Are gifts for teachers bribes?

I don´t thinkthat giving a teacher a small present for Christmas can be called a bribe. I guess that the law might have been made for real bribes and I hope that a judge can understand the spirit of the law.

I was just reading about that yesterday. I think it was in Alabama? I don't think a small reasonable gift would be considered a bribe, but just a momento of appreciation. I got my grandsons teacher a few rolls of 'awesome' & 'good job' stickers. She uses stickers every day on the kids stuff, and I think of it as a niceness passed on because she buys all those stickers with her own money. I think if it was an expensive gift, well, then maybe it might very well be looked at as a bribe. I'm glad our school system doesn't look at it in that view. They have posted on their website a list from each teacher what would be helpful to their class (not the teacher herself, just the class.) On the list were certain books, extra pencils, colored paper, things like that, or things to help the low income kids. With school budgets being cut so much, and teachers spending their own money on the 'extras' like that, I think that's a good idea.

I think some people try to do that witch is wrong. but others are just thankful for all the teacher has done for there child that they want to show it. I do not see it as wrong if you are saying thank you for all your help with teaching my child and are not expecting the person to do some thing they should not do. It is all a matter of opinion rely. It dose make it hard for thous of us who do mean well.

i am a tacher at a primary school. we have serious problem with gifts from students parent. they ofetn give us gifts, and this morning i got one from parent. and it happent not only in my clas, but almost all class in my school. what we have to do now? it is impossible to refuse the gifts because it may hurt them. but i never be influneced because of the gifts.

What? that's an aweful law. Students will appreciate good teachers and they only can do to show their appreciation is by giving gift. Students cannot afford to give expensive gift anyhow, so what $10 to $50 is already a bribe? Maybe it is reasonable if the teacher itself ask for money or anything beyond that.

I don't think you have to apologize since you are entitled to your own opinion. I strongly agree with you on this one. Teachers work harder than everyone else since they really have to teach children every single working day. They are rarely absent and if they do, the school makes sure that there is ample replacement so as not to jeopardize children's education. Giving them a gift is not a bribery. It is simply a way of showing gratitude to them.

Seems to me like the Alabama Ethics Commission neds to find something to do to make their job secure. Any teacher that allows a small gift to influance them need to just be fired.When I was in school some of the kids would bring more expensive gifts for the teachers. When my kids were in school we had a cap on the cost of the gifts that the teachers could recieve. With my grandkids gifts were sent to the teachers. The schoold should set a cap on what the teachers can revieve. But then again a student who's parent can't afford any gift will feel left out or embarressed.. We just need more big government for every thing.

I am a teacher and have certainly never received a gift and even thought it was a bribe. I see small gifts at Christmas as just being a way to show appreciation for everything that we do for the child.

hi there incredibleDNA, with regard to your main topic, giving gifts is not a sign of bribery. as for me, this is a type of gesture that gives back the good deeds that you have done. and since christmas is nearly coming, this is just a part of the holiday season.

I used to give a gift to my teachers during grade school days, but I think that by the time I got to high school, the practice was slightly discouraged for various reasons. Well given that I had seven different teachers, for seven different class periods, then obviously that was not going to be something that was going to be economically feasible. Still I don't think it is a bribe. Granted, if you gave the teacher a couple thousand dollars and told them to skew the grades, then that would be a bribe. However, giving a Christmas gift would not in fact be a bribe. I just think a lot of people are just way too sensitive these days about everything. It is sad almost really. Most gifts I gave back in the day weren't really expensive but they did so consideration.

I thinks giving gifts to teacher can be a bribe or not. It really depends on the giver. For me teachers have no fault about it, because they are not telling them to give her gifts anyway. I think its not really good. Because as for my case I just give gifts to the teachers whom I know is worth giving.

If this is true, where is the spirit of gift giving during Christmas. If I were in the shoes of the teachers with this kind of law i definitely resign and leave that school. In my experience in our school, policies are made on gift giving but during birthdays and gift giving seasons like christmas is permitted.

I agree. Giving a teacher a gift is usually something from the heart. I also understand how giving a teacher a gift could also be used as a bribe to get a better grade in a class. However, if a teacher feels as though the gift is a bribe they can refuse the gift.

Giving a gift to a teacher means an appreciation for what the teacher imparted on the students. I am a teacher also and accepts gifts from my students. More or less the teacher knows if the gift given to her is intended for something in return or not. And of course way back college days I also gave gifts to my teachers for being so patient and understanding.Its just one way of saying thank you. Besides, if the student wanted to present a gift, let it be. It's Christmas! What if the other way around? The student will be penalized? I don't think so. Anyway, this is just my opinion.