The school requires money to call. Extortion in schools - how to fight and where to complain? Requisitions at school - there is a confrontation

Reading 11 min. Views 853 Published on 22.09.2018

Which of the school problems, in your opinion, are the most problematic: wake up, put the child to bed, check or learn lessons, communicate with the teacher? All these are trifles compared to parent-teacher meetings. Almost all parents are outraged that the main topic at the meetings was not academic performance, not the behavior of children, not the interaction of the teacher and parents in the educational process, but the collection of money for the eternal needs of the school. Requisitions at school have become commonplace.

And some of you, dear parents, found out how and by what means they are justified? Have you applied to the district department of education, to the local administration, to the prosecutor's office, if the director of the school is silent?

Scary? Don't want to go to confrontation? Are there any fears that the child will be put under pressure because of the complaint? All this is quite possible.

What should parents do in order not to support the school, and to protect the child from the revenge of the “offended” teacher?

What do schools require money for: legal or not?

Parents are faced with additional fees already in kindergartens, and then in schools. But after all, in all post-Soviet states, including Russia and Ukraine, free school education is legally guaranteed. In practice, this "free" is sometimes very expensive.

They collect for everything: textbooks, notebooks, manuals, repairs, computer rooms, ballet classes, plumbing, gifts for teachers, security guards, cleaners, school holidays and everything else that is enough for imagination.

The slogan of all requisitions is the same: “But this is for YOUR children!”. The most difficult thing is to determine whether parental money will benefit the child, or whether it will make life easier and replenish the wallet of school employees.

Money for a cleaner

If from the parental pocket they demand to pay for the work of cleaners, this is illegal and immediately subject to objections and complaints to certain authorities. The local budgets in Ukraine and the federal budgets in Russia allocate an amount for the remuneration of technical workers in schools. Dot. Parents are not required to hand over any additional payments and bonuses for “shining cleanliness”, “new rag”, “school territory”.

Gift money for teachers

Teachers in both countries are prohibited by law from accepting money from their parents. Any amount of money accepted by a teacher can be regarded as a bribe. An exception is when a formal agreement has been concluded between the school and the parent for the provision of additional services, but even in this case it is better to provide for payment through the bank. All financial matters must be decided by the parent committee elected at the meeting.

Not only money, but also any gift can be regarded as a bribe. So, in Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine states that a thing, a ticket, the right to paid services - in a word, everything that has value can be considered a bribe. The article of the law does not establish a lower limit of value, i.e. A penny pen can also be considered a bribe. There are similar provisions in the legislation of the Russian Federation. Therefore, gifts to teachers, especially expensive ones, look ambiguous from the point of view of the law.

Activists of the parent committee should take this nuance into account when planning presentations for teachers. Moreover, it is worth considering the difference in the incomes of the families of the students. The most correct decision for today is the rejection of any significant gifts.

The teacher (or kindergarten teacher) does his job, for which he is paid a salary. Low, this is a well-known fact. But this problem should be solved not by the parents of students, but by the state. And gratitude, which activists often talk about, can also be expressed with a bouquet of flowers.

An increasing number of teachers themselves warn the class that they do not accept gifts of any kind. Such a position commands respect, besides, it excludes possible unpleasant situations with complaints.

Information for reflection: according to Russian and Ukrainian legislation, both the recipient and the giver are responsible for a bribe.

Money for teaching materials

Notebooks, textbooks, which are financed by the state budget, do not need to be paid - this is a violation of the rights of both parents and children. You may be asked to pay the cost of manuals that are not included in the standard school curriculum, but provide additional useful knowledge. This is not a violation, unless the collection of money is carried out on a voluntary-compulsory basis.

Money for repairs

A fact from the life of parents: an acquaintance complained that the school administration annually asks to donate money to replace windows at the school. The epic began when his eldest daughter went to the third grade. Dropped by eleven. Now the eldest daughter is graduating from university. The youngest took over. She has three more years to study. New windows have appeared in the school, but not everywhere. There is a suspicion that the parents of these two daughters still have to give money back and forth.

