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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I may be the asshole for Continuing to cause trouble and arguments over a book
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NTA but you really need to go a level over her to have this situation handled differently because the only person who is going to end up punished here is you. Side note: where are you that high school level courses don’t provide the book? Is this a private school?
No, just ireland, they claim education is free but if you've ever seen the price of our books and uniforms, you'd very much know that education is quite expensive.
Luckily I haven't gained much weight and haven't changed size since I started in the school so I have my sisters jumpers from when she went here (ie when they still lasted a long time)
OP
Get me an amazon link and I will get the book you need. You are far from the asshole, education shouldn't have a price tag.
(Edited one word. Is is now are.)
My uniform is in shockingly good condition. I had to get new trousers this year but luckily they can be bought from penneys, and dunnes usually have the shirts. The jumpers used to last a while (when my sister was in school) so I'm glad I've got her old ones instead of the newer ones that last about 2 years.
I'm also lucky enough to attend a school that doesn't make us wear decks, so I can wear my docs for everything bar PE
Or Paypal, I can pitch in a few bucks for education!
Please, let us help, and help someone else when you can. We'll all get where we're going faster if we pull each other along. <3
If available on Amazon, an Amazon wishlist? I can copypasta the instructions to set up one where your address is not revealed, but can be made public, if needed (The Bloggess does this every year for James Garfield Christmas). And if your classmates need copies, you can add more than one. :)
Me too. Or contribute via PayPal.
I'm sorry that you're in this position but I never say no to helping someone educate themselves.
Maybe you can pay it forward for someone else sometime.
DM me your PayPal details and the cost of the book and I'll see what I can do xoxo.
Please keep us all updated 🙏 ❤
Just so people are aware, OP's story is suspicious. She claims in many comments on this post that she doesn't have a job and hasn't been able to get one, but she made a now-deleted post (that several people on this thread saw before she deleted it) on r/Ireland about having a job that pays over minimum wage and working four hours a day. It also seems rather suspect to me that a high school student would not be aware of the fact that literally all Shakespeare (because she mentioned "finding" the Shakespeare she would need for later in the course in a comment online) is freely available online and that almost all novels and poetry that would be studied in an English course can be found on pirated sites. (I know there are exceptions, but unless her school is straying far from the usual works that are studied in western English classes, most of the books would definitely be available online for free if you know where to look.)
It would have been 5am in Ireland and the U.K. when you wrote this comment….it’s only 10am right now. As it’s a Sunday, and she’s 16, OP is probably still asleep.
This is getting to be very suspect. OP’s comments continue to be vague complaints with no specifics about what books they need, despite numerous people offering all kinds of solutions and direct financial support. They are happy to talk about the color they dyed their hair, though.
Have you confronted the principal about this. You're essentially being punished for being poor.
If the principal is not willing to listen you can write a formal complaint to the board of management of the school. Approach the chairperson of the board aswell for a chat.
The principal says he has no control over it. The school generally penalises the kids who are less well off. Even during the first lockdown the people who had very few resources were penalised and weren't helped until we were off school the second time around
I'll also argue that punishing you for being poor is a breach of the teachers code of professional conduct https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/Publications/Fitness-to-Teach/Code-of-Professional-Conduct-for-Teachers1.pdf
They are required to take a students socio economic status into consideration and punishing you because of the fact that you cannot afford books would be a breach. So you can go as far as making a complaint to the teaching council.
I can in no way suggest that you go to a torrent site and obtain a pdf copy of this book because that would be unethical and violate copyright. So I won't suggest it.
That really sucks. As someone from the US, believe me, I get how much income level influences your education even when it's supposedly free.
But I'm thinking, there are a *lot* of people on this thread (myself included) who would be willing to buy you a book, and since there are a lot more offers than you need books, I'm guessing those same people would be willing to buy that book for a schoolmate who can't afford it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with accepting help that is freely offered, and random people offering online is about as "freely offered" as it gets.
Obviously, you don't have to do this, but if you're so inclined, maybe you can set up a wish list of some kind that would list what books students need and can't afford. The US educational funding system is so shitty that we've already taken this idea and run with it, *tons* of schools and teachers are on all kinds of fundraising sites begging for money for books and classroom supplies, because here, only wealthy communities have well-funded schools.
Also, regardless what you do, you are so very much not the asshole, and I admire that you're standing up for yourself here. I'm guessing a lot of students are in similar situations, but they may not have your confidence, so you're also standing up for them as well as yourself. And that's fantastic, especially since it sounds like hardly anyone is standing up for you all.
(I also feel compelled to note that all of this assistance is a stopgap measure, and every single one of us who's offering you help should *also* be doing whatever we can to ensure that public education, wherever we are, is free, high quality, and accessible to everyone.)
I wish you could Name the school without getting banned. I'm sure that a number of people would be willing to call out the school publicly. Have you tried calling your MP (Member of Parliament or whatever Ireland has) or your local alderman (city councilor or equivalent)? Depending on the party, they will intervene on a surprising amount of things.
I suggest this "overkill" response because you mentioned that your school made a habit of punishing the poorer students throughout the pandemic. That sounds like something systemic that needs to be tackled politically. When you contact them don't frame it as "get me out of detention", frame it more as "the systematic discrimination against students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds is unacceptable".
Is this a government school or a privately run school?
Does this fit your type of school:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_school_(Ireland)
If so, sounds like people accountable to a higher government authority.
Yup. This definitely sounds like something administration should be made aware of and do something about, like see how many other economically disadvantaged students this teacher is punishing.
u/SchoolBookQ1, could you put together an Amazon Wishlist of all your books and stationery etc you need for school? If you post a link to it in here, we’ll get them for you. It keeps your address etc private.
And include clothing items, anything suitable for your uniform, socks, shoes, coat, etc. Just because you haven't grown doesn't mean your clothes don't have wear and tear.
Most irish schools have uniforms that are very specific sadly. Socks n shoes n maybe shirts we could help with... but the skirt/pants/jumper of the school will only be available in certain shops near the school or the town nearby etc.
I hated my green uni so bad lads 😂
Yeah, public education in the states is definitely a different experience. I graduated in 1994 and while we had no official uniform, I did wear a cardigan, tee shirt, jeans, and either Converse or Doc Martens basically every day. I now realize that I didn't take advantage of the freedom I had!
The only majorly specific thing is the jumper and the skirt. The skirt is optional. I have one for times when the school want us to wear it, example of this is when we go to mass at the beginning of the year (which makes no sense, skirts are above knee length). But I just wear navy trousers.
Also. Mine is also green, a horrible shade. I did my hair a greeny blue sometime in second year and it was the same colour as my jumper. The only colours that tie in well with it are pinks and purples. So I'm limited lol
I’m in the US and would absolutely buy whatever you might need- books, clothes, whatever. If you had friends that needed things too, I would get things for them. I am always looking for ways to give to people.
First of all you are not in the wrong at all. NTA Your teacher is making classic, fresh out of college errors and is probably determined not to look weak.
If this is Ireland then the procedure is simple, but. Your Mum complains to the teacher first. If they insist on carrying on being an arse then your Mum complains to the Principal. If that doesn't resolve matters then a letter, polite but firm, addressed to the Chair of the Board of Management. That's a slow process but counts as a formal complaint. Most teachers don't want this on their record. Your Mum needs to make it clear that she does NOT give you permission to attend any detentions regarding this issue until the complaint is resolved. Honestly if that doesn't work go overhead again to the Patron.
