Dear {first name of Year 7 Co-ordinator},
As you know, {Toto}’s father, {DH}, signed papers agreeing to pay 100% of {Toto}’s school fees. This includes excursions and extras.
As you also know, {Toto}’s father is taking me through Family Court and has already won his application to remove his financial debt to me.
He has not paid any child support since April of this year.
I am telling you this because {Toto} has just told me that you have told him that {DH} has not paid the {school name}’s school fees, and that, unless {Toto} takes $20 to school tomorrow, he will not be able to attend next weeks’ excursions. This happened 2 weeks ago for the amount of $5 which I paid.
{Toto} sees his father on Wednesday nights, and therefore is unable to ask him for the money before tomorrow. He is also terrified of his father, and his fathers’ anger around financial issues, and, understandably given the current situation, will not ask his father for money.
I think it should be up to the {school name}’s accounts department to chase {DH} for the school fees. Failing that, his sister could be asked to remind her brother of his financial obligations to the school. As a last resort, I should be contacted about this issue. Under no circumstances should {Toto} be asked to intervene in this matter.
It is incredibly upsetting to me that I am put in the position where, with no child support and with huge ongoing legal fees, I am asked to pay money to the school when {DH} has signed forms legally binding him to be responsible for 100% of the fees.
I have reminded {DH} of his obligation, via text, and he has informed me that he will pay the fees by the end of the week.
I would expect that {Toto} and I not be involved in issues surrounding fees in the future, and that all discussions and communications on this topic are with his father.
Kind regards,
{Fe}
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A note for all my northern hemisphere readers: Our school year begins in February, and finishes in 2 weeks. DH is about, oh, 10 months overdue with the fees.
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Happy END of NaBloPoMo!! Phew!! xoxo
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DH is indeed living up to his name. Ugh!
Hugs to you my dear Fe.
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Thank you Brenda. I should be used to it, I know. But it never fails to touch that part of me that wants DH to put his children’s interests before his own.
*sigh*
xoxo
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Grrr.
Great letter though, Fe.
Hugs, A.-
Grrr is right. Thanks Amelia. xoxo
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if i didn’t know the back story, i’d think this letter was almost amusing…meaning it is such fine writing that it almost seems like something you’d see in a movie or read in a book. unfortunately it’s not amusing.
if you ever decide to quit your day job, you should consider becoming a diplomat Fe! ♥
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Aww thanks, Blue. I wrote it in such a mad-rush (I was so upset that Toto had been involved) that I barely stopped to edit it. Glad it didn’t come across as mean, as I really like the Year 7 co-ordinator. And the school.
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btw. is it me, or is my randomly-assigned icon always a scowley-faced mad guy? i’m getting a complex.
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LOL! You’re right! I’ve changed it so that, if you don’t have an avatar set up with a separate site (like en.gravatar.com) your default will be blank.
Can’t have scowley-faced mad guys here!! xoxo
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Good letter Fe. A child should never be involved in that sort of thing! I expect evidence of the missing school fees have been presented to the proper authorities. How can this DH be taken seriously by anyone? Mind boggling.
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That is totally out of line, by both teacher and school – in the first instance they should have definitely contacted him directly about the non-payment, secondly you – but never should they have put that on Toto.
Grr on your behalf.
And a big kick up the place where the sun don’t shine for x.
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Well done..
I would love to hear the response you get. It is completely unreasonable to involve children in matters of unpaid school fees under any circumstances but particularly in this situation. Poor Toto, lucky he has you, Fe.I can’t even imagine what goes through that DH’s mind. Unbelievable.
xxxx
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OMG it never ends does it. DH is such an appropriate name. I’d be annoyed with the school too for bringing Toto into it especially as they understand some of the situation. Brilliant letter by the way. I too would be interested to hear the reply.
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Again with the non-payment of excursion fees? Document the continued non-payment of Toto’s school fees for court. What if you’d agreed to Toto boarding (as if you would)? Would Toto be out in the street without a bed and a room because boarding fees had not been paid? No way should Toto need to be involved in any of this. DH should have been contacted directly since he is responsible for the fees.
What, no more scary avatars? I feel so naked.
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