And no one had the guts to ask the director to show estimates, receipts, contracts with contractors, which indicate the cost of work, materials, and so on.

If the director or class teacher is the initiator of paying for repairs and buying furniture for the class / school, this is a requisition. It is necessary to fix the fact and write a complaint to the RONO or the administration. But if the initiative comes from the parents, then they pay for the repairs and this is not considered a violation.

Recall that contributions for repairs are voluntary, no one should force anyone. And it doesn't force. They just look askance at those who did not pass.

What can you donate

Neither Russian nor Ukrainian educational institutions have mandatory payments. But there are situations when the parents themselves may find the additional costs useful.

Tutorials

Basic general education textbooks must be provided to you. But if we are talking about some additional collections of tasks or exercises, and the teacher managed to prove their usefulness - it's up to you. Especially if the purchase will be carried out directly, without any incomprehensible schemes.

Additional educational services

The school may provide electives, courses, subject circles, individual tutoring, etc. For example, in the Russian Federation this list is regulated by Law No. 273 “On Education in the Russian Federation”. At the same time, a formal contract for paid services is concluded. Nobody has the right to force your child to attend such courses.

Meals in the school cafeteria

It's worth thinking about here. Quite often there are complaints about the taste of dishes. But school canteens are under the constant control of sanitary and epidemiological stations and other controlling organizations.

Your child will not be fed a stale dish here (there are exceptions, but we are not considering an emergency right now). And a hot meal for a schoolboy, who doesn’t always have breakfast, doesn’t hurt.

Children holidays

Parents themselves decide where and how the holiday will be held. And this should be decided at a general meeting, and not a narrow circle. If someone insists on spending that seems excessive to you, feel free to voice your opinion. Without unnecessary emotions, calmly, reasonably express your point of view, explain why you are against it. Most likely, you will find like-minded people.

Cultural events

Movies, theaters, excursions, trips - this cannot be free. But they have no right to impose them on you. You can refuse to pay, for example, for a ticket to a football match if your child is not interested in it.

Arguments of the class teacher: “But this is a public event, the whole class should go!” brush it off right away - in such cases you don’t owe anything to anyone. See it necessary - pay, and the child goes to the event. No - you do not donate money, but the child does not attend the event either.

How to donate money correctly

Unfortunately, public schools cannot boast of an overabundance of funds. And in order to improve the learning conditions for their children, parents are ready to help the school. How to do it right?

1. Refusal of cash. Each school has its own checking account. Your class can also open a separate account. Any paid school service is drawn up in the form of a contract indicating all the data of the parent, school and a description of the service provided.
2. Transparency and strict reporting of spending. On the school website, at the school meeting, in the form of printouts - it doesn't matter how, but it should be possible to get acquainted with where the money is spent.

It is possible to formally issue aid to the school as sponsorship or charity. So, in Ukraine, you can be guided by the law "On Charity and Charitable Activities". There are similar legislative acts in the Russian Federation.

Common scams in schools

There are scammers in education. A lot of criminal cases have been opened on bribes, fictitious employees, financial fraud in school institutions. In relation to the total number of schools, this percentage is small, but you need to know about such cases.

Here is one of the schemes: the school collects money for the purchase of equipment, which, of course, is necessary and useful. As a rule, it is something expensive. They really buy the equipment, demonstrate it at the parent meeting - everything is fine.

But parents do not know that at the same time an application for financing of the same purchase was submitted to the city authorities. The allocated budget money goes through dummy accounts and is cashed out, going into the pocket of the authors of the scam.

The same scheme can also be used to raise money for repairs - repairs are carried out with the money of parents, and the budget funds that are allocated on a mandatory basis every year end up in someone's pockets.

Remember: a publicly funded school cannot charge parents for repairs or furniture.