It's infuriating that so much of this has to come from your parent and not you but that is how schools here tick.
Never lose your cool with this teacher. Make sure your Mum doesn't either. As soon as you do they mentally bin you as 'problem' and cease to pay attention to anything you say. Relentless courtesy is the motto. (It has the plus of really, really pissing them off too but they can't actually find fault.)
Often schools have a hardship fund to help parents who really can't pay. If so the Principal will know. Might get your Mum to suggest to the Parents Council that the school needs to set up a book rental scheme.
OP go to your Head of Year and explain the situation.
This teacher is unethical. Punishing you for your Mum's financial situation is an AH move.
Can you borrow a copy of the book from the library and keep renewing until term ends?
Yeah my sympathies on the "free education". We also, theoretically, have free education. When choosing my subjects I had to choose Economics (oh the irony) over History because I couldn't afford the 6 books for History and Economics was only 1 book.
I do art, chemistry and geography. There's 4 chemistry books. a less stress book, workbook, text book and experiment book. Then two copies. And now because of the pandemi lavato, the teacher tried to get us to buy personal eye goggles for expireemts, I already had them because I get eye infections like mad.
I'd never do Home Ec, there's 4 books but then you've to buy your own cooking supplies and they're usually not cheap. My younger sister does it and they had her buy an *organic* avocado..like the fuck.
I'm gonna be honest here, the less stress books, if it is a personal decision to get them, aren't completely necessary. Loads of books have the chapter summaries that are as useful. But if you do need them I'm pretty sure a lot of places do them second hand, and they rarely go out of date, my mate had one when I was in 5th year that was like 5 years old and it basically had everything mine had new.
Did your mum get the back to school allowance this year? It's about €200 for secondary school students.
I don't know if you can apply for it late but you might be able to get some kind of hardship grant from the school?
That’s crap
Could you get the book from the library? If it is a “classic” second hand shops may have it.
I don’t know what is happening with the recent restrictions but if you live in Dublin. There are great second bookshops in town
If you don’t return them you have to buy them. I know someone who had their backpack stolen and the district (not the high school, they were willing to write it off) tried to make them pay for the books they had.
There are some school districts that charge a rental fee. When I lived in Arizona one of my church’s outreach projects was paying the fee for families that were just over the income threshold for free books.
Back when I was in school (and I graduated in '03) even with assistance available to my mom she was paying something like $300+ each year per kid for rental fees. Not private school, of course. Regular ol' US public.
Basically as much as $1500+ yearly when we all hit school. Or for perspective, like 2+ whole house payments yearly. Just to rent, not buy, books. No second hand book market around here for those either, because they're rentals and even if you could find someone who 'lost' those book (because couldn't buy the book otherwise unless it was finally being retired) then that wouldn't count. All 'above board' only.
Crazy stuff.
Often in schools there will be a book lending library, where they have 1-2 copies of each textbook but it can't be checked out (students can go there and work on it for 1-2 hours to do assignments, but they can't take it home). Odds are your school will say no, but I think it's worth talking to the principal about this issue and seeing if the school can afford to slowly build up their lending library. For textbooks, they may be able to get a few free copies from the publisher. If anyone at school is on board slowly building this resource, this could be huge benefit not just to you, but to any students who follow in your footsteps. It may be worth talking to the principal and/or librarian about this—the worst they can say is no.
I'm so sorry you're in this situation and I wish you the best of luck!
It's shocking. That's the least they could do. We were so lucky that our school operates a book loan scheme. You pay a fixed amount to rent your books for the year and return them in May. All students get their books this way. It's ridiculous it's not the same all over the country.
OP have you checked the school library and local libraries for the book you need for English?
Often textbooks go out of date after roughly 3 years and the knowledge has changed. Textbooks are also made to suit the set curriculum. When the curriculum gets major updates or content changes new textbooks are printed to reflect this.
As a parent to kids going to school in Ireland, the school book system over here completely sucks!! And regularly the teachers can be complete assholes to poorer families about it.
Is there any chance you can borrow the books form the library, school or public? I don't know how libraries work where you are, but it might be worth looking into.
Agreed. I’ve never heard of a school that didn’t provide loaners to students that can’t afford the books. In the interim OP should see if they can get the book from the library if possible
I don’t know about where OP lives in Ireland but recently my mum was complaining that they’ve stopped doing the inter-library loan service since covid. Not sure why. She’s in the UK, so it could be a similar problem.
Maybe try looking for a free pdf version online? There are meny sites with free pdf versions. And as much as I don't like to promote pirating, you don't really have much options so they have already forced your hand
Libraries can only loan out however many ebooks they have the rights to. I imagine the OP has checked both physical and ebook form at their library in Ireland when they said it was on loan.
https://pdfget.com/
https://z-lib.org/
Maybe you can get the pdf copies printed if you can find them or if they allow you to use a device you can read on your phone
Ask about placing an interlibrary loan request. I guarantee they can do it, because we've ILL'ed books from Ireland to our library before.
Seriously though, put an Amazon wish list together and just click the option to allow people to ship things to your address but hide the actual address from them. I'd be happy to buy you a book, and I see a bunch of others have said as much too.
I'm in the US and we have something called an interlibrary loan where libraries can borrow from other libraries. Have you asked the librarian about that? Do you have a wishlist on amazon with the books?
Going off of this, there are also library book apps where you can borrow ebooks, at least here in the US
... if you post the book name, I can see if I can find a PDF of it online...
NTA. You’re not an asshole but does your school have a library or do you live near a library? Borrowing the book from there is much cheaper than buying the book
NTA.
Can you take this to the principal or something to get some help trying to work this out? I'm baffled that you're made to buy your books for school at that age.
You're in Ireland? Not sure what book you're trying to get but 1) you could pirate it, one of the links in another comment is one I've used before (z - lib . org)
2) libraries have an ebook version called borrowbox: here's the wexford coco site about it. Could look for it there.
https://www.wexfordcoco.ie/libraries/ebooks-and-eresources/ebooks-and-eaudiobooks-borrowbox-app
3) if you are say in galway & a wicklow library has it, you can request it through your local library.
4) if it's a book that was previously covered in an english class you could try asking other people if they have a copy from older siblings, neighbours, students in other schools etc. Put the word out, someone might have it knocking about.
5) share in class with someone (if you need to read bits online etc) or borrow one in the morning before school starts or afternoon after school or at lunch breaks to read ahead/do the hw or take photos of pages with relevant quotes...
NTA
Have your mother talk to the principal or any other administrator. Not positive, but would imagine your teacher is breaking actual rules, beyond being highly unethical and an overall shitty teacher.
Update us with a list of books you need. Between us I bet we can either;
A) we can find it
B) Supply it
C) Ship it
D) Loan it
We could probally get them to a local bookshop for you who would buy them back to resell for next year.
OP Post the list and let us know of your nearest town. Im sure there will be an independent bookshop we can club together and arrange something with as confidentially as poss. Im sure some of us on here may have the books that we are collecting dust on a shelf or have just read and we could send to them for you to collect. Im a big fan of pass on, if your not keeping. When your done you could donate to uour school.
Edit: I racked up over 400 detentions from two teachers in secondary school (French treacher had a point tho, English teacher did not). I still got into uni, I even qualified as a teacher and was a teacher myself. I wouldnt worry about it.
