Elementary school teachers

I see everyone getting all worked up over the cost of these sandwiches.
Look, here’s how it went down: I bought him three rolls since he isn't exactly a fan of deli meat—he barely touches it, which honestly is for the best—so I always spread some Nutella on them. He loves that stuff. We have plenty at home (I once picked up a few jars while visiting Canada for just about a buck each).
So, we're looking at 3 rolls with Nutella, a bottle of standard spring water (half a liter, though it was practically a waste), and a small bag of pears (2-$1.00). Total damage was roughly around $2.00!

And he definitely wouldn't have been hungry; he even got a little snack.
He ended up bringing half the water and two of the rolls back home too. If he hadn't eaten at McDonald's, he would've finished those rolls. And they were out for six hours.

Even the teacher knew everyone had food because the notice clearly stated: BRING LUNCH!

Also, today they finally returned that $1.75 from the fundraiser, but get this—they paid for a movie trip, and we actually had to chip in an extra $1.75. (Everyone from 1st to 4th grade was REQUIRED to go see the film).

I asked my little guy if the teacher had said anything to him, and he said yeah—that she asked if he told her and asked if he brought the money... Honestly, if you ask me, nobody heard a thing, or at least that's what I'm hoping.

I didn't head over to the school today because I wasn't exactly sure when they were leaving or coming back from the theater, but seriously, was it really necessary to pull him aside and grill him about whether he brought the cash? 😲😢 He told her straight up that I didn't have it on me right then. She didn't need to press him.

About 25 years ago, my hometown was basically a circus. My parents couldn't afford the tickets, but my entire class was going. My teacher actually paid for mine out of her own pocket because she had the extra cash, and she never even asked to be paid back. I felt like the luckiest kid on the planet, and honestly, I’m still so grateful for her, even if she probably doesn't even remember it. There wasn't any drama with my folks or my teacher about it.

Regarding the issues the OP mentioned, the only actual problem I see here is the teacher asking for the money back. That’s it. The kid learned exactly what it means to have nothing and how to deal with it. I grew up without much either, so I don't carry any trauma from it—if anything, it just made me appreciate things more now. It hurts to see a kid struggling, though, which is why I'd rather leave my kid at home than send them somewhere where they'll feel left out because they can't afford what everyone else has. $6.75 We aren't talking about huge sums of money here, and nobody can tell me this is a big deal today. Maybe $200 is an issue, but $20 isn't. (At least, I try to believe it isn't.) And the problem is supposed to be junk food from McDonald's? As if a deli meat stick from Piko is some kind of super healthy health food? Give me a break, people. Just pay the teacher back and move on.

Jason Ortiz5 said:I mean, was that snack really such a "must-have" educational tool? Like, would the whole field trip fail without it? Honestly, getting a last-minute notice just smells like someone being disorganized. Or, even worse, just plain lazy.

Yeah, the main thing is what the neighbors will think about Mom🙄, right? She was probably worried they'd cut off her credit line if she paid for that too—it's not like how he felt about it matters at all.☕

It’s honestly pretty sad. It's a real shame when someone prioritizes fulfilling someone else's whims over dealing with actual, real-life struggles. ☕

Now everyone's acting like the snack was unnecessary, but I don't think that's the point. Would things be any different if they had gone to the Griffith Observatory later and had to pay for that$6.75?

If they'd announced it late or out of the blue, it wouldn't matter. Besides, there should be some basic decency to coordinate with parents, instead of just dragging kids around without anyone knowing or agreeing to it first.

If he was going to go, he should have just gone all in instead of making it awkward and putting him on the spot like that.

I still haven't gotten an answer: would a museum or a gallery lose its educational value just because they didn't get snacks afterward? Is this snack part of the official school curriculum?

Educators really need to wake up to the world we live in. Some people just don't have money to throw around for extras. A little bit of empathy wouldn't hurt them.

No. But that’s a completely different conversation.

The issue here is strictly what went down inside that McDonald's and the fallout from that specific action.

