Unexpected school expense am I being unreasonable?

[HeyJude]

That's just BS from the school. BTW the DELL 3190 that is on their website as an option for schools starts at 369 direct from Dell. Have a google of the other options. 700 seems crazily expensive. How can they go digital and also require you to buy books? That makes no sense as I thought it was one or the other??

[Come Wine With Me]

i don't think they absorb as much when they are scrolling through, i'm old school though and prefer that they can highlight in books (even though they can do that online too)

I thought it was demonstrated/known that the human brain retains more information from a paper book than from a screen?

Similar here to others - books rented and school owned iPads in class.

I would be livid to be put in the situation the OP described and over my dead body would I be paying 700 or 800 to wriggle.

Parents need to push back here.

[mmum]

I know I could never learn off a screen but dd hadn't had any issues all year, she does ref books at times but it's how they are been taught I suppose too

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[SarahBC]

i don't think they absorb as much when they are scrolling through, i'm old school though and prefer that they can highlight in books (even though they can do that online too)

I thought it was demonstrated/known that the human brain retains more information from a paper book than from a screen?

Similar here to others - books rented and school owned iPads in class.

I would be livid to be put in the situation the OP described and over my dead body would I be paying 700 or 800 to wriggle.

Parents need to push back here.

Yes, that’s why a lot of schools are going back to books for senior Cycle. Most students prefer books also..

[AIBU]

Small update reply for BOM to say that letter was discussed at the meeting and a formal response would be issued next week.
Will have to wait and see what the response is. I really hope they don't exclude children who don't have the device. I would love to know what the uptake in general has been.

[AIBU]

Just an update. Got a reply from the Principal today (21/6/21) saying they were doing this, their reasons why. All kids need to have this specific device, it is t&e pnly one acceptable etc. etc. Didn't address the cost issue only to say their would be help available to buy books in 5th year through the book grant scheme. And that they would look at the scheme next year to see how it had worked.
So basically got no where.

Anyone any ideas where to go next?

[charliesangel]

In my opinion, now it's time to contact the press. Go to the media.
You've tried to follow the game playing by their rules, now they have to play by yours.
Get other parents involved.
Have an end goal in mind (you don't mind the e-books but the additional cost at short notice is unacceptable so why can't we use whatever equipment we may be able to get at short notice, that kind of thing) and stick to that message.

That's what I would do. Mobilise the parent body, and go public with it all.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if you find out later that someone in the school has something to do with the company providing the specific devices or the software installed on them or both.

[lotta]

Personally, I don't mind it for 5th & 6th yr, dd has had the ipad since 1st yr anyway, but to request it at short notice for Ty is a bit ridiculous, my dd did not need to use the ipad for TY.

[Martha]

Contact TD and DoE and media.it’s completely unreasonable to expect parents to fork out for this as an unexpected expense and a new policy change without prior consultation and agreement with parent body.
It’s too big of a a shift and should have careful consideration and collaboration.
I’d kick up a stink big time.

[Tobo]

So at the end of the year they'll see how it has gone? So a chance all this could end up shelved?
I'd be inclined to leave him into school with the books, if he's happy to do that, and see how it is. I'd also inform the school that you don't have a bean to pay for it. Or else ask them for a loan if one.
He's doing TY? Not much needed for that tbh. Not the price of a laptop and all the rest anyway.
You can always get a similar laptop later and the software if it's beneficial.

[AIBU]

My dispute is the 1. Cost and 2. No consultation with parents about "going digital" in that order.

I cannot afford the guts of 1k on top of 450 TYFee and new senior school uniform. That is only one child. I have two other, one starting college and another in secondary school. Their solution to pay for it on HP is not acceptable. I don't borrow money for things that depreciate- I buy what i can afford.

If they had iPads/laptops from first year I would have probably have gone with it or choosen a different school, but I'd have known about it before he started. Lots of schools seem to go back to books for senior cycle, we are being forced to do the opposite- at least if they were used to using them from first year the novelty might have worn off by 5th year but now having done no JC this is an added distraction going into senior cycle . I don't care how good Wriggle are at blocking apps etc. Kids can figure things out or find other ways of doing things they shouldn't.

Thanks for all the feedback. I will keep you up to date.

[Elsie]

this is a dreadful situation and i think you need to contact other parents to see if they are onboard with you. the parents committee need to be informed that you have decided to go to the press about it too. let them know they will want this situation rectified asap.
The school cannot discriminate against a child that doesnt have the capacity to pay for such stuff and you are right not to buy anything on hp.
i think that TY shouldnt have to have it anyway.... and if you do suck it up and manage to buy it they may shelve it at the end of the year...... uh huh i dont think so mate.

[luxie]

I don’t think you should have to pay it whether you have the money or not.

It’s not like a new copy or a fiver for something - it’s a lot of money with little advance notice

[Shining]

I can't believe this. Are the school so blind to the year the country has had?? I would be fuming. I cannot believe that they expect patents to shell out huge monies for this, at such late notice (not even giving you a chance to change school). Returning to school is a huge expense as it is and often forces families to do without or borrow - and I really object to a loan being provided as a solution- it's not.
I'd get onto Barnardos- don't they campaign about school costs?

[Groucho]

It is completely and utterly tone deaf. Not teacher-bashing for a minute (well, maybe I'm principal-bashing), but there's something about this that smacks of a blissful ignorance of the realities in some households since March 2020. They surely know that there are many parents in the school who have lost jobs or been on PUP for most of the year or been trying to keep businesses alive by the skin of their teeth (and from experience, it is the owner's salary that takes the first hit in these situations).

It really does beggar belief that they are persisting, even when objections are being raised. And it doesn't matter whether you can or can't afford it (although it does), but the high-handed way it's being done would really get up my nose.

I'd be sending this to the BOM to raise with the Principal. Is there a (dreaded) parents' WhatsApp group that you're part of? Also from experience, you can have a situation where everyone is fuming but nobody is actually saying anything, and you have to stick your head above the parapet and be told you are the "only" one with an issue (you never are).