The created school funds also do not guarantee the legal use of your money. It sounds nice, of course, but an uncontrolled fund may well become a convenient cover for fraud.

How to deal with requisitions

According to the law, you have every right to refuse extra cash spending. But often the demand for money takes on unpleasant forms, even hinting that your refusal will affect the child's academic performance. What to do in this case?

First, find out who the request is coming from. Quite often, situations arise when an overly active parent committee comes up with improvement initiatives at the expense of parents, and the teacher has no idea about it. Just put them in their place, they are parents just like you. When demands and threats, start recording video.

Recording will also help when talking about money with a teacher. Demands for money for newspaper subscriptions or the cleaning lady's wages should be recorded. If the teacher refers to the director's requirement, do not hesitate to ask him for clarification, again on the record. At the same time, remind that cash collection is prohibited.

Try to find like-minded people. As a rule, this is the main problem - we know how to be indignant on the sly, but it's scary to go into an open conflict. And what if the child's certificate is ruined, and what if the teachers find fault, and with this lady from the parent committee for so many years to communicate ... If most of the class is outraged, believe me, you have nothing to be afraid of. Stand up for your interests and teach this to children.

As practice shows, such conflicts do not affect the relationship between classmates. And if the adult participants in the conflict try to put pressure on the child, then it is enough to record this fact on audio or find witnesses in order to prosecute for psychological abuse.

Audio and video recordings of extortion at school will support your complaint. The more people who sign under it, the more significant it will sound.

Where to complain

1. To education departments and inspections of educational institutions of the district, city, regional level, up to the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation or the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
2. To law enforcement agencies: the prosecutor's office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, departments for combating economic crimes.
3. In public organizations, mass media, online publications.

The legislation provides for severe punishment for extortion of money, up to imprisonment. But there must be good reasons for this. Therefore, do not write complaints on emotions, first try to understand the situation in the class itself.

More ways to avoid charges

A frank conversation at a parent-teacher meeting with the participation of the class teacher can clarify the misunderstandings that have arisen. And it may well be that your point of view is shared by most parents. And together you can find an acceptable way out of such situations. For example, get by with a smaller amount.

Or arrange a subbotnik and qualitatively repair all the furniture in the office instead of buying new desks. But if the exactions continue, complain to higher authorities, do not be afraid to disturb the comfort of education officials.

Conclusion

Helping schools by families is a worldwide practice. But you can get it in different ways. Here are two ways from the experience of American schools.

1. Invitations to a charity sports event were sent to the families of students - to come to the stadium and play sports with their children. Approximate price for participation - $ 5, can be less or more. Only those who wish pay, you can enter the stadium for free.
2. Conducting a school concert by students, again with a conditionally paid entrance. And then a detailed report on the spending of the collected funds.

It is impossible to compare American reality with ours. But it’s somehow more pleasant to come to a concert in which your child participates, paying for it as much as you see fit, than once again hearing the categorical: “Not later than the day after tomorrow, you need to hand over such and such an amount to buy linoleum - this is for your children !

Maybe we will try with the whole world to get rid of extortions in schools and find more acceptable ways to help without putting families with low income in a hopeless situation? Do you have any ideas? We wait!

If the school requires money for repairs, it is necessary to find out how reasonable this is. Most parents obey the tacitly established rules and hand over the amount indicated by the class teacher. And only a few really try to figure it out and understand how legitimate the requirements of the school are.

Peculiarities

In accordance with Federal Law No. 273 “On Education in the Russian Federation”, kindergartens and schools do not have the right to charge additional fees. All expenses of teachers and schools, including those for teaching aids, are borne by the regional authorities. The school must provide everything you need, from classrooms to teaching aids.

Local authorities allocate funds for the maintenance of playgrounds and sports grounds in the territory, repair of premises and buildings. Provides income for the improvement of the territory. Parents should not be charged for maintaining lawns and planting trees. The school publishes activities that are carried out at public expense and on a paid basis. All information is posted on the website of the educational institution with an exact indication of the cost.