The bottom line is they took all the kids to McDonald's together.
Anything outside of that is a separate issue that doesn't really impact what happened at the restaurant, nor is it even particularly relevant right now.
And honestly, isolating one single kid in a situation like that would be pretty pathetic and just plain inhumane.
That's why the teacher did the right thing.

Why she was taking kids to McDonald's in the first place has nothing to do with what actually happened once they were there.
It was definitely stupid to give parents such short notice about the McDonald's trip.
But that isn't an excuse to let one kid suffer by watching everyone else eat and play with their toys while he sits there spinning sticks with Nutella on them.

If some parent wants to stick to their "isolation" principles and thinks "it's not that big a deal"... fine, they can isolate themselves.
But forcing that on a child and downplaying the problem is incredibly reckless and irresponsible.
This wasn't a case where isolation was necessary because there were other, much easier ways to handle it, which meant the kid didn't end up left out.
Trying to force a kid to be isolated at any cost is just twisted.

The teacher had every right to give the kid money for his Happy Meal.
She did a good thing there.
There's no reason to judge her for it.

As for why she gave late notice about McDonald's or why they go on trips so often... that's a different story. Let them hash that out at a PTA meeting, in the principal's office, or at the Department.

I honestly can’t shake the image of a kid getting a bad grade and then immediately handing that failing paper right back to the teacher...

Sure, having extra cash wasn't strictly necessary—so what? It seems to me that the kids themselves were the ones driving the whole push for the field trip, though I'm certainly not suggesting we should just cater to their every whim.
This entire debate wouldn't even be happening if it weren't for the current budget crunch.
I completely get where you're coming from.

I'm looking over your last post now.
Look, forgive me if I sound blunt, but you shouldn't let a minor hiccup turn into an "it's all about being a good mom" situation—because, let's be honest, that's exactly what it is.
You could have easily tracked her down in the teachers' lounge this morning or just given her a quick call.

Maybe the actual point of her move was just to put a little something in the kid's pocket $6.75 when they head out somewhere 🤷 whether it was a planned outing or just a spontaneous thing (especially since you mentioned you've always had nothing but great experiences with her).
Please, don't take this as a personal attack, but in a way, I find myself agreeing with mirotta.
The teacher didn't just hand the kid money; she essentially gave him a small loan.

I think you should head down to the school ASAP to sort this out. I doubt the kid feels comfortable being cornered by a teacher about money, whether it's in front of the class or privately.

To follow up on the whole "optional" field trip thing.
Maybe things work differently in NYC, but at our school, trips to the movies or the theater are mandatory. After they go, they have to write an analysis for English class, which counts toward their media literacy grade.
When they do nature trips, those count toward their science and social studies grades...
That said, our teacher tries her best not to push for money too hard.
For instance, last month they went to the cinema, but we didn't have to pay a dime. A local community group organized it as part of a city event, so it was totally free.

About three weeks ago, they went to a play that did require payment.$6.75 But the teacher made it clear she knew it could be a lot for some families. She told us to just reach out if we needed help; she’d cover the cost personally, and one student could attend for free if needed.
Two weeks ago, there was a notice about donating to the Red Cross $1.75, plus a request for clothes or toys for a charity drive helping a sick boy... but nobody was pressured into doing it. It was purely voluntary.

Another cool thing at our school is the paper recycling drive. Basically, it's a competition, and whichever class collects the most to sell gets a field trip. Last year, our kids went to a botanical garden and had a blast. We just packed them lunches from home—zero issues, zero extra costs.

Our teacher really tries to minimize what parents have to shell out. She always gives us plenty of notice before any trip or event so everyone can prepare. We already have a trip to Chicago lined up for the second semester.

It always strikes me as strange how our politicians love to brag about how public education is "free" here in the States. But what exactly is free about it? I mean, are textbooks, field trips, trips to the movies, or theater visits included? If those things are part of the curriculum, then the school should be funding them through government grants rather than asking parents to foot the bill. It feels like a total mess, I guess.

urbanpilot said:I think you should head down to the school ASAP to sort this out. I doubt the kid feels comfortable being cornered by a teacher about money, whether it's in front of the class or privately.