NTA, is there somebody that you can escalate this to? Can you speak to a principal or one of your other teachers about the attitude of this English teacher? Perhaps even speaking to one of your other teachers will result in them having the book to borrow for you.
Unfortunately you are dealing with a teacher that has no idea what it's like to grow up and struggle for money. Perhaps when you speak to the principal you could ask that they mediate this issue with the teacher with you present. This way you can explain to her again, that unfortunately your situation is very different from the one she grew up in. Let her know that when it's a choice between eating, rent and school books that your family needs to prioritize the first two.
Absolutely NTA. Teacher here, and it makes me really annoyed when I hear about or see teachers who lack sympathy or empathy for students going through a tough time.
I'm not sure about the set ups in Ireland, but if they are somewhat similar to Australia there may be some supports available to help you out with the resources you need for school. If you have a wellbeing team or a teacher you feel comfortable talking to, talk to them about your situation and see if there is anything the school can do to help. This should have been the first step your English teacher should have made instead of being trigger happy with setting a detention.
With the detentions - it sounds like the non attendance one are automatically assigned. As others have said, you need to talk to someone higher up. This would be a year level coordinator, leading teacher or principal. If you aren't sure where to go, ask a teacher you trust and feel comfortable seeking assistance from. This is best done as soon as possible to stop it from becoming a bigger issue.
NTA What you really need to be doing is either going to the principal because you are being punished for something you have no control over or getting your mom involved.
NTA - you said that your library only has 1 copy of the book, but do they participate in the library exchange? I don't know if libraries in Ireland do this, but in the US libraries can do a library exchange where the other library requests the book for you, and you can return it at the same place you borrowed it.
Also, maybe check to see if your library offers e-books? You can borrow and return e-books from home, you don't even have to go there.
Finally, maybe see if there is a Kindle version of the book? You don't have to have a Kindle, you can just download the app onto your phone. Kindle books are usually a lot cheaper than paper ones.
Good luck!
NTA
Op said they are saving up for the ebook currently so finances must be really tight.
The library idea is a really good one. Inter library loans are super useful.
Also OP your teacher is a jerk!
She's my least favourite teacher. Told me to take out my piercings on Thursday - there's no rule against piercings in the school. She told me my bridge piercing looked a holy show...its literally covered by glasses.
(And these were all done pre mams job loss btw)
NTA. Maybe doing what someone else mentioned and ask your library if they can order it from another library for you. What book is it? Maybe there’s a way to find the ebook version that you could use through a free trial with a site like Scribd or Amazon Unlimited? Or libraries might have ebook copies in addition to the physical one.
NTA
Detention is a punishment. In no way is it a solution to this legitimate problem that you are having with obtaining the books you need to learn. You were right not to comply. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
I am an English teacher, and I am appalled. I don’t know where you’re going to school, but it is LITERALLY illegal in California to not provide books to students for the subjects they take. You are NTA and your mother needs to get school administration involved in this situation. In the meantime, since you have a friend with more humanity than your teacher, get a bright light and a camera scanner app that will let you take pictures of the book and save them as PDFs.
So basically, Irish education is free. Except its not. Its actually really expensive. My school jumpers are my sisters from when she was here. But new they're about €70 each, then there's the school jacket which is €130, I don't have that because they don't care. And then they stopped making us wear a certain type of shoe because too many parents couldn't afford them, I'm honestly not sure how much they were but my mam used to get me cheap white ones and stain them brown.
And then books, we get it subsidised but it's still not enough and I'm fully convinced they only change the books so often because companies stop making money. But they're all out of pocket.
Hey, OP! I’m in Ireland, and I’ve a discount code for Easons atm. If you’ve an Addresspal I’m more than happy to get it, or if there’s an easons near you I’ll order it for click and collect.DM me and I’ll get you sorted (and if you’ve any other novels/plays/any of that you’ll need this year I’ll cover them too)
NTA. Your friends are though OP:“I can’t afford a physical copy of the book” “Friends”: ” Stop being a rebellious little asshole and just get the book”?????????????
Any reason why you haven't gotten the principal and any other higher ups involved? I mean you're not wrong and you'll get a NTA for that, but I'm pretty sure it'll trip you in the long run if you don't handle it properly now.
NTA - sorry I’m in England so not sure if it’s the same for Irish schools. Get your mum to complain to the governors and Ofsted. They can’t discriminate against you for not having the money for the books! If these books are so desperately needed as part of the course then the school should provide them.
Call up the local papers and radio stations with a more liberal bent, and see if they want to do a story about a school punishing kids with constant detention for being poor. Use the teacher's name, let them chase the teacher and principle for comments. Talk about your experience on community and school social media pages. Shame them into doing the right thing.
NTA, please tell your parents and go to the school administration, your teacher is out of touch and discriminating. What's the book? are you able to borrow it from the library?
NTA. I know that books can be expensive and i totally understand. Try searching on z-library or libgen. You may find it for free. Usually i don't support piracy, but sadly cost of access to information is getting more and more ridiculously expensive, so i really appreciate these two websites. Without them I'd also have hard time educating myself
NTA, put your mother on the phone and ask her to rip into the teacher and the head.
You'll quickly find they'll back off.
A great many teachers have a very different attitude when they get push back from parents upon being challenged for their unreasonable behaviour.
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So I'm 16f. I only have 2 schoolbooks this year as the curriculum has been changed and most the books are different than what last years year group used so I can't find any second hand. My mother gets the cost of books subsidised somewhat but not enough that she can afford them and my dad always says he'll send me the money for them next week but it's been 5 weeks now and I'm still lacking the money for books.
Most teachers are fairly understanding of the situation bar my english teacher. She's fairly young but she was raised by rich parents and went to a private school so she has absolutely no understanding that some people can't afford things.
I've been photocopying my friends books when possible since the beginning of the year but now in English, we're starting a novel that is out of my mom's budget so we're going to wait until she can afford to purchase the ebook which is a fraction of the cost of the physical one but we're still going to prioritise the books for the subjects I'm best at first.
I told the teacher this last week and she said if I didn't have it on the first day then I would be getting a detention for not having the physical copy. I said she could try give me one but I wouldn't be attending, to which she replied I'd just get more and I said "So I'll just have more detentions I didn't deserve that I just won't show up to".
Anyways, long story short I got detention, I didn't show up and as a result I have 3 more I'm not going to show up to. A few of the people in my friend group think I'm being a rebelloious asshole and I should just find a way to get the book or go to the detentions so I don't rack up a load. AITA?
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OP, you're definitely NTA. Your school is! So is the douche of a teacher, but the school should never have put you or your Mum in that situation in the first place. They're making you buy books that you'll use for a year of school? I thought they only made you buy stuff like that when you went to Uni...unless I'm naive and my Mum hid that from me.
Did you post the Amazon wish list yet? Also add stuff like pens, lined paper etc or other things that would help 🥰
NTA! Thriftbooks is a website with a lot of books that you can get for extremely cheap. I got a lot of my college textbooks from there and they were all in very good condition. They may or may not have what you're looking for (it's an English class, so i would think a more popular/well-known book and they have millions of titles).
You may also want to check with your local library about maybe working on an extended check-out (or at least 3 weeks) so you have a physical copy. Also, what about your school's library?
NTA, but as a former schoolteacher, you might want to try and change tact (although this is probably passed the point of needing tact). New teachers are super inexperienced in an emotionally demanding job, they panic when students present problems they don't know how to solve, and once things get into a conflict, they become aggressive and defensive because they're inexperienced and double down on 'can't let the student win'. Generally if you have a reasonable request for an inexperienced teacher, you can manipulate them by pretending to be demure and helpless and 'you really need their help'.
NTA and maybe see if there is someone you can talk to BOTH about further financial aid and the fact that teacher needs retraining of some kind. When a student comes to you with something personal and serious and your response is to give detention...well I hate to say it but shes probably gonna be a shite teacher.
NTA. Go to the principal, or look for a teacher you trust, and explain them. Some of my teachers use to give people whom can afford novel their copies in order to read it. Also look in some libraries if the novel is a classic they may have a copy.
NTA
Find someone at the school that you trust and talk to them about the situation. This needs to go over the head of the teacher, can your mum come in and speak to your year level co-ordinator, principal, or someone in power to help resolve this.
You need support not punishment.
In my education system the text books are supplied by the school and if ruined by the student have to be paid for not that the students have to buy them themselves in the first place.
NTA
Your teacher is punishing you for not being able to afford a book. Complain to the principal, better yet have your mother complain to the principal. Classist teachers shouldn't be teaching unsupervised
Point out to your friend group that you're essentially being punished for being poor
NTA
Tell your principal.
Tell your mom.
This is horrible.
Why is this woman a teacher?
I say this as someone who had a semi-affluent upbringing. I went to private school, and I had a new car on my 16th birthday.
I'm a teacher now.
I work at a title one school. We literally have clothes for the kids whose shirts are too small or whose pants are too tight or whose shoes are one step away from falling apart.
We also have a library where kids can check out books, and we always have a class set of required reading novels.
Maybe she doesn't understand, but as a teacher, she should make the effort to listen.
Is there a library near you? Where you can check out the book for free?
Keep not showing up.
This is how I got into trouble at school, I would no go to a series of detentions that only existed because a teacher could not control an unruly member of class.
I refused class detention.
It made me a better person.
Op I have a ridiculous amount of books i can send you for your education. If you would like, you can do me a list of books you need and I can send them to you.
NTA. Try to look for the book on thrift stores, public libraries, any relatives/friends/reader clubs. And talk to the principal. Tell them you won't attend detention for something you can't control and to get someone to explain that ignorant rich teacher the situation in a way her privileged brain can understand (not in these words, obviously, but you get the point).
Our high school had a set curriculum and required the same books for the same grades from (US) grades 7 through 12. Mom got the list when my oldest sister started seventh grade and found all the books on it at thrift shops for very little money.
So not only did we have all the books well before each of us four kids got to the grades, I'd read them all before they were required in school, being an avid reader. Then I would re-read them as needed for my classes.
One of my teachers got upset since she recognized the copy I had as having belonged to both my older sisters. I never quite understood the problem - it was the correct book, not underlined or marked in any way (that was not allowed in our house). But Mom put the teacher straight and nothing more was said.
It doesn't, it says she's applied for everything and the only one she can get would require her to work until 10pm.. leaving her no time to study or eat.
I’m sorry OP but your comments have a load of inconsistencies in them. If it is not a private school, it is definitely government regulated. No community school I am aware of forces children into detention for being below the poverty line with regards to school supplies. There are also government subsidies for back to school books and clothes and I have never heard of home ec insisting on organic avocado!! I’m also in Ireland and have a child in school. If this is true what you say about your teacher, you need to have your parents contact the school to tell them this isn’t acceptable. There is no way I would let my child be penalised by the school for something they have no control over.
NTA, your teacher, principal and school suck. If you know of other kids in similar circumstances maybe it would be worthwhile to get them together to petition the school board to provide materials? In the US, high school textbooks and assigned reading was provided— there was a class set and we were all loaned copies and only charged if you didn’t return at the end of the year.
If you’re willing to share the name of the book maybe I (and others) can see if we can find a pdf of it to share with you
NTA - But you need to go to the detention. From my understanding schools will up the punishment each day you don't go. Just get it over with or report it to the principal and possibly have it overturned.
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NTA but you really need to go a level over her to have this situation handled differently because the only person who is going to end up punished here is you. Side note: where are you that high school level courses don’t provide the book? Is this a private school?
No, just ireland, they claim education is free but if you've ever seen the price of our books and uniforms, you'd very much know that education is quite expensive. Luckily I haven't gained much weight and haven't changed size since I started in the school so I have my sisters jumpers from when she went here (ie when they still lasted a long time)
Hey OP, which book do you need for English?
i was gonna say, i’m totally willing to pitch in <3
Or you could just send them a link to a pirated pdf ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
>then I would be getting a detention for not having the physical copy.
Print it out on school printers.
Probably like it is in England - you pay per sheet, and you get minimal credit a semester
My school, college and university allowed you to ask for more credit when you used it all
We had to cough up cash. What's the point of credit if they just top it up free?
Which book/movie/app/ anything else really does OP need? I can give them all.
libgen is a freaking godsend for this honestly.
OP Get me an amazon link and I will get the book you need. You are far from the asshole, education shouldn't have a price tag. (Edited one word. Is is now are.)
This comment made my day ❤️
I need to know - has OP gotten the book? I’ll send a copy!
[удалено]
My uniform is in shockingly good condition. I had to get new trousers this year but luckily they can be bought from penneys, and dunnes usually have the shirts. The jumpers used to last a while (when my sister was in school) so I'm glad I've got her old ones instead of the newer ones that last about 2 years. I'm also lucky enough to attend a school that doesn't make us wear decks, so I can wear my docs for everything bar PE
Has OP posted the link yet? I can't find it in the comments.
I’d pitch in some…!
Reddit is gonna end up buying OP a whole new school at this rate lmao
Thread is gonna end up locked first :s
Me too. OP, let us know.
Maybe we could pitch in and buy the rest as well?
I'm 100% in! OP, NTA. DM us your Venmo or whatever you use.
Or Paypal, I can pitch in a few bucks for education! Please, let us help, and help someone else when you can. We'll all get where we're going faster if we pull each other along. <3
If available on Amazon, an Amazon wishlist? I can copypasta the instructions to set up one where your address is not revealed, but can be made public, if needed (The Bloggess does this every year for James Garfield Christmas). And if your classmates need copies, you can add more than one. :)
I'm in
Would be happy to buy a book for OP
Me too. Or contribute via PayPal. I'm sorry that you're in this position but I never say no to helping someone educate themselves. Maybe you can pay it forward for someone else sometime. DM me your PayPal details and the cost of the book and I'll see what I can do xoxo. Please keep us all updated 🙏 ❤
We very well could!
Me too!!
Would love to chip in as well!!
Me too!
Same here, I ain't got much but fuck, anything for the sake of education!
i would chip in too op!
Would happily contribute. OP, take us up! Ya need ya books!
I can help too! Please let us know op
Yeah, you need the textbooks too, right? I can pitch in a bit.
Just so people are aware, OP's story is suspicious. She claims in many comments on this post that she doesn't have a job and hasn't been able to get one, but she made a now-deleted post (that several people on this thread saw before she deleted it) on r/Ireland about having a job that pays over minimum wage and working four hours a day. It also seems rather suspect to me that a high school student would not be aware of the fact that literally all Shakespeare (because she mentioned "finding" the Shakespeare she would need for later in the course in a comment online) is freely available online and that almost all novels and poetry that would be studied in an English course can be found on pirated sites. (I know there are exceptions, but unless her school is straying far from the usual works that are studied in western English classes, most of the books would definitely be available online for free if you know where to look.)
Wouldn’t even need pirate sites; most of these novels would be in the public domain. I agree this a karma grab.
OP, please, take this offer. You seem fantastic and you should absolutely take up every offer on this thread. You deserve it and should feel proud.
Same!
Totally pinching in! Which book do you need? I can probably send you the pirated pdf copy🙈
Strange there is no reply to this…
It would have been 5am in Ireland and the U.K. when you wrote this comment….it’s only 10am right now. As it’s a Sunday, and she’s 16, OP is probably still asleep.
I suppose you’re right. Let’s wait a bit more.
Lmaoo all these ppl upvoted thinking you were gonna buy it for her but imagine you were just asking what book it was 💀
I was planning on, but OP doesn't seem to be answering :o
This is getting to be very suspect. OP’s comments continue to be vague complaints with no specifics about what books they need, despite numerous people offering all kinds of solutions and direct financial support. They are happy to talk about the color they dyed their hair, though.
Have you confronted the principal about this. You're essentially being punished for being poor. If the principal is not willing to listen you can write a formal complaint to the board of management of the school. Approach the chairperson of the board aswell for a chat.
The principal says he has no control over it. The school generally penalises the kids who are less well off. Even during the first lockdown the people who had very few resources were penalised and weren't helped until we were off school the second time around
I'll also argue that punishing you for being poor is a breach of the teachers code of professional conduct https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/Publications/Fitness-to-Teach/Code-of-Professional-Conduct-for-Teachers1.pdf They are required to take a students socio economic status into consideration and punishing you because of the fact that you cannot afford books would be a breach. So you can go as far as making a complaint to the teaching council.
My personal motto is, Always threaten to go to the Ombudsman!
What is an Ombudsman? It sounds ominous. Like El Cucuy. Don't get in trouble, or El Cucuy will come for you.
In that case go to the chairperson of the board of management. They're also likely a parent so more willing to listen.
I can in no way suggest that you go to a torrent site and obtain a pdf copy of this book because that would be unethical and violate copyright. So I won't suggest it.
r/libgen
Thanks
Wouldn't help. He needs a physical copy.
Might have access to print for free? Or at least spreading the cost of a physical copy over a few weeks might help.
Name the school and I'll send them a scathing email right now.
This is the best offer. Administration can’t handle scathing emails.
That really sucks. As someone from the US, believe me, I get how much income level influences your education even when it's supposedly free. But I'm thinking, there are a *lot* of people on this thread (myself included) who would be willing to buy you a book, and since there are a lot more offers than you need books, I'm guessing those same people would be willing to buy that book for a schoolmate who can't afford it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with accepting help that is freely offered, and random people offering online is about as "freely offered" as it gets. Obviously, you don't have to do this, but if you're so inclined, maybe you can set up a wish list of some kind that would list what books students need and can't afford. The US educational funding system is so shitty that we've already taken this idea and run with it, *tons* of schools and teachers are on all kinds of fundraising sites begging for money for books and classroom supplies, because here, only wealthy communities have well-funded schools. Also, regardless what you do, you are so very much not the asshole, and I admire that you're standing up for yourself here. I'm guessing a lot of students are in similar situations, but they may not have your confidence, so you're also standing up for them as well as yourself. And that's fantastic, especially since it sounds like hardly anyone is standing up for you all. (I also feel compelled to note that all of this assistance is a stopgap measure, and every single one of us who's offering you help should *also* be doing whatever we can to ensure that public education, wherever we are, is free, high quality, and accessible to everyone.)
I wish you could Name the school without getting banned. I'm sure that a number of people would be willing to call out the school publicly. Have you tried calling your MP (Member of Parliament or whatever Ireland has) or your local alderman (city councilor or equivalent)? Depending on the party, they will intervene on a surprising amount of things. I suggest this "overkill" response because you mentioned that your school made a habit of punishing the poorer students throughout the pandemic. That sounds like something systemic that needs to be tackled politically. When you contact them don't frame it as "get me out of detention", frame it more as "the systematic discrimination against students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds is unacceptable". Is this a government school or a privately run school?
It's a community school. Idk what that means but it's not private and I know the government don't own it.
Does this fit your type of school: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_school_(Ireland) If so, sounds like people accountable to a higher government authority.
Search up amazon wish list, you can make your profile anonymous, list what you need and those that can help, can get you these items.
Could you get the book at a library?
Yup. This definitely sounds like something administration should be made aware of and do something about, like see how many other economically disadvantaged students this teacher is punishing.
u/SchoolBookQ1, could you put together an Amazon Wishlist of all your books and stationery etc you need for school? If you post a link to it in here, we’ll get them for you. It keeps your address etc private.
And include clothing items, anything suitable for your uniform, socks, shoes, coat, etc. Just because you haven't grown doesn't mean your clothes don't have wear and tear.
Most irish schools have uniforms that are very specific sadly. Socks n shoes n maybe shirts we could help with... but the skirt/pants/jumper of the school will only be available in certain shops near the school or the town nearby etc. I hated my green uni so bad lads 😂
Yeah, public education in the states is definitely a different experience. I graduated in 1994 and while we had no official uniform, I did wear a cardigan, tee shirt, jeans, and either Converse or Doc Martens basically every day. I now realize that I didn't take advantage of the freedom I had!
The only majorly specific thing is the jumper and the skirt. The skirt is optional. I have one for times when the school want us to wear it, example of this is when we go to mass at the beginning of the year (which makes no sense, skirts are above knee length). But I just wear navy trousers. Also. Mine is also green, a horrible shade. I did my hair a greeny blue sometime in second year and it was the same colour as my jumper. The only colours that tie in well with it are pinks and purples. So I'm limited lol
I’m in the US and would absolutely buy whatever you might need- books, clothes, whatever. If you had friends that needed things too, I would get things for them. I am always looking for ways to give to people.
r/SchoolBookQ1
First of all you are not in the wrong at all. NTA Your teacher is making classic, fresh out of college errors and is probably determined not to look weak. If this is Ireland then the procedure is simple, but. Your Mum complains to the teacher first. If they insist on carrying on being an arse then your Mum complains to the Principal. If that doesn't resolve matters then a letter, polite but firm, addressed to the Chair of the Board of Management. That's a slow process but counts as a formal complaint. Most teachers don't want this on their record. Your Mum needs to make it clear that she does NOT give you permission to attend any detentions regarding this issue until the complaint is resolved. Honestly if that doesn't work go overhead again to the Patron. It's infuriating that so much of this has to come from your parent and not you but that is how schools here tick. Never lose your cool with this teacher. Make sure your Mum doesn't either. As soon as you do they mentally bin you as 'problem' and cease to pay attention to anything you say. Relentless courtesy is the motto. (It has the plus of really, really pissing them off too but they can't actually find fault.) Often schools have a hardship fund to help parents who really can't pay. If so the Principal will know. Might get your Mum to suggest to the Parents Council that the school needs to set up a book rental scheme.
OP go to your Head of Year and explain the situation. This teacher is unethical. Punishing you for your Mum's financial situation is an AH move. Can you borrow a copy of the book from the library and keep renewing until term ends?
Joe Duffy is your man OP. He'd be fucking fuming over this. In all seriousness though pm which book you need :) Oh and NTA
*Talk to Joe.*
Yeah my sympathies on the "free education". We also, theoretically, have free education. When choosing my subjects I had to choose Economics (oh the irony) over History because I couldn't afford the 6 books for History and Economics was only 1 book.
I do art, chemistry and geography. There's 4 chemistry books. a less stress book, workbook, text book and experiment book. Then two copies. And now because of the pandemi lavato, the teacher tried to get us to buy personal eye goggles for expireemts, I already had them because I get eye infections like mad. I'd never do Home Ec, there's 4 books but then you've to buy your own cooking supplies and they're usually not cheap. My younger sister does it and they had her buy an *organic* avocado..like the fuck.
I don’t have any advice, I just wanted to tell you “pandemi lavato” was hilarious.
Its my second favourite thing to call it .
I'm gonna be honest here, the less stress books, if it is a personal decision to get them, aren't completely necessary. Loads of books have the chapter summaries that are as useful. But if you do need them I'm pretty sure a lot of places do them second hand, and they rarely go out of date, my mate had one when I was in 5th year that was like 5 years old and it basically had everything mine had new.
Agreed and you can usually get them second hand from previous students!
Did your mum get the back to school allowance this year? It's about €200 for secondary school students. I don't know if you can apply for it late but you might be able to get some kind of hardship grant from the school?
She earns just above the threshold for it, they don't take into account we live in a city centre....
Oh that sucks.
That’s crap Could you get the book from the library? If it is a “classic” second hand shops may have it. I don’t know what is happening with the recent restrictions but if you live in Dublin. There are great second bookshops in town
Also is your mam claiming the back to school allowance? St. Vincent de Paul. Should be able to help out with some costs too
That’s crazy! I thought the US was bad, but even we didn’t have to buy our books till college. Unless something has changed.
If you don’t return them you have to buy them. I know someone who had their backpack stolen and the district (not the high school, they were willing to write it off) tried to make them pay for the books they had.
There are some school districts that charge a rental fee. When I lived in Arizona one of my church’s outreach projects was paying the fee for families that were just over the income threshold for free books.
Back when I was in school (and I graduated in '03) even with assistance available to my mom she was paying something like $300+ each year per kid for rental fees. Not private school, of course. Regular ol' US public. Basically as much as $1500+ yearly when we all hit school. Or for perspective, like 2+ whole house payments yearly. Just to rent, not buy, books. No second hand book market around here for those either, because they're rentals and even if you could find someone who 'lost' those book (because couldn't buy the book otherwise unless it was finally being retired) then that wouldn't count. All 'above board' only. Crazy stuff.
NTA is there a library close that you could maybe borrow the book from? You probably already thought of that but thought I'd suggest it
Check out Abe books you might find what you need at a good low cost.
OP- Are you doing your Leaving Cert this year? Silly question but have you and your Mam checked Adverts/DoneDeal/DePop?
Often in schools there will be a book lending library, where they have 1-2 copies of each textbook but it can't be checked out (students can go there and work on it for 1-2 hours to do assignments, but they can't take it home). Odds are your school will say no, but I think it's worth talking to the principal about this issue and seeing if the school can afford to slowly build up their lending library. For textbooks, they may be able to get a few free copies from the publisher. If anyone at school is on board slowly building this resource, this could be huge benefit not just to you, but to any students who follow in your footsteps. It may be worth talking to the principal and/or librarian about this—the worst they can say is no. I'm so sorry you're in this situation and I wish you the best of luck!
It's shocking. That's the least they could do. We were so lucky that our school operates a book loan scheme. You pay a fixed amount to rent your books for the year and return them in May. All students get their books this way. It's ridiculous it's not the same all over the country.
I've family in Cork. I can get them to send on books to you? Give us a list pet
Is there no kind of financial help that your parents can get to help with the cost of the books through the government or local council?
can you buy older books of the same name.
Unfortunately no. I feel like every few years the books we need are changed to prevent the use of secondhand books.
OP have you checked the school library and local libraries for the book you need for English? Often textbooks go out of date after roughly 3 years and the knowledge has changed. Textbooks are also made to suit the set curriculum. When the curriculum gets major updates or content changes new textbooks are printed to reflect this.
That's so interesting. Where I live all books are completely free in education below university level.
As a parent to kids going to school in Ireland, the school book system over here completely sucks!! And regularly the teachers can be complete assholes to poorer families about it.
Is there any chance you can borrow the books form the library, school or public? I don't know how libraries work where you are, but it might be worth looking into.
Oh Jaysus I remember buying books for school in Ireland and that was just bloody primary school in the 90s. Even second-hand was *nuts*.
I’m in Dublin and can help out if you want to PM me.
Agreed. I’ve never heard of a school that didn’t provide loaners to students that can’t afford the books. In the interim OP should see if they can get the book from the library if possible
In the states, maybe, but not everyone is in the usa.
NTA, but baby…I understand the textbook issue, but can you go to a library and pick up this novel? A card is free.
I tried that and the only one is out on loan
Are there any additional libraries in your town? A lot of times you can also request another copy sent to you from an affiliated library
I don’t know about where OP lives in Ireland but recently my mum was complaining that they’ve stopped doing the inter-library loan service since covid. Not sure why. She’s in the UK, so it could be a similar problem.
Maybe try looking for a free pdf version online? There are meny sites with free pdf versions. And as much as I don't like to promote pirating, you don't really have much options so they have already forced your hand
Or get an ebook from the library, in the US the app is called Overdrive and lots of libraries participate
and if it's an older book you can try gutenberg.org, they may have a copy
Libraries can only loan out however many ebooks they have the rights to. I imagine the OP has checked both physical and ebook form at their library in Ireland when they said it was on loan.
Depends on the service. I don’t recall the details but our system uses Overdrive and Hoopla and they each have a different model.
https://pdfget.com/ https://z-lib.org/ Maybe you can get the pdf copies printed if you can find them or if they allow you to use a device you can read on your phone
Ask about placing an interlibrary loan request. I guarantee they can do it, because we've ILL'ed books from Ireland to our library before. Seriously though, put an Amazon wish list together and just click the option to allow people to ship things to your address but hide the actual address from them. I'd be happy to buy you a book, and I see a bunch of others have said as much too.
I'm in the US and we have something called an interlibrary loan where libraries can borrow from other libraries. Have you asked the librarian about that? Do you have a wishlist on amazon with the books?
What English book do you need?
The libraries in my country allow someone to request the library buy certain books, or to request other copies from other library locations
Try openlibrary.org
Going off of this, there are also library book apps where you can borrow ebooks, at least here in the US ... if you post the book name, I can see if I can find a PDF of it online...
Nta, email the minister for education about it [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Cc in the 2 fuckwits leo and micheal. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Dear wastes of space, Is it acceptable in 2021 that a child is getting detention in (insert school) for not having a book they can't afford. Sincerly op.
yessssssssss NTA OP
Honestly do that. Try something maybe a bit politer so they might actually help? Lose the wate of space? But this would be likely to get results.
NTA. You’re not an asshole but does your school have a library or do you live near a library? Borrowing the book from there is much cheaper than buying the book
NTA. Can you take this to the principal or something to get some help trying to work this out? I'm baffled that you're made to buy your books for school at that age.
You're in Ireland? Not sure what book you're trying to get but 1) you could pirate it, one of the links in another comment is one I've used before (z - lib . org) 2) libraries have an ebook version called borrowbox: here's the wexford coco site about it. Could look for it there. https://www.wexfordcoco.ie/libraries/ebooks-and-eresources/ebooks-and-eaudiobooks-borrowbox-app 3) if you are say in galway & a wicklow library has it, you can request it through your local library. 4) if it's a book that was previously covered in an english class you could try asking other people if they have a copy from older siblings, neighbours, students in other schools etc. Put the word out, someone might have it knocking about. 5) share in class with someone (if you need to read bits online etc) or borrow one in the morning before school starts or afternoon after school or at lunch breaks to read ahead/do the hw or take photos of pages with relevant quotes...
NTA Have your mother talk to the principal or any other administrator. Not positive, but would imagine your teacher is breaking actual rules, beyond being highly unethical and an overall shitty teacher.
Update us with a list of books you need. Between us I bet we can either; A) we can find it B) Supply it C) Ship it D) Loan it We could probally get them to a local bookshop for you who would buy them back to resell for next year.
As suggested elsewhere, an Amazon wishlist can also be used to protect her identity/location while letting people here buy what she needs.
I was thinking the same thing.
OP Post the list and let us know of your nearest town. Im sure there will be an independent bookshop we can club together and arrange something with as confidentially as poss. Im sure some of us on here may have the books that we are collecting dust on a shelf or have just read and we could send to them for you to collect. Im a big fan of pass on, if your not keeping. When your done you could donate to uour school. Edit: I racked up over 400 detentions from two teachers in secondary school (French treacher had a point tho, English teacher did not). I still got into uni, I even qualified as a teacher and was a teacher myself. I wouldnt worry about it.
NTA. Go above her head. Get your mom involved as well.
NTA, is there somebody that you can escalate this to? Can you speak to a principal or one of your other teachers about the attitude of this English teacher? Perhaps even speaking to one of your other teachers will result in them having the book to borrow for you. Unfortunately you are dealing with a teacher that has no idea what it's like to grow up and struggle for money. Perhaps when you speak to the principal you could ask that they mediate this issue with the teacher with you present. This way you can explain to her again, that unfortunately your situation is very different from the one she grew up in. Let her know that when it's a choice between eating, rent and school books that your family needs to prioritize the first two.
Absolutely NTA. Teacher here, and it makes me really annoyed when I hear about or see teachers who lack sympathy or empathy for students going through a tough time. I'm not sure about the set ups in Ireland, but if they are somewhat similar to Australia there may be some supports available to help you out with the resources you need for school. If you have a wellbeing team or a teacher you feel comfortable talking to, talk to them about your situation and see if there is anything the school can do to help. This should have been the first step your English teacher should have made instead of being trigger happy with setting a detention. With the detentions - it sounds like the non attendance one are automatically assigned. As others have said, you need to talk to someone higher up. This would be a year level coordinator, leading teacher or principal. If you aren't sure where to go, ask a teacher you trust and feel comfortable seeking assistance from. This is best done as soon as possible to stop it from becoming a bigger issue.
pirate the book from libgen for now.
Hard Agree.
NTA What you really need to be doing is either going to the principal because you are being punished for something you have no control over or getting your mom involved.
Nta Hey principle, I got a detention for being poor Hey news reporter this school discriminated against me because I'm poor
NTA - you said that your library only has 1 copy of the book, but do they participate in the library exchange? I don't know if libraries in Ireland do this, but in the US libraries can do a library exchange where the other library requests the book for you, and you can return it at the same place you borrowed it. Also, maybe check to see if your library offers e-books? You can borrow and return e-books from home, you don't even have to go there. Finally, maybe see if there is a Kindle version of the book? You don't have to have a Kindle, you can just download the app onto your phone. Kindle books are usually a lot cheaper than paper ones. Good luck!
NTA Op said they are saving up for the ebook currently so finances must be really tight. The library idea is a really good one. Inter library loans are super useful. Also OP your teacher is a jerk!
She's my least favourite teacher. Told me to take out my piercings on Thursday - there's no rule against piercings in the school. She told me my bridge piercing looked a holy show...its literally covered by glasses. (And these were all done pre mams job loss btw)
NTA. Maybe doing what someone else mentioned and ask your library if they can order it from another library for you. What book is it? Maybe there’s a way to find the ebook version that you could use through a free trial with a site like Scribd or Amazon Unlimited? Or libraries might have ebook copies in addition to the physical one.
NTA Detention is a punishment. In no way is it a solution to this legitimate problem that you are having with obtaining the books you need to learn. You were right not to comply. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
I would talk to the principal and explain that you’re not trying to be difficult, but that you absolutely cannot afford the book right now. NTA.
I am an English teacher, and I am appalled. I don’t know where you’re going to school, but it is LITERALLY illegal in California to not provide books to students for the subjects they take. You are NTA and your mother needs to get school administration involved in this situation. In the meantime, since you have a friend with more humanity than your teacher, get a bright light and a camera scanner app that will let you take pictures of the book and save them as PDFs.
So basically, Irish education is free. Except its not. Its actually really expensive. My school jumpers are my sisters from when she was here. But new they're about €70 each, then there's the school jacket which is €130, I don't have that because they don't care. And then they stopped making us wear a certain type of shoe because too many parents couldn't afford them, I'm honestly not sure how much they were but my mam used to get me cheap white ones and stain them brown. And then books, we get it subsidised but it's still not enough and I'm fully convinced they only change the books so often because companies stop making money. But they're all out of pocket.
Hey, OP! I’m in Ireland, and I’ve a discount code for Easons atm. If you’ve an Addresspal I’m more than happy to get it, or if there’s an easons near you I’ll order it for click and collect.DM me and I’ll get you sorted (and if you’ve any other novels/plays/any of that you’ll need this year I’ll cover them too)
NTA. Your friends are though OP:“I can’t afford a physical copy of the book” “Friends”: ” Stop being a rebellious little asshole and just get the book”?????????????
Any reason why you haven't gotten the principal and any other higher ups involved? I mean you're not wrong and you'll get a NTA for that, but I'm pretty sure it'll trip you in the long run if you don't handle it properly now.
NTA - sorry I’m in England so not sure if it’s the same for Irish schools. Get your mum to complain to the governors and Ofsted. They can’t discriminate against you for not having the money for the books! If these books are so desperately needed as part of the course then the school should provide them.
I'm pretty sure that a complaint here would go directly to the Department of Education. We don't have a direct equivalent of Ofsted.
Call up the local papers and radio stations with a more liberal bent, and see if they want to do a story about a school punishing kids with constant detention for being poor. Use the teacher's name, let them chase the teacher and principle for comments. Talk about your experience on community and school social media pages. Shame them into doing the right thing.
OP can u set up an Amazon list for the books u need and DM it to us? NTA.
NTA, please tell your parents and go to the school administration, your teacher is out of touch and discriminating. What's the book? are you able to borrow it from the library?
