Thanks for the update, gjcoram!

~Lisa






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I went to the hearing and expressed my support for the class gift idea; it seems likely that this will go through. I had hoped that the class gift limit would be set at $250, but that seems unlikely.

Ms. Roney also said she would consider "events of personal significance" as a time when teachers might receive gifts, such as birth or adoption of a child.

The comment period ends in a week, on Sept. 30.

It's pretty common for any type of public sector employee to be restricted in the dollar value of personal gifts. And $50 is a typical amount. It appears the process is working well. The draft rule was posted for comment and some appropriate changes have been suggested, such as allowing a $150 ceiling for a class gift give as one-group. And items can still be given to the school or district.

When I donated big items to my child's class (filing cabinet, furniture, refrigerator), they were meant for the SCHOOL, not as the teacher's personal property even though she had the use of the item in her room.

Setting these type of policies is a tough issue because most of us on these forums are actively involved, "reasonable" people who wouldn't consider "bribing" a teacher. But abuse happens. Both parents and teachers are simply "people". Nobody's perfect and some are quite flawed.

Does anyone remember that one story that hit the headlines a few years ago? Teacher got all kinds of gifts including DIAMONDS and rent-free condo. Bizarre.

At the elementary school level (where my children are), it seems silly -- parents aren't trying to bribe a teacher to change "needs improvement" to "satisfactory".

PTOs as an organization aren't really considered by the proposed legislation -- the PTO might want to give a gift to a principal moving up to superintendent, or a teacher moving to principal at a different school.

gjcoram-
Thanks so much for taking the time to post this. Interesting developments.
What's your biggest take-away from the legal stuff?

~Lisa


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The proposed changes for gifts:
www.mass.gov/Ieth/docs/legal/gift_exemptions.pdf

are open for public comment; you can send an e-mail or attend one of the public hearings:

Tuesday, September 21, 2010, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Kittredge Center for Business & Workforce Development, Room KC 301
Holyoke Community College
303 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040

Thursday, September 23, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
One Ashburton Place, 21st Floor, Conference Room 3
Boston, Massachusetts 02108

More info at
www.mass.gov/?pageID=ethmodulechunk&L=1&...rings_regs&csid=Ieth