could you start a topic regarding elementary students providing holiday gifts to teachers in NASD. When did the practice of students (moreover parents) buying teachers gifts for Christmas begin? I am told that these are not merely $2 trinkets but can approach $100 in cost. How is it ethical for teachers to take gifts from students?I've asked my wife about this as well. I don't remember, but could have easily have forgotten doing this myself as a kid. She said when she taught a pre-k class some parents would get her a small gift, an ornament or the like, but not a gift from the class.
I'm not aware of individuals giving gifts in excess (though I'd doubt many would announce it), but if you take a class of 20 times $5.00 you are at $100.00 and many classes have 30 or more, K teachers have two classes of 15-20. The aggregate gifts from a class probably do often exceed $100.
The reader is looking at this from an ethical standpoint and gift giving is an issue that is regulated in many business environments today. Teachers are charged with evaluating students. Would they be influenced by a gift? I'd think not. Could they? Yes, as could anyone.
I think in most classes what happens is the classroom parent organizes and has other parents send the contribution in with their child, who gives it to the teacher, who sends it home with the parent organizers' child. So the teacher probably knows who is giving, though maybe not how much.
I'm sure there will be a sentimental argument regarding how hard teachers work, but that really has no bearing on the question the reader asked.
I would think the district has a policy on receiving gifts, but honestly don't know. If they don't, they should. Consider 'gifts' that administrators could receive from companies wishing to do business with the NASD or that curriculum leaders could get from book companies for selecting one series over another. There are numerous instances where gifts could be received.
If they have a policy and anyone knows what it entails, please let us know.
Otherwise, what do you think? Should teachers accept gifts? Why?
6 comments:
Having lived in the Nazareth School District all my life, and having all my children go through the Nazareth school system, I can not remember a time that small gifts were not given to the teacher. I think you would be hard pressed to find a teacher who recieved a $100 gift from a student. Christmas is about giving. It gives the kids pleasure to give their teacher a small token. Home baked goods, an ornament that relates to something the kids know their teacher likes, notepads, small candles...etc. Nobody is obligated to give a gift if they choose not to. Even people on limited budgets can buy 99cent Hallmark cards and have their child write a special message. Teachers know the financial situation of most of their students and they are NOT looking, nor do they expect, exorbitant gifts from their kids. Years later teachers can look back with fond memories on some of the gifts they receive. Anyone who feels that giving their child's teacher a gift is an imposition simply should not give a gift. The majority of parents and kids look at a teacher gift as a special part of the holiday season.
I am a teacher (another district) an we don't have classroom gifts, sometimes students will give gifts-but the classes don't take up a collection. I agree teachers are not looking for gifts and I have received many handmade gifts that are more special to me than any other. I've received books of a favorite children's author-which I always share with my class. One year a family knew I had adopted an SPCA dog-so they made a small donation to the SPCA in my name- I loved that! As a Mom I have been asked every year to contribute towards a gift for my son's teacher, but usually I already have planned something else. I don't contribute-instead I allow my child to choose what we'll do.
One more thing...I don't think (& hope it's true of others) that teachers are "influenced" by gifts. I know I have never let a gift influence my thoughts, opinions, or my professional approach towards a student. It is my job to educate all of my students to the best of my ability.
It's the spirit of the season. We like to give gifts to our teachers as a token of the holiday. In no way is it a way to influence the teacher. The teachers devote themselves to our children; a small gift to say "thank you - happy holidays - I appreciate all you do" is very thoughtful and makes our children feel good to give.
Getting away from the ethics question, it seems the issue isn't so much an individual gift from a single student, but the aggregate gift from the class that results in the $100+ gift card that seems off to me.
I'm not sure if a parent sending money in with a child to a class mother teaches the child anything about giving a gift or gives the child the enjoyment of giving a gift.
Often, but not always, we do give a small gift as opposed to participating in the class gift and the girls enjoy giving them.
As a room mother several years ago in a different school district in a different part of the state, we always worked with the students and the parents to provide a group gift from the class to the teacher. This allowed students who had financial difficulties to participate in the giving of a present to their teacher. It was never anything large but contained items that the students created with the help from me in adddition to a small token that was purchased. Of course, this all occured in a school that encouraged parental participation in the elementary schools. On any given day, you would find 2 to 3 parents in each classroom helping with crafts, tutoring students who needed extra help and assisting teachers with administrative details. Moving here, I found out quickly enough that my days of volunteering in the school directly with students was over. What a shame.
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