Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

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AIBU
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Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#1 Post by AIBU »

I am pretty sure I am not being unreasonable but maybe there's a side I haven't thought of.
My child is going into 4th year, TY in Sept.
His school have always used books- textbooks, I mean. Lockdown 1 used Teams which my child accessed on phone/tablet/family laptop Lockdown 2 I bought him his own laptop. Roll on early May 2021 and at the TY meeting we get an information pitch from a company called Wriggle to say the school are going digital for senior cycle and that we need to buy a particular device from this company and pay for it by June 7th. The total cost of device, set up, cover, software and support is close to 700e with optional insurance of 6e a month- so over 3 years almost 1000. We will still have to buy books in 5th year. Am I unreasonable? I think is it bananas to expect people to pay this 1. With such a short lead time and 2. With no consultation with parents.
When we pointed out to the principal that we had bought new laptops for online schooling their reply was "Sorry about that". When we.told her we couldn't afford it, the answer was there is financing available- which obviously pushes the cost up by another 100 or so euro.
I have sent an email to the school as have others and we got no response. The only way to reach the BOM is via the school office, so I copied them on letter no way to know if they got it. Then today we got a text reminding us if we don't pay by 7th of June there will be a late fee due too.

Btw if we can pay €250 to Wriggle for them to lock down our current laptop and install the software we need to make it compatible but would still have to pay their contract fee (circa €120) and provide our own insurance. School advised against doing this as they want everyone to have the same to reduce theft!
Interested to hear opinions. Maybe I am being OTT but I really don't think I am. Thank you.

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molls
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#2 Post by molls »

I'd be fuming. This is unacceptable at any time - but when so many families are struggling from the economic impact of the lockdowns it is particularly callous.

Unfortunately, with the school management set up the way it is in this country, I'm not sure what you can do to get this changed.

If enough parents refuse to do it they will have to reconsider. Would ye consider going to the local press?

fluffy
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#3 Post by fluffy »

I don't think you are being unreasonable. And from dealing with Wriggle - they are a nightmare and the device DS got in first year (he's just finished TY) was a heap of junk.

It's such a rip-off. Is there any way you can get the school to deal with a different company? When DD got her laptop, it was a different company, cheaper AND a better quality item.

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charliesangel
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#4 Post by charliesangel »

That's ridiculous.

You definitely need to find out the names of the BOM members, perhaps the parent representatives and lay out your issues. I just wouldn't pay it and I would be getting in touch with all of the other parents in the year to get their impressions/feedback on the situation too.

mumtoa
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#5 Post by mumtoa »

As said above - Wriggle are a nightmare to deal with when anything goes wrong. I’d fight this - it shouldn’t have been landed on you out of the blue.

RDR
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#6 Post by RDR »

YANBU.

Shining
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#7 Post by Shining »

I wouldn't be able come up with €700 in just over a month! I lost my job and just started another!
I think that is absolutely crazy!! Have they no concept of what many are going through? Businesses just opening, I know people who lost their jobs...for many families that is a huge outlay.
And you still have to buy books so where's the advantage?

Rita
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#8 Post by Rita »

Thats mad. And you still have to buy the books!!
I assume lots of parents feel the same

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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#9 Post by PinkyPie »

Absolutely not being unreasonable. I would point blank refuse this. Could you start by getting a few parents you know together.

monet
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#10 Post by monet »

absolutely not being unreasonable
very few people have 700 euro freely available and even if they did I would hugely resent being forced to buy ANOTHER device after we invested in laptops for the lockdown
I would be talking to other parents and refusing

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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#11 Post by mcmammy2 »

Oh wow that is a big expense. I would expect if schools were planning to go digital they would give ample warning like a year in advance. Not with a few months to go.
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mumtoa
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#12 Post by mumtoa »

Another option is to buy the books and load them on to the laptop - all books now have a e code.. That is what DS did for this year - we had a Wriggle device up to the end of 3rd year. In TY and 5th year he had his own iPad and used it. You don’t want Wriggle locking down your device - believe me! They sell the fact that it is to stop kids accessing Apps but most of them can find ways around it anyway.
Tell the school he will be using his own device and you will make sure his ebooks are on it for 5th year.

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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#13 Post by Iamsoneedy »

If enough parents refuse to pay they will have to rethink.

You are not being unreasonable. It is unacceptable to unilaterally present parents with a bill like this with no consultation.

They are aware of the numbers of people who have lost their livelihoods over the past year?

TCR
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#14 Post by TCR »

Definitely not being unreasonable. What can they do if you just don’t get it?

Deise
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Re: Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

#15 Post by Deise »

Huge expense to have thrown at your with less than 4 weeks notice and no discussion, ESPECIALLY for TY. I wouldn't be impressed.

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