To follow up on the whole "optional" field trip thing.
Maybe things work differently in NYC, but at our school, trips to the movies or the theater are mandatory. After they go, they have to write an analysis for English class, which counts toward their media literacy grade.
When they do nature trips, those count toward their science and social studies grades...
That said, our teacher tries her best not to push for money too hard.
For instance, last month they went to the cinema, but we didn't have to pay a dime. A local community group organized it as part of a city event, so it was totally free.

About three weeks ago, they went to a play that did require payment.$6.75 But the teacher made it clear she knew it could be a lot for some families. She told us to just reach out if we needed help; she’d cover the cost personally, and one student could attend for free if needed.
Two weeks ago, there was a notice about donating to the Red Cross $1.75, plus a request for clothes or toys for a charity drive helping a sick boy... but nobody was pressured into doing it. It was purely voluntary.

Another cool thing at our school is the paper recycling drive. Basically, it's a competition, and whichever class collects the most to sell gets a field trip. Last year, our kids went to a botanical garden and had a blast. We just packed them lunches from home—zero issues, zero extra costs.

Our teacher really tries to minimize what parents have to shell out. She always gives us plenty of notice before any trip or event so everyone can prepare. We already have a trip to Chicago lined up for the second semester.

I find this almost too difficult to ignore because I saw a similar notice at my kid's preschool recently. I honestly don't know how they can feel okay using children as a way to squeeze money out of people. It doesn't matter who the cause is, really; using kids like that just seems wrong. It's shameful, I suppose.

Kevin Bailey2 said:No. But that’s a completely different conversation.

The issue here is strictly what went down inside that McDonald's and the fallout from that specific action.

The bottom line is they took all the kids to McDonald's together.
Anything outside of that is a separate issue that doesn't really impact what happened at the restaurant, nor is it even particularly relevant right now.
And honestly, isolating one single kid in a situation like that would be pretty pathetic and just plain inhumane.
That's why the teacher did the right thing.

Why she was taking kids to McDonald's in the first place has nothing to do with what actually happened once they were there.
It was definitely stupid to give parents such short notice about the McDonald's trip.
But that isn't an excuse to let one kid suffer by watching everyone else eat and play with their toys while he sits there spinning sticks with Nutella on them.

If some parent wants to stick to their "isolation" principles and thinks "it's not that big a deal"... fine, they can isolate themselves.
But forcing that on a child and downplaying the problem is incredibly reckless and irresponsible.
This wasn't a case where isolation was necessary because there were other, much easier ways to handle it, which meant the kid didn't end up left out.
Trying to force a kid to be isolated at any cost is just twisted.

The teacher had every right to give the kid money for his Happy Meal.
She did a good thing there.
There's no reason to judge her for it.

As for why she gave late notice about McDonald's or why they go on trips so often... that's a different story. Let them hash that out at a PTA meeting, in the principal's office, or at the Department.

The thing is, this whole mess wouldn't even be happening if it wasn't for all those things you mentioned that belong in a different thread. So...

Nobody is actually calling for isolating kids here. But let's be real—the teacher's own actions are what created this awkward situation in the first place. Borrowing money from a kid? That’s a huge red flag and definitely doesn't excuse the lapses in judgment that led us here. On top of that, she’s now demanding the cash back without even checking with the parents first to see if it was okay to borrow it in the first place.

Honestly, I really dislike it when people try to back others into a corner like this. It feels rude, arrogant, and pretty condescending. To me, it mostly just says a lot about the person doing it...

I still remember those Red Cross drives from back when I was just a kid during the war years—back then, people actually stepped up and gave even more.
Now, they’re asking $1.75 from kids, while most adults don't bother. When I was in school, we used to go door-to-door, collecting cash, food, clothes... and it went directly to the people who actually needed the help.

