Voluntary contributions for school

DerryRed · 18-08-2014 09:05PM #1

My daughter is back to primary school in a few weeks and we are getting various things ready including the voluntary contribution. The school have always been pretty flexible when it comes to paying, especially for people who aren't working or have a low income.

I was talking to my a friend recently and their daughter is starting secondary school. They've been asked for a voluntary contribution in the region of €140 and are struggling to get the money together. It seems that if they don't pay it their daughter doesn't get a locker, regardless of the parents' financial situation.

Is this common practice in all secondary schools? It seems to be putting fierce pressure on parents who obviously wouldn't want their kids to be singled out as one of the few without a locker and the likely bullying that would follow. Finding it difficult to understand why schools would have such a policy.

Would be interested in hearing people's views and experiences of this voluntary fee.

mick kk · 18-08-2014 11:11PM

Are you sure that the 140 doesn't include the locker rental...the locker aspect of it could be €10 for example and maybe the school would take this for now and then balance whenever you can pay it.

DerryRed · 19-08-2014 07:16AM

mick kk wrote: »

Are you sure that the 140 doesn't include the locker rental...the locker aspect of it could be €10 for example and maybe the school would take this for now and then balance whenever you can pay it.

From the discussion I had it sounded like an all or nothing proposition.

Cabaal · 19-08-2014 09:54AM

DerryRed, I'm going to move this thread to the Primary & Pre-school forum. You'll likely get more replys in that forum.

DerryRed · 19-08-2014 09:55AM

Cabaal wrote: »

DerryRed, I'm going to move this thread to the Primary & Pre-school forum. You'll likely get more replys in that forum.

Thanks

Moonbeam · 19-08-2014 02:46PM

They can not insist on a €140 voluntary contribution as that would equate to fees.
It might be for locker and printing and stationary etc but 140 sounds quite high for that.

diveout · 19-08-2014 03:23PM

Our PS is demanding E250 contribution plus a mandatory E95 for photcopying and text messaging.

byhookorbycrook · 19-08-2014 08:03PM

€95 just for photocopying and texts? Does this include standardized tests,art and crafts and maybe something like swimming? They can look for this , if so, however €250 per primary child is outrageous,is it broken down as to what this would be for?

Moonbeam · 19-08-2014 09:01PM

€250 is the minimum amount for the school to reclaim the tax relief.

They can request it but can not deny a place based on it.

diveout · 19-08-2014 10:39PM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

€95 just for photocopying and texts? Does this include standardized tests,art and crafts and maybe something like swimming? They can look for this , if so, however €250 per primary child is outrageous,is it broken down as to what this would be for?

95 doesn't include swimming. I really don't know what it includes, I think texts photo copying and arts and crafts. Probably standardised tests. I know we weren't asked for extra for the Drumcondra so I'm guessing it includes that one. Although we only got raw scores for that test and not converted ones.

The E250 was not broken down, just a general request.

byhookorbycrook · 19-08-2014 11:38PM

A request or a demand? There's quite a difference, how was it worded?

diveout · 20-08-2014 09:01AM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

A request or a demand? There's quite a difference, how was it worded?

They call the E 250 a voluntary contribution. The E 95 is mandatory.

byhookorbycrook · 20-08-2014 06:04PM

The €95 would need to be paid, as it is to cover specified items. The €250 is voluntary, but most schools depend on some form of "voluntary" additional money to survive. €250 per child is huge. I'd talk to the school and tell them you can't pay that but will contribute what you can.

Moonbeam · 20-08-2014 07:24PM

Our local school asks for 250 every 2 years,which I have no issue with.

muckisluck · 20-08-2014 09:40PM

What does the word voluntary mean in all this. I don't think anyone should pay. It's just another form of taxation if you ask me. Either we fund schools or we don't. If I was to pay this I would want to see how the money is spent. How many schools are sending out accounts to parents as to what is done with this "voluntary" contribution.

Moonbeam · 20-08-2014 10:04PM

SOme schools do.

The problem is that the schools do not receive enough public funding sometimes they can not afford to pay things as simple as heating and teachers are often putting their hands in their own pockets to buy educational supplies for their class room.

