Reply to Class fund non-participants: where do you think the party food comes from??

Forum Index » Elementary School-Aged Kids

Reply to "Class fund non-participants: where do you think the party food comes from??"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]  But the basic issue is that even if you have moral objections to donations that pay for: pizza/treats/class parties/teacher gifts, most of the other parents are donating on your behalf.  If you're fine with being free rider, carry on.[/quote]

I don't know why I keep arguing on this thread, since I am someone who donates for everything.  I just find your mentality really weird.  I give the teachers gift cards for Xmas and end of year.  Some people don't.  I don't view my gift card as somehow donating on the behalf of people who don't give one.  Likewise, for parties, I always sign up on signup genius to send in something.  I'm sure there are parents who don't ever sign up.  At my school, some of those parents can't afford it.  Some don't speak English and don't even know what is requested.  Some are just really busy.  I couldn't care less that their kids are eating the grapes or drinking the juice I provided.  It's really not a big deal.  It's all voluntary, which means that I have the right to contribute or not as I see fit.  Just because I choose to contribute doesn't give me any rights to decide what other people should contribute.  [/quote]

we're not talking about individual gift cards for teachers that are signed with your family's name.  we're talking about "class gifts" which are gift cards for holiday or end of the year that are given on behalf of "the class".  and when some people donate who can well afford to (no one is talking about the people who truly can't afford it), yes that is the definition of free riding.[/quote]

If you're the one deciding that personal gifts are inadequate and that there must be a class gift, then people who choose to get their own gifts are not free riding.  Instead, you're the one trying to boss other people around.  There's no need for class gifts.  If you decide that you simply must give a class gift, then feel free not to sign my kid's name on it.  It's still not my problem that you're deciding how other people must gift the teacher, and they're not conforming to your desires.  [/quote]

Room parents don't unilaterally "decide" that there must be a class gift.  It's customary at our Maryland public school to do so, and when you become a room parent, the room parent coordinator will tell you that typically parents use the funds for two teacher gifts and the class parties.  All the people who hate group gifts can become room parents and upend this tradition if you hate it so much.  (At my school, it's typically two fairly small gift cards from the class since our requested donation is small.)[/quote]

+1  Every school my kids have been at (from private preschool to public elementary) has had some sort of monetary class group gift for the teacher.  This isn't some bizarre invention by rogue room parents.  Some parents also contribute in their own name.[/quote]

This. But those who have never done it or asked about it just assume the room parent is electing to spend money on an unnecessary party or gift. It is not only expected at our school, we get a form email to send out at the beg. of the year that tells parents we are collecting for three gifts and two parties. The Fcps policy allows for two class parties per year. It’s beyond me why so many of you don’t get this. The only thing I can think of is that you’re either new to the elementary school scene or have not involved yourself in how it works at all. This is how it is done at lots of schools, every class, every year. [/quote]
What you don't understand is that there is no fee, tuition, payment, collection, dues, or whatever you want to call it that is required to attend a public school.  You can't require anything.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics