Should I Pick This Fight?

[anonomom]

DD1 (7yo) came home with the school yearbook on Friday. We didn't order it; the company simply sends one home with each child (complete with their name and photo already printed on the front) with a note saying we can either send in $17 to pay for it or send it back. (for the record, last year's yearbook was sent the same way, but I'm almost certain it was only $12).

Of course, DD wants to keep it. She's 7. It has her name on it. But it makes me see red that the school is marketing to my kid this way. If they hadn't placed this overpriced piece of junk into my kid's hands, she wouldn't even know it existed, let alone be willing to spend a month's allowance to keep it.

Since she is spending her own money, I am considering letting her keep the yearbook, but I also want to send a very emphatic letter to the school to let them know this is NOT ok. I feel strongly enough that I"m even considering asking if any other parents want to sign on with me. It makes me really angry that the school, which is supposed to be a safe place of learning, is instead manipulating children in order to make money.

And yes, I can simply say no. But the point is, I say no a million times a day. I shouldn't be forced to do it again by sneaky marketing tactics employed by the school.

[queenmama]

I would say something. I agree that it is a dirty way to market. You wouldn't expect a school to be so shady!

Lara

[wellyes]

I'd let her keep it and I'd protest the marketing. That is really mean.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Yeah, I'd fight that battle.

[boilermakermom]

I'd let her keep it and I'd protest the marketing. That is really mean.

This. Agreed.

[trcy]

I'd let her keep it and I'd protest the marketing. That is really mean.

:yeahthat:

[infomama]

Agree with PP. I'd pick this battle.

[psimpson3-5]

The company that produces the yearbooks obviously took the time to print out her photo and name on the cover. The company and school know that by doing this and having the child take it home, they will want to keep it. This is very sneaky and unfair to parents. I would say something. I'm certain you're not the only one who feels this way.

[TwoBees]

I would totally pick this battle. Ugh. What a disgusting trick on the part of the yearbook company. And the school too, to allow it!

[minnie-zb]

Our schools does similar tactics for other fundraising things the PTA does -- they do not do this with the yearbook. It is annoying and I think you should say something, but I would be prepared for it to stay the same.

[sunshine873]

I'd let her keep it and I'd protest the marketing. That is really mean.

:yeahthat: They (the yearbook company) know exactly what they are doing and the school allowing that level of marketing to their young children is not OK. It's manipulation, and not a characteristic that they would want to instill in the children they are entrusted with educating...so why do they allow another company to profit off of that type of behavior? Ugh.

[vonfirmath]

I am SO thankful our yearbook was a preorder thing. We could decide not to do it without hysterics on our son's part.

[AngB]

I am not a lawyer or anything close to one, (though I do like watching Suits!), so take this with a grain of salt...

I think this is probably borderline even legal. (Not to mention disgusting on their part.) Remember the threads on the "got an extra item (ipad) from company, wwyd?" and the info from the FTC... I think if you keep it and don't send money, they will probably send you a nastygram threatening to withhold grades, blah blah blah, but a lawyerly sounding letter telling them to back off would probably do the trick.

I had a friend with a similar issue over spring pictures and I seem to remember something like that happening. And they stopped sending pictures home and requesting money for them.

[justlyn]

I agree that it's under-handed and you should say something.

[ang79]

I am not a lawyer or anything close to one, (though I do like watching Suits!), so take this with a grain of salt...

I think this is probably borderline even legal. (Not to mention disgusting on their part.) Remember the threads on the "got an extra item (ipad) from company, wwyd?" and the info from the FTC... I think if you keep it and don't send money, they will probably send you a nastygram threatening to withhold grades, blah blah blah, but a lawyerly sounding letter telling them to back off would probably do the trick.

I had a friend with a similar issue over spring pictures and I seem to remember something like that happening. And they stopped sending pictures home and requesting money for them.

Interesting. Our school's spring pictures are like this. They take the pics, then send them home and if you don't want them you send them back, if you want them you send a check. Of course 6 yr. old DD1 wanted her pics, but after I explained to her that the same picture will most likely be in her yearbook (that we had already pre-ordered), she was OK with taking the pics back. Our PTO did a similar fundraiser in the fall with a kid coupon book, it gets sent home with every kid, and you send if back if you don't want to buy it. To me, that seems like an even bigger PITA for the PTO members and teachers to have to try to collect books back, or track people down that owe money, rather than doing a preorder and knowing exactly how many you need.

I agree that sending the yearbook w/ the kids' names on them is a shady marketing scheme. I'd bring it up with the school as well.

[indigo99]

I sort of agree that you should probably be allowed to keep it without paying since they gave it to a kid. Isn't there some rule about kids not being able to sign contracts and only being held responsible for things like medical bills? My sister once signed up for magazines under age 18, and they couldn't make anyone pay for it. It was their fault for sending them to her. In this case, they're obviously going to throw it away if it goes back anyway since it has a name on the cover. I'd complain about that waste alone. Hope they recycle.

[doberbrat]

I'd take it one step further and rip the cover off and send it back. I would NOT be ok sending it back w/a photo of my kid and their name on it. Stuff like that make me crazy

[AngB]

Interesting. Our school's spring pictures are like this. They take the pics, then send them home and if you don't want them you send them back, if you want them you send a check. Of course 6 yr. old DD1 wanted her pics, but after I explained to her that the same picture will most likely be in her yearbook (that we had already pre-ordered), she was OK with taking the pics back. Our PTO did a similar fundraiser in the fall with a kid coupon book, it gets sent home with every kid, and you send if back if you don't want to buy it. To me, that seems like an even bigger PITA for the PTO members and teachers to have to try to collect books back, or track people down that owe money, rather than doing a preorder and knowing exactly how many you need.

My school did this way back when too. My mom always declined b/c the pictures were always a wrinkled mess from being shoved in our backpacks. In my friend's case it was more than just pictures, they had put the picture on the magnets and stuff too.

[AngB]

From the FTC website:http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0181-unordered-merchandise


Q. Am I obligated to return or pay for merchandise I never ordered?

A. No. If you receive merchandise that you didn’t order, you have a legal right to keep it as a free gift.

Now, this is likely referring to stuff mailed to you, but I think sending it home with a minor child is even worse!

There may be something on the website or if you call them that applies to this situation more specifically.

And then I would cc that info to the rest of the class. Free yearbooks for everyone this year!

[TwinFoxes]

This seems to be common. Someone posted a couple of years ago that the school had their kids make some sort of craft, and sent them home for the parents to buy! That was really awful. "Sorry, mommy doesn't want to pay for your art". Ugh. Anyway, I'd try your state's consumer affairs department. If nothing else they should be able to tell you if you're obligated to pay.

[anonomom]

This seems to be common. Someone posted a couple of years ago that the school had their kids make some sort of craft, and sent them home for the parents to buy! That was really awful. "Sorry, mommy doesn't want to pay for your art". Ugh. Anyway, I'd try your state's consumer affairs department. If nothing else they should be able to tell you if you're obligated to pay.

Actually, that may have been me. Our schools does that, too - every kid does a drawing in art class, it's printed on a magnet and sent home to keep (and pay for) or send back. Spring pictures, too. Those two irk but not as much as the yearbook thing. Dd doesn't care if we keep the pictures.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Do they use Life Touch? Our school used to use them for pictures but enough of us got up in arms about their marketing strategy and they switched to some wonderful, local companies that don't do crap like that.

[hellokitty]

I would make a big stink over it and now that we've been reminded about how you aren't obligated to pay for something you did not order, I would keep the yearbook. Our school has does this twice with spring pictures and artwork and it only happened once, because I bet that parents called and threw a fit! It's so shady for the company AND the school to think that this is ok! I'd be really mad at re school or pto for even allowing this to happen!

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i too am wondering how this is even legal. this just seems so sneaky.i would definitely raise a stink about it.

[AnnieW625]

Yes I would fight that. I would probably even contact the local news' station consumer reporter and see if they can intervene there. I am a huge fan of yearbooks (was on staff in jr. high and high school), but this doesn't sound like a yearbook at all. Good luck.

[AngB]

i too am wondering how this is even legal. this just seems so sneaky.i would definitely raise a stink about it.

I am guessing that it may be "legal" in the sense that they can send your kid home with a "free gift", and *request* that you pay or return it, banking on that most people will comply (and many will buy it). I'm just not so sure that they can legally require you to pay for something you didn't order that they sent home with your child. (What if the child loses it?) If the school is anything like ours, they will almost definitely threaten with not giving a report card,etc. until it's paid, but I would be surprised if legally they can even do that, I'm just guessing most people don't challenge it and thus this crappy marketing scheme goes on and on.

[indigo99]

My younger brother kept his school pictures once when they sent them home with him, and we never paid. I never even knew about it until I saw one and asked him where they came from. We were the same family that didn't pay some of the extra class fees for required classes either, but we were really poor at the time.

[mommylamb]

Our school does this with spring pictures, but the yearbook is an order in advance thing. Of course, I think it's stupid to have yearbooks for kindergarteners, and elementary school kids in general, but I bought one because DS1 wanted it and somehow I got it in my head that they had yearbooks instead of class pictures. Then, when the spring pictures came out, it had a class picture that you could buy. Had I known that, I wouldn't have ordered a year book.

OP, I definitely think you should write a letter to the administration, and hopefully other parents will cosign it. I wouldn't go to the media or take other steps at this point. However, I would let them know that if they continue this practice in the future that you will be contacting the state consumer affairs department. I would copy the superintendent and maybe your representative to your state legislature just to scare them.

[BabyBearsMom]

I will be the dissenting voice. I wouldn't fight this. I don't think that complaining about it would be effective. I think this is becoming the norm now (I know our school system does something similar).

[s7714]

I've been contemplating what to do about our similar situation. Last year was the first time they did Spring photos and had a box right on the form to check off if you were not going to buy photos so they wouldn't take your DC's photo. This year that wasn't an option. It said all kids would be photographed period. So ALL the kids got a $50 package to take home. I'm annoyed that we weren't given an opt out option!

I've been debating on how exactly to word my annoyance with the program. Glad to know I'm not alone on the issue!

[vonfirmath]

I've been contemplating what to do about our similar situation. Last year was the first time they did Spring photos and had a box right on the form to check off if you were not going to buy photos so they wouldn't take your DC's photo. This year that wasn't an option. It said all kids would be photographed period. So ALL the kids got a $50 package to take home. I'm annoyed that we weren't given an opt out option!

I've been debating on how exactly to word my annoyance with the program. Glad to know I'm not alone on the issue!

Around here, not getting your photos taken in the Spring is not an option because it is the Spring that they use for Yearbook/class pictures.

[trales]

I find the whole practice really appalling. What is the school teaching the kids, that since Mommy and Daddy didn't fork over the $17, of which the school gets very little and the big company gets a lot. I nice yearbook with your name and photo on it will not go into the landfill rather than kept by you. It is basically garbage. That if you are poor, you can't keep it, b/c if you can pay, it goes in the garbage rather than in your hands.

This is a fight I would fight and I would keep fighting. I know waste is a typically American thing, but I hate it and would be fighting it.

[sophiesmom03]

I'd take it one step further and rip the cover off and send it back. I would NOT be ok sending it back w/a photo of my kid and their name on it. Stuff like that make me crazy

This is the part that makes me question legality. A book that they printed without my permission with my child's name and photo on it? I don't think so....

My school uses Life Touch for photos and they do the Spring photos and send home packages too...then DC want to keep the key ring and etc...ugh.

[hellokitty]

I will be the dissenting voice. I wouldn't fight this. I don't think that complaining about it would be effective. I think this is becoming the norm now (I know our school system does something similar).

I think it makes a difference. The artwork and spring pic that they had automatically sent home w/o asking first both only happened once. I highly suspect that a lot of parents threw a fit and that is what has put a stop to that kind of BS. We live in an area that has been hit really hard by the recession. Ppl can't afford $17 for a yearbook, so I would imagine a lot of them would be pissed if something like this happened. The schools need parents to vote on their levies, and for school board members, etc., so they still need to try to keep from pissing off the parents too much.

[s7714]

Around here, not getting your photos taken in the Spring is not an option because it is the Spring that they use for Yearbook/class pictures.

Our class photos are done with the fall photos. Perhaps they are using the spring photos in the yearbooks now as an excuse to take more pictures. (We don't buy the yearbooks yet.)

[o_mom]

Actually, that may have been me. Our schools does that, too - every kid does a drawing in art class, it's printed on a magnet and sent home to keep (and pay for) or send back. Spring pictures, too. Those two irk but not as much as the yearbook thing. Dd doesn't care if we keep the pictures.

Ours does something similar, but this year switched to sending home a postcard with the artwork that you could keep at no charge regardless of if you ordered or not. You had the option to order the artwork on various items (mugs, shirts, trivets, etc.).

Our school/district has a pretty big 'green' program, so I can't see them being on board with the waste of printing hundreds of yearbooks that may go unused.

[bisous]

I find the whole practice really appalling. What is the school teaching the kids, that since Mommy and Daddy didn't fork over the $17, of which the school gets very little and the big company gets a lot. I nice yearbook with your name and photo on it will not go into the landfill rather than kept by you. It is basically garbage. That if you are poor, you can't keep it, b/c if you can pay, it goes in the garbage rather than in your hands.

This is a fight I would fight and I would keep fighting. I know waste is a typically American thing, but I hate it and would be fighting it.

This is how I feel!

You know, I can see where baygirl2 is coming from. It is everywhere and it is common practice but I also really see things like Trales above. What a shame to be so wasteful. And I'm sure that the markup for the company must be really high to offset those parents who do choose to return the yearbooks, meaning the schools are even more squeezed out of potential fundraising!

[crl]

I hate this practice as well. I don't fight it though. I feel, rightly or wrongly, that I only have some many chips at school and if I pitch fits over things like this, I have fewer left for things like getting my kid 504 accommodations or the teacher assignment I want or getting him into the free after school tutoring sessions when he is almost but not quite far enough behind to qualify. So I skip this kind of fight. YMMV.

Catherine

[squimp]

I would guess that the school has the option of whether to participate in this program or not, and therefore someone at the school makes the decision. In our school, I would contact the principal directly, or go to the PTO/PTA president and give my feedback. I agree that it's wasteful and insulting. I would most likely raise a stink but I'm guessing a number of folks would beat me too it. I absolutely know that I can make a difference in my school - I don't always get my way, but I know our principal and PTO listen to parent input.

[BunnyBee]

I would complain. That's slimy. I feel awful for parents who are in more dire financial straits.