Writing names on backpacks?

[marmalade]

What lesson is there to learn?? The parent didn't do what they should have done, why should a teacher have to spend all day trying to figure out backpacks. LABEL your stuff that goes with your child. COMMON sense

Why would the teacher have to spend all day figuring out backpacks? Isn't there a designated spot for each kid to put their stuff when they get to school? Whether it be a cubby, a locker, or a hook, each kid should have a designated spot to hang their bags and coats for the day.

 

[sam_gordon]

How is she going to learn any lesson? You haven't done anything meaningful enough that would deter her from writing on some other kid's backpack.

DH talked to the teacher. What more do you want?

 

[DizBelle]

What lesson is there to learn?? The parent didn't do what they should have done, why should a teacher have to spend all day trying to figure out backpacks. LABEL your stuff that goes with your child. COMMON sense

I would think it is common sense to not deface someone elses property.

 

[declansdad]

I would think it is common sense to not deface someone elses property.

 

[cm8]

I would think it is common sense to not deface someone elses property.

Well, we know common sense went missing a long time ago

 

[Imzadi]

I have an update to the story. This morning I was vigorously trying to scrub the name off one of the back packs. My DH went to the school to talk to the teacher about the backpacks. For some reason the secretary said it wasn't possible to go to the classroom. Some kind of rule they have in place but that she would take a message and give it to the teacher.

He got a call this afternoon from her and of course she was soooo nice and sweet that my DH didn't have the heart to rip her a new one over it. She apologized and gave us some suggestions how to get it off and said she would avoid this whole scenario in the future.

WELL......I guess since she noticed the name was coming off the front of the backpack (I was scrubbing so hard to get off) she decided to write on the backpack A SECOND TIME!!! Putting it in a different place. So now I have one backpack with 2 names written on it poorly!!! I'm sure she decided to do this before we called her.

My DH and I have been viciously scrubbing with alcohol and all kinds of solvents for about an hour now and have only managed to fade it drastically. When they say there's no such thing as a permenant marker those are LIES. Sharpie (on fabric) is forever!!!

She defaced personal property TWICE. The fact that she wrote in a different place the second time means she knew you did not want writing there. Time for her to replace the backpacks.

 

[epcot.girl]

What lesson is there to learn??

That it's not OK to deface someone else's personal property. Basic common sense and decency.

DH talked to the teacher. What more do you want?

I don't want anything. Not my kids, not my property, not my problem. I'm just pointing out that the teacher is unlikely to have learned anything from the way this was handled. If someone defaces my personal property I would expect it replaced, not have a nice chat with them on the phone and suggestions as to how I should clean her damage off.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't want anything. Not my kids, not my property, not my problem. I'm just pointing out that the teacher is unlikely to have learned anything from the way this was handled. If someone defaces my personal property I would expect it replaced, not have a nice chat with them on the phone and suggestions as to how I should clean her damage off.

Just curious... if the teacher doesn't offer to replace the backpacks, what do you do? Complaining to the principal (IMO, after the second incident is valid) doesn't always equal money. Or do you raise a stink until you get your $100?

 

[epcot.girl]

Just curious... if the teacher doesn't offer to replace the backpacks, what do you do? Complaining to the principal (IMO, after the second incident is valid) doesn't always equal money. Or do you raise a stink until you get your $100?

I'm not sure what I'd do. I'll worry about it if it ever happens to me but I'm pretty sure I'd be able to get them to replace, fix or pay for the bags even if that means going above the headteacher (not particularly difficult). I've never heard of kids needing to label any of their bags or clothes here though (I'm not in the US) and it certainly didn't happen when I was a kid.

 

[bittybabygrower]

I would be mad too. My daughter has had her LLBean bag for 10 years. I have sent it back to be repaired twice. I would call the teacher and ask her why she did it. Also, LLBean packs usually have a place on the back to place the name card.

 

[okeydokey]

What lesson is there to learn?? The parent didn't do what they should have done, why should a teacher have to spend all day trying to figure out backpacks. LABEL your stuff that goes with your child. COMMON sense

There are many ways to label a backpack that don't involve permanently defacing them. I'll bet the teacher has a rule in place for her students to respect the personal property of their classmates. She should follow the same rule.

In this case, the OP did the right thing by talking to the teacher about it so hopefully that will be the end of it.

 

[Help Please!]

epcot.girl-

Who's "them" who are going to replace your kid's backpacks or give you money?

OP- I think you made the right choice. I have the feeling that the teacher was embarassed to have messed up the bags (probably just crazy busy and trying to sort everything out)...and honestly if she was writing names on bags, lunch boxes, etc, she may have not even remembered that she wrote your child's name again on the day she spoke with your husband. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, and I think it was good of you to communicate with the teacher. Obviously, if it continues to happen throughout the year, then definitely something you should address with administration.

 

[Erin1700]

I thought of this thread today when I got my DS kindergarten welcome letter. In it was a white card that you must write name/teacher/bus number and attach it to the outside of the backpack. It says this at least 5 times in the packet.
I am going to look to see what they do with kids who don't have it.

 

[epcot.girl]

epcot.girl-

Who's "them" who are going to replace your kid's backpacks or give you money?

The school or the teacher herself. Thought that was obvious from my previous posts.

I also said they could fix the bags if possible. The options weren't just replacing them or 'giving me money':

replace, fix or pay for the bags

 

[englishteacha]

OP-what has come of this incident? I thought of you the other day as my students arrived at school, several with LL Bean backpacks that were at least a few years old (retired prints, etc.) that looked good as new.

 

[goofinoff]

I would be angry if this happened...at myself. Obviously, its my job to label all my kids stuff before they go off to school, and I would have done it in a more attractive manner. Of course, I probably would have bought cheap backpacks for my kindergartners anyways, because I know the darn things are just going to get destroyed, so I wouldn't care so much about their defacement. Similarly, its my job to teach my kids not to go off with strangers, even if they use my kids' names.

When my kids started school we were buying cheaper backpacks at Target, Walmart etc. They did get destroyed BECAUSE they were so cheap! We were replacing them half way through the school year. So we finally decided to spend the money on the LL Bean backpacks. My oldest just got a new one this year for middle school....not because her old one was ruined but because she wanted a messenger style back instead. My youngest is in 5th grade this year and has been carrying the same back pack since the 1st grade.

Regardless of how much the back pack was (LL Bean or Walmart) it was not the teachers right to use a Sharpie on it.....TWICE!! She should have simply sent a notice home requesting that all personal items are labeled. If it didn't happen then she should have used masking tape. I didn't read through the whole thread but I did see where the OP said that the teacher did it twice. I would be so mad! I definitely would request to be reimbursed.