I Guess I'm A Biotch

Oh, how I loathe the end of the school year. Yes, I realize I look forward to it, but I loathe all the stupid, nitpichy "stuff" I have to do before I can check out for the summer. One of the things I have to do is hound my students to return their textbooks. No textbook=no end of year field trip and/or no report card. Granted, some don't give a rip about the report card so it's not like there's a whole lot hanging over their heads.

Anyway, Monday I handed out my obligation forms to students who hadn't turned in their textbooks. I had given them two weeks to find their textbooks and return them to me before I handed out the obligations. It wasn't a surprise.

This morning I arrive to the following email from a parent:

Ms. P,

We are in receipt of a "financial obligation" notice that you sent home for our son J's French text book. We do not understand how we are expected to pay for a text book that has already been returned? J has been asked about this matter, and he has stated that he returned the book to the place where all students were instructed to return their books, a stack of books on a ledge near your desk. He states that he told you this when you presented him with this "financial obligation" notice, but you stated that you never received it (book). So the loss of this book is now his fault/responsibility despite having followed instructions for its proper return?

We can't fathom how the school thinks that the book is still our responsibility after it was already returned to the appointed location and apparently lost in its transition and not logged in.

Mr. & Mrs. V

So, I reply with this little number:

Dear Mr and Mrs. V,

I gave J an obligation form because I did not, in fact, receive J's book. If he returned it to the stack of books on the ledge, I have not got a record of it. I instructed the students to check the book in with me first so I could check off their names as having returned the text and then to place it with the others in the stack. If J did not come to me first, then I would have no record his book was returned. J is welcome to recover his book from the stack and check it in with me. If it is in the stack, then the obligation will be cleared and there will be no payment expected. If it is not, then the cost of the book must be cleared before he is "cleared" for the end of the year.

Sincerely,

Mme P.

Apparently, this did not satisfy this parent because I received this reply back:

Ms. P,
J has in fact been instructed to come up to you during class today to relay to you again that the book was returned as requested. Please relay your below instructions (to him) regarding having him search the stack of books that you have for his. If his book is indeed not there, and we then have to pay for the missing text book, we want the book for our home library since we've paid for it despite not having it here at home, nor having it in his locker. Please look into the steps necessary to make that happen.

Mr. & Mrs. V


Ok, at this point, I'm not sure if I'm angry or just thinking "WTF?" and laughing the whole thing off because obviously, she hasn't ever taught. How am I supposed to, how did she put it..."look into the steps necessary to make that happen?" Uh, no honey. Your son "lost" the book somehow, now you and your son are responsible for either finding it, or paying to replace it. WE NEED THE BOOK NEXT YEAR FOR OUR CLASSES. I DID NOT MISPLACE ANYTHING. NOTHING WAS "LOST IN TRANSIT".

So, I calm myself down (because we all know by now that even though the thought of laughing this whole thing off has occured to me, I'm not that mellow and am therefor infuriated by her response) and pen a very professional and restrained letter back (or at least I thought so!):

Dear Mr. and Mrs. V,

I had J search through the stack of textbooks this morning and unfortunately, he was unable to locate it. If J pays and the book is found, there will be a refund. The book is needed for student use. You may purchase a textbook through the publisher if you would like one at home.

Sincerely,

Mme P.




Apparently, this displeased her:

A check will be sent tomorrow. We think this is a very poorly run system that charges parents/students for books that have been returned yet mislaid at school. It is not in our possession.


Notice no greeting, no formality or politeness. Nice. So apparently it's my fault your son didn't check his book in with me, can't find it and now has to pay $62 to replace it. Ok. No problems. I'm not called a biotch for nothing.