate amount of money for 2 pieces of margherita pizza on that day. The extra money goes to the school to buy equipment. Kids don't have to pay for pizza but they're sure to feel left out if they're the only one who doesn't get to eat it on those days.
We have book fairs and trips all the time and the teachers have to collect all this money and keep records – I feel like it's not part of my job to be an accountant and have to keep count of 3 different payments and send back change to various parents. It's so time consuming.
I feel bad for the parents because they pay such a lot of money anyway in school fees and we're always asking for more. They always shell out though.
Salaam alaykum,
and right you are. The other things even I can think ok, eventhough the donation term is not really correct. But the west-end thing, I would have done the same.
Do they again want to steal part of your weekend? Or they're planning it in schoolhours?
I don't mind contributing to school trips like the London one but when they are asking for donations on a monthly basis it gets ridiculous.The area that the school is in is not particularly wealthy and alot of the parents are on benefits so it must be hard for them.
Wa alaikum asalaam. It is during school hours, apparently it was last week and I had forgotten – so she has already had the session
I have heard about the rants those so called 'hifi' schools make in the cities of India do with parents. The other day I was discussing with my husband about Liya's education (Insha Allah) and he was saying- I can't manage those arrogant fellows in so called schools, you'll have to take care of it..Lolz!
Schools have grown more like a business, no matter in which corner of the world you are. But I always thought in EU/US etc things are much better! Now I feel not really. 🙂