It is not allowed to provide paid classes in subjects that are included in the federal standard. You can not take money for an additional lesson in a foreign language or literature. If developing classes are supposed, they cannot be conducted on the basis of school textbooks and according to the established program.

In accordance with the statistics of Rospotrebnadzor, most often violations in schools relate to paid classes. There are no plans, developed training courses and an exact schedule for them. The cost is silent and is contained only in the receipts received by the parents of the students.

Legislative regulation

Why does a school not have the right to take money from parents when studying in a general education institution? According to Art. 101 of the Federal Law No. 273 "On Education in the Russian Federation", educational institutions were able to provide paid services.

At the same time, they should not only not be imposed, but also provided on the basis of a separate contract for the provision of paid services, signed by the parents. Only after this, the funds can be transferred to the school account, and not transferred to the hands of a teacher or a representative of the parent committee.

Sources of financing

First of all, it must be taken into account that schools are funded from several sources:

• Regional budget. Annually, funds are received for the salaries of teachers and the modernization of schools. Workbooks and textbooks are also paid.
• municipal budget. Funds are used to repair and maintain schools.
• School's own funds. These are additional services that parents may pay for. But the budget is formed on the personal account of the organization. There should be no payment without providing a receipt. Voluntary donations are also made, rent for rented premises is paid.

In Russia, any illegal collection of funds in schools and other educational institutions is prohibited. The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation sent a corresponding letter No. VK-2227/08 to the directors back in 2015. It states that the administration has no right to collect material assistance and additional contributions during the education of children.

It is not permissible to shift this responsibility to self-government bodies such as a parent committee or board of trustees. It is forbidden to force parents to contribute money. Establishing a fixed amount for charity is regarded as coercion to pay and is a violation of the Federal Law "On charitable activities and charitable organizations."

Parents, sending a child to study, should not finance the protection and maintenance of buildings, equipping and logistical support of classes. If an initiative group gathers, it has the right to raise funds for any needs. At the same time, funds may not be charged from all parents, but only from those who are part of the group.

Any paid services are provided on a voluntary basis and with the conclusion of an appropriate contract.

Illegal fees include the deposit of funds for the following:

1. Workbooks and textbooks on subjects included in the compulsory program;
2. A single school uniform, since every child has the right to attend classes in ordinary clothes;
3. Sport equipment;
4. Household needs of the school;
5. Repair of the classroom, teacher's or school as a whole;
6. Furniture and dishes in the dining room;
7. Acquisition of computer equipment;
8. Gifts for the class teacher and other teachers.

It is legally established that the school can independently decide whether a single form for students will be introduced. In that case, it must comply with a single style and color scheme, and also include several sets. The administration discusses the introduction of the uniform with parents and cannot oblige all children to wear it. Although a uniform strict style instills discipline, the acquisition of uniform clothing is not the responsibility of parents.

Legal Fees

There are voluntary contributions that parents can pay on their own initiative:

• Payment for in-depth study of subjects or tutoring;
• Training on additional programs;
• Services not provided for by the state standard of education;
• Special courses and cycles of disciplines.

Any type of contribution must be accompanied by the signing of an agreement indicating as a subject a specific purpose for collecting funds. The money is then credited to the school account.

Where to complain?

If the school regularly collects fees for mandatory services, parents can complain to one of the following organizations:

1. The principal of the school, if he is not aware of the ongoing fundraising;
2. Department of Education;
3. Branch of Rosobrnadzor in your city;
4. Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation;
5. District prosecutor's office at the place of residence;
6. Administration;
7. Main Directorate of Economic Security and Anti-Corruption of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

If a child is under pressure because the parents contacted the educational authorities or did not hand over money, law enforcement agencies should be contacted. The best thing to do is file a complaint with the district attorney's office. An inspection will be carried out at the school, on the basis of which an administrative penalty will be imposed or a criminal case will be initiated against the persons involved.

