To the Editor,
Recently I received an item re-gifted from my daughter, a teacher, who admitted that it was originally a present from a student. The gift she had received was a bottle of wine. I think most people would say that wine would be inappropriate as a gift for a child to be giving a teacher, but it made me think – why has it become common practice for children to provide any gifts to teachers? When I was a student, any classmate providing a teacher with as much as an apple, was often referred to as a brown-noser and the practice was uncommon. It seems the situation is now completely reversed and providing a gift for the teacher during special occasions is the norm.
In my opinion, this practice should be stopped for a number of reasons.
Teachers are paid a good salary from taxes you pay – they are not volunteers. You cannot bribe teachers to provide better grades to your children with gifts.
I’m sure the money spent by parents on gifts could be better used in a number of more meaningful ways for their child.
I cannot think of any other professional group who are provided with gifts for doing what they’re paid wages to do. We frown on policemen, civil servants, politicians and others from receiving gifts. Why should teachers be excluded from these groups?
If you feel your teacher has gone far beyond expectations, why not a just a thank you note? Am I the only one who thinks this way?
R. TsujiNanaimo