Look, I don't mind helping someone out who's struggling—I don't exactly have money to burn myself—but at least you should know where the help is going. Too often, it doesn't even reach the people who truly need it.

That's why I don't give anything to the people knocking on my door. Instead, every Christmas or Easter, a few friends and I pick one specific family to visit. We see exactly what they need, buy it ourselves, and drop it off. That way, I know it actually ended up in the right hands.

Jason Ortiz5 said:Exactly. 👍

I know not every teacher is the same, obviously. But I still remember my old teacher bragging to anyone who would listen about how much she "traveled" with her students on the school's dime. She’d act like she saw the whole world, conveniently forgetting that the parents were the ones footing the bill for every single mile. ☕Basically, the parents paid for her career highlights.

Well, of course she traveled; she had to lead the students on field trips! But let's be clear: teachers aren't getting paid extra through the kids. It’s actually built into the way American travel agencies structure their packages—they bake the cost of the guide and the teacher's supervision into the total price of the trip itself.

The reality is that kids can't just wander off on a school trip by themselves. And honestly, believe me when I say that many teachers would much rather skip the travel entirely than deal with the grueling reality of being responsible for 20 or 30 children in a different city or state from dawn until dusk.

Sophia White8 said:It always strikes me as strange how our politicians love to brag about how public education is "free" here in the States. But what exactly is free about it? I mean, are textbooks, field trips, trips to the movies, or theater visits included? If those things are part of the curriculum, then the school should be funding them through government grants rather than asking parents to foot the bill. It feels like a total mess, I guess.

I find this almost too difficult to ignore because I saw a similar notice at my kid's preschool recently. I honestly don't know how they can feel okay using children as a way to squeeze money out of people. It doesn't matter who the cause is, really; using kids like that just seems wrong. It's shameful, I suppose.

Seriously, bold the whole thing and put it in your signature!!!

I'm telling you, we should just call the Department of Education and demand to see their official syllabus in writing. Let's see if it actually states that students will be graded or tested based on attending a movie trip that the parents have to pay for.😲
fucking unbelievable!! Media literacy could easily be taught by just watching a film in the classroom!! Otherwise, fine, let the school foot the bill for the cinema trip. Public schooling is MANDATORY, which means it HAS to be accessible to every single child!! Pushing these "paid field trips" isn't mandatory, so the school should just adjust its curriculum to fit its actual budget.

Unbelievable!!
I can already see myself becoming one of those moms who constantly makes noise at the PTA meetings. But I won't back down—it's not worth it. As if it isn't enough that they force us to buy a million new textbooks and workbooks every year, now they want to fleece us with unnecessary trips to the movies or theaters just because it's somehow "part of the grade"? Give me a break.

And regarding that Red Cross stuff—I remember back when I was in school, they’d hand out these little coupons and everyone HAD to bring in money for it. In the lower grades, the teacher would collect it, and in the upper ones, it was the class treasurer. They’d even keep a list of who paid and who didn't.🙄
What a wonderful, top-tier pedagogical method for teaching kids about charity.🙄

I forgot to mention that at our first parent-teacher meeting, the teacher basically told us not to bother buying anything from those traveling salespeople. Apparently, everything required for class comes bundled with the textbook sets, and we just pay about $6 for the worksheets and tests. She also said if the kids bring home flyers during the year, we should just ignore them because they’re unnecessary. 😍 👍

Jason Ortiz5 I guess I should probably mention what Jason Ortiz5 was saying about this...
I mean, I know not every teacher is cut from the same cloth—that goes without saying—but I still find myself getting this ringing in my ears whenever I think about my old schoolteacher. Even now, she’s constantly bragging to anyone who will listen about how much she got to travel and see the world on the school's dime, always adding that little caveat about how much she would have spent if she actually had to pay for it all herself. It’s funny, I guess, because the part where the parents were the ones footing the entire bill for those trips... well, that usually just gets credited to the parents' lifetime of service instead. ☕

I guess there are just certain types of people out there who are exactly like your mother, so what can I really say about that?🙄
Honestly, the worst part of my job isn't even the actual workload; it’s when I have to wrangle thirty-five—or more, if they're having a particularly difficult day—unruly teenagers on some big senior trip or school excursion. If I had any say in the matter, I’d avoid those trips entirely, even if the destination was basically paradise. I think I’d much rather just take out a massive loan or go deep into the red with my bank account just to fly to that same dream location myself with my mom and my kid. I’d take that financial hit any day over being paid a measly per diem just to act as a 24/7 babysitter in some place like Lloret de, constantly praying to whatever gods are listening that everyone actually makes it home safe and sound.

