Vent - Free Dress Day for School Cash Donation

[Anonymous]

This is a staple of parochial schooling, just like selling boxes of candy, etc. My parents used to call it the "Catholic shakedown" when I was a kid. It's a small part of the game. Just pay it and move on.

[Anonymous]

This was an 8th grade fundraiser at our school. The money supported their graduation events. If you can't find it within you don't donate OP. It's not like your stingy family is sticking around until 8th grade anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of our former catholic schools did this and put the funds toward student activities like dances and the prom, which the kids also paid for. It made my kids so mad that they wouldn’t even take the dress down day even if I paid for it.

We are now at two other catholic schools that give regular dress down/spirit days with a variety of parameters. All of them are completely free.

My kids forget it's free dress half the time. This ins't a big deal to a lot of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of our former catholic schools did this and put the funds toward student activities like dances and the prom, which the kids also paid for. It made my kids so mad that they wouldn’t even take the dress down day even if I paid for it.

We are now at two other catholic schools that give regular dress down/spirit days with a variety of parameters. All of them are completely free.

Growing up, I was that family in a Catholic school that benefited from fundraisers that lowered the price of many events.
Now I am in a different position. I’m happy to donate money to fundraisers for those who may not be on scholarship, but still don’t have the funds to easily participate in every event. There are many families in Catholic schools that fit this description and I am glad they are there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was an 8th grade fundraiser at our school. The money supported their graduation events. If you can't find it within you don't donate OP. It's not like your stingy family is sticking around until 8th grade anyway.

It isn’t about our money. It is the ick of doing this to everyone else. Making kids feel bad and outing them if their parents aren’t in the position to donate. Just gross all around.

[Anonymous]

Tacky. But donate $20 so your kid gets to dress down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was an 8th grade fundraiser at our school. The money supported their graduation events. If you can't find it within you don't donate OP. It's not like your stingy family is sticking around until 8th grade anyway.

It isn’t about our money. It is the ick of doing this to everyone else. Making kids feel bad and outing them if their parents aren’t in the position to donate. Just gross all around.

+1

[Anonymous]

Any excuse for free dress at a school with uniforms irks me. Like why do seniors get to wear sweatpants but it’s an abomination if a 7th grader wears a gray sweatshirt?!?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any excuse for free dress at a school with uniforms irks me. Like why do seniors get to wear sweatpants but it’s an abomination if a 7th grader wears a gray sweatshirt?!?!?

I mean it makes sense for some very select days for instance field trips where the uniform was not practical or I recall we had a mock interview day where alums came in and gave mock interviews with feedback for different things they would interview for in the real world. We signed up for the interviews we thought would be useful in our future and we were expected to dress and fully play the part of the interviewee. I think learning how to dress for an interview was probably really helpful in getting internships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our local parish school had this. It cost $3 to buy new books for the library.

Didn’t seem like a big deal to me.

This. At our secular school it is $3 for a reasonable purpose. No one cares if a family doesn’t participate. We skip simply because its easier to keep our kids on track in the mornings if they wear usual school clothes every day.

[Anonymous]

Take it down a notch OP. If you don't like the school...leave.

[Anonymous]

OP, you sound like you need a nap.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t the hill I would die on but it would irk me as a fundraiser. If the uniform is undesirable, don’t do it. If it’s good, don’t let people buy out of it. Sell cupcakes or whatever.