It is crazy but reality.

byhookorbycrook · 21-08-2014 05:31PM

muckisluck wrote: »

What does the word voluntary mean in all this. I don't think anyone should pay. It's just another form of taxation if you ask me. Either we fund schools or we don't. If I was to pay this I would want to see how the money is spent. How many schools are sending out accounts to parents as to what is done with this "voluntary" contribution.

Our accounts are gone through each year with the parents' association. Take it from me, it's not going on foreign junkets for teachers!!Any teacher I know ends up paying for school stuff out of their own pockets .

SamforMayo · 22-08-2014 12:43AM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Our accounts are gone through each year with the parents' association. Take it from me, it's not going on foreign junkets for teachers!!Any teacher I know ends up paying for school stuff out of their own pockets .

In my experience not a cent is wasted in Primary Schools and a contribution is needed however 250 is crazy. In our local school we are asked for 5 euro a month or what ever a person can afford even if its only a euro. It causes a lot of resentment if only a certain amount contribute, especially when they are the same people who turn up at every fund raising event as well.

diveout · 22-08-2014 08:35AM

Moonbeam wrote: »

SOme schools do.

The problem is that the schools do not receive enough public funding sometimes they can not afford to pay things as simple as heating and teachers are often putting their hands in their own pockets to buy educational supplies for their class room.

It is crazy but reality.

Maybe if they took all that First Holy Communion money spent they could afford heat.

muckisluck · 22-08-2014 10:24AM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Our accounts are gone through each year with the parents' association. Take it from me, it's not going on foreign junkets for teachers!!Any teacher I know ends up paying for school stuff out of their own pockets .

I would be absolutely sure that none of it is used incorrectly but if more schools refused to charge for education and schools who do charge went public with their accounts maybe there would be more of a backlash from the public to get proper funding for schools. I don't think going through accounts with a few parents who have time on their hands to join a parents council is enough. Everyone who pays a contribution to the school should see where the money goes.

Merak · 22-08-2014 12:08PM

diveout wrote: »

Maybe if they took all that First Holy Communion money spent they could afford heat.

Schools don't spend anything on the First Holy Communion except for maybe some art supplies.

SamforMayo · 22-08-2014 05:01PM

diveout wrote: »

Maybe if they took all that First Holy Communion money spent they could afford heat.

Schools don't spend money on Holy Communion, parents do.

byhookorbycrook · 22-08-2014 05:36PM

diveout wrote: »

Maybe if they took all that First Holy Communion money spent they could afford heat.

There's no money spent on sacrament preparation, can you explain your comment?

diveout · 22-08-2014 06:09PM

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

There's no money spent on sacrament preparation, can you explain your comment?

Several people already pointed that out.

Obviously if they spend most of 2nd class on teachings of the holy ghost that is money spent on first communion. Teaching hours, overheads, etc.

SamforMayo · 22-08-2014 06:58PM

diveout wrote: »

Several people already pointed that out.

Obviously if they spend most of 2nd class on teachings of the holy ghost that is money spent on first communion. Teaching hours, overheads, etc.

I think you are grinding a different axe there, one which has no connection to the original op.

Moonbeam · 22-08-2014 07:45PM

I have no time for religion in schools but it is a completely different issue to that of the chronic underfunding .

killbillvol2 · 23-08-2014 03:07PM

diveout wrote: »

Several people already pointed that out.

Obviously if they spend most of 2nd class on teachings of the holy ghost that is money spent on first communion. Teaching hours, overheads, etc.

6th class is spent on the Holy Ghost. 2nd class is the baby Jesus. If you're going to make ludicrous statements at least get part of them right.

diveout · 23-08-2014 03:10PM

killbillvol2 wrote: »

6th class is spent on the Holy Ghost. 2nd class is the baby Jesus. If you're going to make ludicrous statements at least get part of them right.

Same voo doo, different day. All those teaching hours and overheads spent on all that time. And yet they want 250 from each student, even when on prime real estate. Yeah.

is mise spartacus · 23-08-2014 03:11PM

My school requests €100ish and if you don't pay in time you get no locker, journal etc until you pay.

diveout · 23-08-2014 03:14PM

is mise spartacus wrote: »

My school requests €100ish and if you don't pay in time you get no locker, journal etc until you pay.

That is not voluntary.

is mise spartacus · 23-08-2014 03:15PM

diveout wrote: »

That is not voluntary.

They call it a voluntary contribution though

Voluntary contributions for school

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