HOliday gifts for teachers

[Anonymous]

Are there any rules regarding gifts to teachers in DCPS? Are parents allowed to give gift cards or whatever they want, regardless of amount?

[Anonymous]

We were told nothing more than $30 per family (if it is purchased by a group of parents).

[Anonymous]

Who told y'all that? We are giving our teacher a day at a spa. Last year, one our teacher's got a 52-inch television. Year-before that we gave our teacher a designer handbag.

[Anonymous]

So, I guess if you are using the DC ethics pledge, its no gifts. But come on... if you can afford something nice do it. If not, a card. People rarely if ever say 'thanks', and it means a lot.

[Anonymous]

If MCPS teachers receive anything which costs more than $20, they should not accept it or return it.
If not, there are consequences by the county. A teacher did not abide by these rules and got herself in serious trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If MCPS teachers receive anything which costs more than $20, they should not accept it or return it.
If not, there are consequences by the county. A teacher did not abide by these rules and got herself in serious trouble.

Not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If MCPS teachers receive anything which costs more than $20, they should not accept it or return it.
If not, there are consequences by the county. A teacher did not abide by these rules and got herself in serious trouble.

Not true.

pp, all principals received a mass email from the office of superintendent about this about two weeks ago, to be forwarded to teachers.
I would not imagine any school would be exempt from it.

[Anonymous]

I don't give a gift as a parent to my child's teacher. By the holidays I am friends with my child's teacher and the gift giving limit is a moot point.

[Anonymous]

It's the least you can do for someone who spends 35 hours (or more) a week with your kid.

[Anonymous]

So what does this limit mean in practice? And is it really enforced? If so, how? If you get a teacher a gift card for more than $15 or $20 (whatever the limit is) they are obligated to return it? What if you give a gift basket of stuff, they can't accept it if it looks to be worth more than $15? what is the rationale? and how do "they" know? It's a total bummer for people who are able and want to give gifts to their children's teachers......

[Anonymous]

^ So, as with most rules- it was made for the thugs of DC Government that do things- like take bribes. So instead of saying 'no bribes' they say 'no gifts'. I guess in theory, if you as a parent give a teacher an amazing christmas gift- maybe it would be a pay off, disguised as a gift. No one is going to report a holiday gift, as a stand alone. Now a 1,000 present coupled with letting your kid cheat their way through an honors course... you may have something.

[Anonymous]

At our child's school they do a pooled collection which is divided among teachers and staff. This works out really well and alleviates the problems of some receiving more/none than others.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Forgot to mention that the collection is organized by parents, not the school.

[Anonymous]

Another question -- if you have given money to a group (PTA) collection for the teachers, do you also give them an individual gift?

[Anonymous]

Our well-regarded DC charter school has parent-organized giving for each grade, split among both the classroom teachers and the auxilary teachers (gym, music, etc). I think we gave $20.

Growing up in the 1970's/80's. I don't remember this happening so much -- some parents gave their teacher a coffee mug or jar or hand lotion at the end of the school year, that was it.

It COULD get out of control. I guess that's why MCPS have the $20 rule. That's the same rule as the Federal gov't has. I would hope that a teacher would reject an expensive gift, but it's always a good idea to have a written policy on things like that.