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School invoicing for broken ipad ? fair or not

devonmum

Dear all

I just want to test the waters with this one. My 6 year old son is in mainstream school with an EHCP and 1:1. He has profound sensory issues and when dysregulated can bite done on hard objects. This rarely happens and has not happened in school until last week, when he bit down on an ipad. The response of school is to invoice us for the cost of replacing. Is this reasonable. To me it feels inherently unfair as the damage was not intentional and a direct result of his dysregulation. Furthermore I do not have an understanding of what happened before to lead to this outcome?? 

I have told the school that I think an investigation of what happened should be there immediate course of action rather than asking for money. They disagree.

Any thoughts welcome..

Thank you

  • im afraid i disagree with the school they should've supervised your son with such an expensive item and prevented him from biting it i would be included to tell them it's their own fault and as such they will have to bear the cost

  • in reply to paulponty

    On a site for autistic people that may have problems with executive functioning (like I do, despite having a high IQ and degree), I find that question a bit insulting. 

  • in reply to paulponty

    People have debt because they don't have the money to pay ours was caused by a Switch between full benefits and work they took us to court for it prior to decision being made on benefit claim and despite being entitled to 9 months of the year with full benefits they billed us for the lot and sent it straight to bailiffs who would not accept payment plans so they got nothing. Now the council has it again we are paying. Despite it leaving me with nothing. 

  • in reply to NAS39248

    Isn't it just easier to pay your debts or at least get something sorted rather than doing it like this?

    So why didnt you pay your council tax?

  • in reply to paulponty

    I'm sure only high Court bailiffs can enter your property without you, normal bailiffs can if you have ever allowed them access even stepping in the door counts. But they can remove goods from outside ie cars unless they are kept in locked garage or other private property that they don't have consent to enter. ( this came from cab and was verified by bailiffs that have been threatening to take my stuff for 7 years) they got nothing and passed debt back to the originator in my case council tax. 

  • in reply to Arran

    Hmm - so you ignore letter from debt collectors? you know they changed the law a few years ago regards to private parking don't you? i.e. you can't ignore them any more?

    Don't you ever watch that TV programme "Can't pay or we'll take it away". Sorry but someone is going to get a court order like they do, and remove good from your house if you don't pay.

  • in reply to Candlewax

    Ha good idea!! Funny thing is he doesn't like to eat cake 

  • in reply to devonmum

    On the bright side, on his 18th you get to make his cake in the shape of an iPad.... Just so that his friends have to ask why Stuck out tongue

  • in reply to NAS39248

    I agree, a bit of partnership working would be nice and more productive. Currently the schools approach feels a more punitive

    Thank you

  • in reply to Candlewax

    Thank you all

    It is great to get a diversity of opinions. I guess I was most upset about how the school approached, asking for money without approaching the  issue of why it happened ( he has 1:1 and significant sensory issues) and how we can help to avoid this in the future.

    Just hoped for more of a 2 way street approach

  • Ordinarily I would say yes. But in this case.... he has 1:1? Where was that when he was eating technology? Chips are bad for you anyway!
    I'd argue the case that this should have been stopped before it happened and try to come to a compromise over the costs.

  • The answer to this is yes.

    There are times when I believe that if the cost of damage to public sector property is not paid then it can be slapped onto income tax or benefits.

    You wouldn't believe how many expensive medical devices are damaged by patients in hospitals, and under (outdated?) NHS policy it's the taxpayer who pays to repair the damage rather than the patient.

    BTW. I don't pay charges for parking tickets issued by councils, APCOA etc. or take any notice of letters issued by debt collectors or fake solicitors on their behalf.

  • I’m pretty sure that the school would have insurance to cover the cost of replacement, breakages happen in schools. And yes it does sound a bit unfair if it was as a result of his disability 

  • Hi as others have said check school policy on student breakages. I know at our school it is discretionary so if a genuine accident then parents don't get billed but if the school feel behaviour was to blame we do. I can see why the school are billing you as in black and white he bit it and broke it, that said as he has 1:1 support it should not have got to the point that he was so disregulated that he did it

     I think asking the school to investigate what happened is reasonable even if it's to stop it happening again, and if it turns out it could have been prevented then I think you have grounds to argue maybe suggest 50/50 split? Just an idea good luck

  • Hi there. I'd be interested to know if this is standard school policy and is advertised as such. If it is, then it's the same for all children within the school then unfortunately it looks like you may have to pay to replace it.  If not then they are not fair to make you pay.  How can it be classed as unbiased and fair if not? 

    Hope that makes sense Blush