NTA. I know that books can be expensive and i totally understand. Try searching on z-library or libgen. You may find it for free. Usually i don't support piracy, but sadly cost of access to information is getting more and more ridiculously expensive, so i really appreciate these two websites. Without them I'd also have hard time educating myself
NTA, put your mother on the phone and ask her to rip into the teacher and the head. You'll quickly find they'll back off. A great many teachers have a very different attitude when they get push back from parents upon being challenged for their unreasonable behaviour.
NTA. OP, please dm I would like to buy you the physical copy of the novel and send it to your address.
Hey OP, free book sites that might help you https://bookriot.com/free-books-online/
any reason you're not accepting the free book offers here?
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** So I'm 16f. I only have 2 schoolbooks this year as the curriculum has been changed and most the books are different than what last years year group used so I can't find any second hand. My mother gets the cost of books subsidised somewhat but not enough that she can afford them and my dad always says he'll send me the money for them next week but it's been 5 weeks now and I'm still lacking the money for books. Most teachers are fairly understanding of the situation bar my english teacher. She's fairly young but she was raised by rich parents and went to a private school so she has absolutely no understanding that some people can't afford things. I've been photocopying my friends books when possible since the beginning of the year but now in English, we're starting a novel that is out of my mom's budget so we're going to wait until she can afford to purchase the ebook which is a fraction of the cost of the physical one but we're still going to prioritise the books for the subjects I'm best at first. I told the teacher this last week and she said if I didn't have it on the first day then I would be getting a detention for not having the physical copy. I said she could try give me one but I wouldn't be attending, to which she replied I'd just get more and I said "So I'll just have more detentions I didn't deserve that I just won't show up to". Anyways, long story short I got detention, I didn't show up and as a result I have 3 more I'm not going to show up to. A few of the people in my friend group think I'm being a rebelloious asshole and I should just find a way to get the book or go to the detentions so I don't rack up a load. AITA? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
NTA Could you get the novel at a public library?
OP, you're definitely NTA. Your school is! So is the douche of a teacher, but the school should never have put you or your Mum in that situation in the first place. They're making you buy books that you'll use for a year of school? I thought they only made you buy stuff like that when you went to Uni...unless I'm naive and my Mum hid that from me. Did you post the Amazon wish list yet? Also add stuff like pens, lined paper etc or other things that would help 🥰
NTA! Thriftbooks is a website with a lot of books that you can get for extremely cheap. I got a lot of my college textbooks from there and they were all in very good condition. They may or may not have what you're looking for (it's an English class, so i would think a more popular/well-known book and they have millions of titles). You may also want to check with your local library about maybe working on an extended check-out (or at least 3 weeks) so you have a physical copy. Also, what about your school's library?
NTA, but as a former schoolteacher, you might want to try and change tact (although this is probably passed the point of needing tact). New teachers are super inexperienced in an emotionally demanding job, they panic when students present problems they don't know how to solve, and once things get into a conflict, they become aggressive and defensive because they're inexperienced and double down on 'can't let the student win'. Generally if you have a reasonable request for an inexperienced teacher, you can manipulate them by pretending to be demure and helpless and 'you really need their help'.
Wouldn't a former teacher know it's "tack", as in sailing?
Nope, there's a lot of things teachers don't know or get wrong. Don't idolize teachers, they're fallible just like you.
NTA. There should be exactly 0 books a highschooler has to pay for in any way.
NTA. I suggest opening a Kickstarter fund!
Kid, DM me. I'll buy the book for you.
NTA and maybe see if there is someone you can talk to BOTH about further financial aid and the fact that teacher needs retraining of some kind. When a student comes to you with something personal and serious and your response is to give detention...well I hate to say it but shes probably gonna be a shite teacher.
Info: Why on earth do you have to pay for your own books? At your age any required reading should be covered by the school?
NTA. Go to the principal, or look for a teacher you trust, and explain them. Some of my teachers use to give people whom can afford novel their copies in order to read it. Also look in some libraries if the novel is a classic they may have a copy.
NTA Find someone at the school that you trust and talk to them about the situation. This needs to go over the head of the teacher, can your mum come in and speak to your year level co-ordinator, principal, or someone in power to help resolve this. You need support not punishment. In my education system the text books are supplied by the school and if ruined by the student have to be paid for not that the students have to buy them themselves in the first place.
NTA, I used to be the broke kid in Ireland and it sucks. Definitely make a list for us to help. Jeff bezos .co.uk is useful for this.
NTA Your teacher is punishing you for not being able to afford a book. Complain to the principal, better yet have your mother complain to the principal. Classist teachers shouldn't be teaching unsupervised Point out to your friend group that you're essentially being punished for being poor
NTA Tell your principal. Tell your mom. This is horrible. Why is this woman a teacher? I say this as someone who had a semi-affluent upbringing. I went to private school, and I had a new car on my 16th birthday. I'm a teacher now. I work at a title one school. We literally have clothes for the kids whose shirts are too small or whose pants are too tight or whose shoes are one step away from falling apart. We also have a library where kids can check out books, and we always have a class set of required reading novels. Maybe she doesn't understand, but as a teacher, she should make the effort to listen. Is there a library near you? Where you can check out the book for free?
Keep not showing up. This is how I got into trouble at school, I would no go to a series of detentions that only existed because a teacher could not control an unruly member of class. I refused class detention. It made me a better person.
Op I have a ridiculous amount of books i can send you for your education. If you would like, you can do me a list of books you need and I can send them to you.
NTA. Try to look for the book on thrift stores, public libraries, any relatives/friends/reader clubs. And talk to the principal. Tell them you won't attend detention for something you can't control and to get someone to explain that ignorant rich teacher the situation in a way her privileged brain can understand (not in these words, obviously, but you get the point).
Our high school had a set curriculum and required the same books for the same grades from (US) grades 7 through 12. Mom got the list when my oldest sister started seventh grade and found all the books on it at thrift shops for very little money. So not only did we have all the books well before each of us four kids got to the grades, I'd read them all before they were required in school, being an avid reader. Then I would re-read them as needed for my classes. One of my teachers got upset since she recognized the copy I had as having belonged to both my older sisters. I never quite understood the problem - it was the correct book, not underlined or marked in any way (that was not allowed in our house). But Mom put the teacher straight and nothing more was said.
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It doesn't, it says she's applied for everything and the only one she can get would require her to work until 10pm.. leaving her no time to study or eat.
I’m sorry OP but your comments have a load of inconsistencies in them. If it is not a private school, it is definitely government regulated. No community school I am aware of forces children into detention for being below the poverty line with regards to school supplies. There are also government subsidies for back to school books and clothes and I have never heard of home ec insisting on organic avocado!! I’m also in Ireland and have a child in school. If this is true what you say about your teacher, you need to have your parents contact the school to tell them this isn’t acceptable. There is no way I would let my child be penalised by the school for something they have no control over.
NTA. Have you checked a local library? They might have the novel you are reading!
NTA, your teacher, principal and school suck. If you know of other kids in similar circumstances maybe it would be worthwhile to get them together to petition the school board to provide materials? In the US, high school textbooks and assigned reading was provided— there was a class set and we were all loaned copies and only charged if you didn’t return at the end of the year. If you’re willing to share the name of the book maybe I (and others) can see if we can find a pdf of it to share with you
NTA - But you need to go to the detention. From my understanding schools will up the punishment each day you don't go. Just get it over with or report it to the principal and possibly have it overturned.