This is pretty ridiculous

[OUpearlgirl]

I read this article about a school posting a list of what gift certificate's teachers will accept. This school district is very well known for having a lot of money and for throwing it in everyone else's face. They make nasty t-shirts about how "Yea my daddy bought my car.. too bad your dad has to wash it" etc, etc. So, it's not too surprising that they would do something like this. At the same time, I find it a bit sad as well. I'd be very curious to know if I'm not the only one who agrees with the columnist.

 

[ang3199]

Yikes. I''m quite appalled. Eww.

 

[Fancy605]

Well have mercy. That is a LOT ridiculous. Now, I am a teacher myself (8th grade English), but come on now; that''s stepping a bit over the line of good taste. Now I have plenty of teacher friends who''s students bring them gift cards... I have a friend who even had parents call and specifically ask what sort of restaurants/stores she likes. To me that is VERY thoughtful and generous, and if I had parents ask me that, I would provide answers. But to essentially "register" for gift cards is a tad ridiculous. Who knows...maybe the parents REQUESTED such a list. If that is the case, then I guess that makes it okay, but if the school just sent it out b/c they know to expect nice gifts then...

I dunno...it must be nice to be a teacher in a rich neighborhood where you get a nice holiday bonus of gift cards. My school system is pretty low income. I mean, we have a few nice neighborhoods, but we also have a LOT of not so nice neighborhoods that are frightening even in daylight. Teachers are considered rich. I really don''t ever expect gifts. Many of my kids can''t afford food, much less teacher gifts. Some of them make home made greeting cards (which are always either precious or flat out funny). Some bring in a little teacher ornament or something small or some cookies or something. I have had a few bring in bath products or candles, and I think I have gotten a total of 2 or 3 gift cards in my years at that school. So yeah, sure, it''s not much, but it makes me so happy to know that my kids put thought into what they brought in. If they bring something in, it''s because they REALLY wanted to, not because it''s part of a social expectation.

I think one of my favorite things was an unintentionally hilarious card that a student made by hand that read: "Dear Ms. ''Fancy.'' Your the only teacher I don''t hate. That don''t mean I like you, but I sure don''t hate you. Merry Christmas, Love ''student''"

It was actually touching coming from that particular child.

 

[lumpkin]

I always give my kids'' teachers gifts for the holidays and at the end of the year, but I have never felt pressured to. That''s crazy!

 

[Skippy123]

That is pure tacky

I can see if you asked the teacher what she likes but sending out a newsletter

 

[zoebartlett]

That''s horrible!! I''m an elementary teacher and it''s very common for parents and kids to show their appreciation for what we do by bringing in a gift at the holiday season. It''s a very thoughtful gesture but it''s certainly not needed. I would NEVER expect to get a gift. I''m appalled that the principal actually solicited on the teachers'' behalf in his own newsletter.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Oyyyyy about the gift certificates! I always gave DD''s teacher a gift for Christmas - even if they didn''t celebrate it! LOL!

And this "Yea my daddy bought my car.. too bad your dad has to wash it"!!!!! Makes me want to barf. Somebody needs to be smacked upside the head. Rude does not even begin to describe it! [And I am from one of the more expensive areas of one of the "wealthiest" western suburbs of Boston.] What is wrong with some of these people? [Nevermind - forget I posed the question - I could go on for chapter abnd verse on that subject . . . and often do!]

 

[lyra]

They deserve a lump of coal for that attitude. In a wealthy school, why on earth are they not promoting giving to charities instead?

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Date: 12/18/2007 6:39:45 PM
Author: lyra
They deserve a lump of coal for that attitude. In a wealthy school, why on earth are they not promoting giving to charities instead?

Agreed!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/18/2007 6:39:45 PM
Author: lyra
They deserve a lump of coal for that attitude. In a wealthy school, why on earth are they not promoting giving to charities instead?

Yep!

My son's school did both a food and toy drive this year. My son and I made a special trip to the store to buy groceries for the food drive and when we brought the bags of food into class, hardly anyone had contributed. It was really disapointing. We're not from a weathy district, but upper middle-class, and I had hoped that more parents would contribute since many of the parents drive Mercedes SUVs, etc. I was EMBARRASSED by how much we brought in because it seemed almost over-the-top compared to the other kids who brought in only one can of food!

Oh and last year, there was a list of teacher's requests for gift ideas for teacher appreciation day (but not for Christmas). The whole process seemed innocent though. It wasn't greedy or pushy and buying a small gift card for my son's kindergarten teacher, who was teaching her first year, seemed a great way to show how pleased DH and I were with her enthusiasm. We didn't feel obligated.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Wow, I think it''s dispicable, but for those of us who live in DFW, Southlake definitely would be the city that would promote this sort of thing.

Ugh.

 

[monarch64]

The whole idea of teachers (upon solicitation from the principal, no less) making lists of gifts they have deemed "acceptable" is pretty tasteless. Sadly, that the world has come to this doesn't really surprise me. One of my SIL's teaches in a very affluent school district and she's made several comments over the years during the holidays that she receives TONS of gifts that are "useless" to her or that she doesn't care for. She typically re-gifts them or donates them...which is fine, but I bet if her principal was to institute one of these lists of acceptable gifts she'd be the first to sign up.

Sometimes I can't for the life of me figure out how she came from the same set of parents as my DH...

I remember giving teachers small gifts when I was in K-6, we only had one teacher all day and we usually gave them something that related to their hobbies...i.e. my 2nd grade teacher had a huge magnet collection that was primarily made up from magnets her students had given her. I still visit her sometimes when I go back home, and she still has all the magnets covering every surface in her kitchen, and one whole other room devoted to them. She also has a class roster for every year she taught, and can go into vivid detail about most of her students' personalities with a little reminding. (She taught for something like 45 years!)

Oh, and the tee-shirts with the 'your daddy washes my daddy's car'--totally revolting. Is that supposed to be funny?

 

[Diamond*Dana]

That is beyond tacky

!

 

[Haven]

What a bizarre practice. If my principal asked us to submit a list I''d probably just respectfully decline and leave it at that.

I have to say that this gift card business reminds me of the modern-day wedding registry, and I think both are tasteless. Please don''t flame me, ladies, hear me out--registries began as a means of telling your guests which china pattern you chose, and perhaps linens, and they since have ballooned into enormous lists of wants, right down to wooden spoons and turkey basters. I don''t want to register for every little item, I would very much prefer for our home items to be a compilation of things that reminded our guests of us, or that they love so very much they just had to share.

Okay, sorry, tangential rant over. I just see a striking connection between this gift card practice and the wedding registry. I know I''m in the minority with this one, I know.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Date: 12/18/2007 8:54:40 PM
Author: LaurenThePartier
Wow, I think it''s dispicable, but for those of us who live in DFW, Southlake definitely would be the city that would promote this sort of thing.


Ugh.

Haha! I know! I love the quote from the article, "Step right up, Southlake moms and dads, and do what the rest of the Metroplex thinks you do anyway -- pay your way through life."

 

[Giada]

Wow...if you go to the Carroll School District site, there is a banner ad for Bailey Banks & Biddle and Best Buy.