Jesse Flores842 said:I honestly can’t shake the image of a kid getting a bad grade and then immediately handing that failing paper right back to the teacher...

Sure, having extra cash wasn't strictly necessary—so what? It seems to me that the kids themselves were the ones driving the whole push for the field trip, though I'm certainly not suggesting we should just cater to their every whim.
This entire debate wouldn't even be happening if it weren't for the current budget crunch.
I completely get where you're coming from.

I'm looking over your last post now.
Look, forgive me if I sound blunt, but you shouldn't let a minor hiccup turn into an "it's all about being a good mom" situation—because, let's be honest, that's exactly what it is.
You could have easily tracked her down in the teachers' lounge this morning or just given her a quick call.

Maybe the actual point of her move was just to put a little something in the kid's pocket $6.75 when they head out somewhere 🤷 whether it was a planned outing or just a spontaneous thing (especially since you mentioned you've always had nothing but great experiences with her).
Please, don't take this as a personal attack, but in a way, I find myself agreeing with mirotta.
The teacher didn't just hand the kid money; she essentially gave him a small loan.

Money is lent when someone asks for it. I didn't see anything saying the kid grabbed her sleeve and begged for $10.

Kids only ask for McDonald's because they know they can eventually talk their parents into it. Once the answer is a firm "no," suddenly the hype dies down. I remember when kids used to head out on field trips with simple packed lunches from home and nobody ever complained. It seems like bringing a sandwich and a juice box isn't considered cool anymore—not really for the kids, but mostly for the parents.

Jason Ortiz5 said:The thing is, this whole mess wouldn't even be happening if it wasn't for all those things you mentioned that belong in a different thread. So...

Nobody is actually calling for isolating kids here. But let's be real—the teacher's own actions are what created this awkward situation in the first place. Borrowing money from a kid? That’s a huge red flag and definitely doesn't excuse the lapses in judgment that led us here. On top of that, she’s now demanding the cash back without even checking with the parents first to see if it was okay to borrow it in the first place.

Honestly, I really dislike it when people try to back others into a corner like this. It feels rude, arrogant, and pretty condescending. To me, it mostly just says a lot about the person doing it...

The teacher caught my mom's mistake, and honestly, there’s really no point in getting all worked up over "what ifs" or playing the blame game, so let's just stick to what actually happened—there's no sense in making a big deal out of nothing!

Even his teacher didn't quite see the writing on the wall, because the little guy mentioned earlier that they were heading out to Taco Bell tonight.

If I were stepping into that mother's shoes, honestly, I’d probably be feeling just as torn as she is, kind of like trying to pick between saving a few bucks at Target or making sure everyone's happy with a fancy dinner. It’s such a tricky spot to be in, you know?

What I find completely illogical here is this teacher demanding the money back. Honestly, it’s just rude. Nobody asked her to buy the kid a meal at McDonald's... maybe he would have been the only one sitting there without food. It’s honestly hard to even look at that photo because I know how much it hurts a child to be left out when everyone else is eating... If the teacher decided to cover those measly $6.75 then she should have done it because her conscience told her to, not because she expects the kid to pay her back. If the mother actually had those $6.75 then she would have given them... I'm sure she isn't so stingy that she wouldn't provide
And I can't believe she has the nerve to keep reminding a child to pay her back. If I were you, I'd go straight to the school and settle this with the teacher

