'Think again' warning to parents as teachers gifted festive underwear

The poll, by online gifting site Thankbox, also highlighted how pupils giving gifts to teachers can highlight income disparities.

One pupil brought in a half-eaten box of chocolates, while another gave her teacher a pair of earrings which, it later emerged, she had stolen from a supermarket because her parents didn’t have enough money to allow her to buy a gift.

Parent-teacher organisation Connect, said parents should think about the potential impact on other pupils, as well as on teachers, if their child wants to take a present to school for their teacher at the end of term.

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Patrick McGlinchey, executive director, said: “We're encouraging Parent Councils and PTAs (Parent Teachers’ Associations) who might be planning teacher gift collections to think about the financial pressure many families are under.  We know families do like to thank teachers and school staff, but there are other options.”

Andrea Bradley, general secretary of the EIS teaching unions, said: “Teachers are acutely aware of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on all families and of the social inequalities that keep more than a quarter of a million children in Scotland in poverty, and would never want to add any additional pressures onto young people and their families.

“Teachers care very much about the children and families that they support - a kind word of thanks at the end of the term, or indeed any day of the year, would be very much appreciated.”

Almost half of Scottish local authorities have issued guidance for parents that specify what teachers are allowed to accept from parents.

The main concerns appear to be over money, with fears that a high value gift from an individual pupil might be misinterpreted as bribery. There are also worries about gifts of alcohol which, it is feared, might send the wrong message to children.

In Falkirk teachers are required to register any gifts they receive, North Ayrshire forbids the gifting of alcohol to teachers, while in Moray, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, the Borders, Highland, and Inverclyde, teachers are required to disclose to the headteacher any gifts exceeding £30.

In Orkney, teachers are cautioned against accepting any monetary gifts, while West Dunbartonshire requires teachers to declare anything of greater value than a nominal ‘token’ gift.

Edinburgh-based Thankbox – an online card and cash collection service – surveyed 100 teachers. It found that 79 had been gifted wine in the past and, while most said they would favour something made by their pupils, they often received multiple gifts of flowers and chocolates which they ended up regifting to others.

The survey also highlighted a number of inappropriate gifts. One teacher said she received a pair of bright pink knickers; another received a skin shed by a pupil’s pet snake; while another received a gift token for an adult-only website.

Others reported receiving a half-finished bottle of perfume, a used mug complete with tea stains, and a half-used box of false nails.

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One teacher reported: “The saddest gift I ever received was a half-empty bottle of shower gel, with pubic hair attached. It was from a child who literally had nothing so I was very touched, but I told him to take it home as the family likely needed it.”

Another said: “I once worked in an economically deprived school. This child had got himself a little gift bag, and planted what seemed like random bits from his house in it – a half-used scented candle, one shoe, etc. It was incredibly touching and amazing – and a real faff to get the stuff back to his non-engaging family.”

Another teacher said: “Sometimes I get wine because everyone assumes that is something that everyone likes. I don't drink alcohol, so every time I get alcohol I end-up giving it to my husband.”

Tsvetelina Hinova, co-founder of Thankbox, said that contrary to the concerns of many local authorities, the main issue does not appear to be around the size of pupils’ gifts.

Where classes clubbed together for a communal gift or donation, the average value of contribution was just £7. Some 51% of contributions were worth £5 or less; 6% were between worth between £6 and £10; while 13% contributed more than £10.  The average value of a gift voucher from the whole class was £40.

Hinova, who runs tech start-up Thankbox with her husband Valentin, said: “We did not find it was the case that pupils are giving their teachers presents, as vouchers or as physical gifts, that are so valuable they could be perceived as bribes, contrary to what some local authorities fear.

“Rather, the main issue seems to be the disparity in value of gifts that causes potential embarrassment to less well-off pupils as well as to teachers.

“We heard some heart-breaking stories of youngsters doing what they could to ensure they weren’t left out. Unfortunately, they were too young to realise that what they were doing might be inappropriate or cause discomfort.”

She added: “What our findings clearly demonstrate is that pupil gifting is best done collectively, as a class exercise and in circumstances where both the identity of the contributors and the amount of their donations are anonymous.”

A spokeswoman for Falkirk Council said: “Guidance on gifts and hospitality has been in place for a number of years and simply advises against the acceptance of gifts and applies to all council employees.

“If any gifts are accepted then these must be properly recorded using the online system and Headteachers/Service Managers should be informed.”