Man, it’s such a shame things went down this way...
The teacher probably had the best intentions and was just trying to do something kind, but it totally backfired.
If you look at it from her perspective, who knows, maybe she was worried about setting a precedent where she's constantly handing out cash for little things, and she doesn't want to end up in a spot where she feels obligated to pay for stuff whenever someone asks.
But then again, if I were the mom, I’d be pretty ticked off too, especially if a teacher was basically using my kid to pull my sleeve and ask, "So, where's my money?"
I’ve gotta side with the mother here because the teacher isn't handling the situation the right way... If those $7.00 are bothering her, she should just pick up the phone, call the parent, and settle it directly with them instead of making the kid have to explain themselves—or their mom—every single day about why the money hasn't been returned yet.
I know it's easy to jump in and say "I would've done this" or "I would've done that," but honestly, if I were in the teacher's shoes, I would've just viewed it as a little Christmas gift for a kid who couldn't afford a few small luxuries and just let the whole thing go...
I mean, like someone else already mentioned, I’d much rather personally give something to someone who needs it than make a phone call and leave some random dollars floating around where I have no clue where they actually end up.

Kimberly Robinson2 said:Thanks.
Just to be crystal clear regarding the Mac situation, I’ve already laid out all the details. If you actually read what I wrote, you won't need to ask.

As for the internet, we don't have a landline, DSL, or any cable package—we just rely on a USB dongle. It's a 5GB plan from Verizon $33 per month, $37 and honestly, I don't even pay for it; my boyfriend covers it. But living without internet these days is nearly impossible—there are always school assignments to download, digital books to grab ( 😁), plus I run a little side business selling things online—which brings in enough cash here and there to cover the monthly data bill. I also use it for music promotion. On top of that, I’m job hunting through email and sending out applications online (I save money by skipping the physical newspapers and classified ads), and I read all my news digitally since we don't bother buying print anything anymore.

Hopefully, that shuts down any more "But why?" or "How come?" questions.😉😉

This is honestly terrible! You seriously don't owe anyone an explanation for why you're online. Nowadays, you can find Wi-Fi pretty much anywhere you go, like at the local public library where for a tiny annual membership fee of maybe $30--$13 you get internet access, books, magazines, and daily newspapers...
Just ignore those kinds of comments 🙂

analognomad59 said:Yeah, sure, but have you ever actually felt like an outsider? Like, everyone goes to a theme park in Orlando, and then for three days after, they're still talking about it. Then they move on to some trip to the Grand Canyon, and for two weeks, the whole group is rehashing every little thing that happened. Then there's that summer trip to the coast, and suddenly the entire class has this shared set of inside jokes and stories that define them for the next month, and you're just standing there with zero clue what's going on. You take your family trips to the Rockies, sure, but you tell those stories to your two best friends in one afternoon. The stuff that happens on a class trip to Yellowstone? That becomes the legend for the rest of the year. If you miss those big moments—the mountain trips, the beach trips, whatever—you end up being totally out of the loop half the time while the rest of the class is bonding over things you weren't even part of...👎

I think you're wrong there. It did happen to me, and looking back now that I'm an adult, I can see it didn't shape who I am... and it clearly wasn't a tragedy for my kid either.🤷
It really just comes down to how you were raised and the opportunities you had.

Kenneth Brown5 said:The teacher caught my mom's mistake, and honestly, there’s really no point in getting all worked up over "what ifs" or playing the blame game, so let's just stick to what actually happened—there's no sense in making a big deal out of nothing!

Even his teacher didn't quite see the writing on the wall, because the little guy mentioned earlier that they were heading out to Taco Bell tonight.

If I were stepping into that mother's shoes, honestly, I’d probably be feeling just as torn as she is, kind of like trying to pick between saving a few bucks at Target or making sure everyone's happy with a fancy dinner. It’s such a tricky spot to be in, you know?

What kind of "mistake" did the mother make...

If the kid said he was going to McDonald's... the mom bought him food and didn't have those $6.75 ... to some people, it $6.75 doesn't seem like a big deal, but to others, it's $6.75 the end of the world.