The specific type of punishment depends on the number of perpetrators and the amount of fees. If the situation is serious, the prosecutor will send the case file for investigation, after which a trial is scheduled. All those involved will be suspended from teaching and working with children.

District administration

Direct appeal to the head of administration is most effective. Almost every government agency has a direct line or helpline. You can file a written complaint or send it electronically through the organization's website. The administration will appoint an inspection and identify the perpetrators as soon as possible.

RONO

You can submit a personal or collective appeal from parents to the district department of education. The text states the following:

• Name of the applicant, address and contact phone number;
• The essence of the problem with maximum detail;
• The date of the parent meeting and the name of the teacher who collected the money.

If there was an experience of unsuccessful interaction with the school administration, it would not be superfluous to mention this.

If officials at the previous level do not take action, you will have to contact the supervisory authority - the District Department of Education in your city. The application is made in free form. It is necessary to indicate not only the essence of the problem, but also attach copies of previous appeals. It is advisable to attach documentary evidence, such as an agreement indicating payment for what should be provided free of charge, a receipt for payment.

As evidence, you can use testimonies, video and audio recordings, a written request for funds, a note to parents or a memo from the teacher in the child's diary.

Pay correctly

If the fees at first glance seem reasonable, it is important to process the payment correctly.

1. Do not pay by hand. If it becomes known that the funds were spent for other purposes, it is impossible to confirm the payment. This is due to the fact that in any instance, payment documents, such as a bank statement, receipt or receipt, are provided as evidence.
2. Do not sign the contract if the purpose of payment is a voluntary donation. In this case, the money is paid as a charitable contribution. Even if a specific service is present in the contract, it is not required to provide it. Such an agreement cannot be used in court as evidence, as it is not valid. The voluntary contribution cannot be regarded as payment.

Any services can be paid through a bank or the accounting department of an educational institution. An agreement on the provision of additional educational services must be drawn up. The text of the agreement must indicate your data and information about the school, the list and name of services, as well as the exact amount and features of payment.

Thus, parents have the opportunity not only not to pay school fees, but also to file a complaint. After verification, the guilty persons are punished and removed from their positions. And in a more severe case, a trial is scheduled.

In the current Russian legislation, the educational process, together with the obligations and rights of its parties, is strictly regulated. The law guarantees the legal protection of the interests of persons under 18, but this does not prevent some representatives of the educational structure from violating it and infringing on the rights of students. A complaint against a school is not just your principled position, but a necessary measure to eliminate violations, bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent such conflicts from arising.

It is important to respond to the fact of a violation correctly and in a timely manner, backing up the requirements with a legislative framework. But first of all, you can’t act recklessly - you need to make sure of the truthfulness and legitimacy of your accusations. Unfortunately, wanting to protect their children, many forget that children also tend to make mistakes, to be guilty and not always truthful, if only for reasons of misinterpreting the teacher's actions.

Only after you collect any evidence of wrongdoing, you can consider where today they complain about teachers and the school as a whole.

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Major Violations at School

Before you file your complaint against a school, you must have a clear understanding of the rights of students, a complete list of which can be found in Federal Law No. 279 of December 29, 2012. Referring to the 34th article of this law, the reasons for complaints against employees working in a general education institution:

Among other grounds, there is also corruption in the school and monetary extortions. Where it is recommended to sound the alarm in this case is the local prosecutor's office.

Where can you complain about the school and what are the nuances when addressing dissatisfaction directly to the educational institution or to higher structures, when the director does not cope with the situation or your complaint against the school administration, we will consider further.

How to write a complaint

The process of taking action in case of violations by an educational institution is regulated by Article 45 of Federal Law No. 273. Complaint nuances and actions depend largely on who you are complaining about, helping you understand where you can go to complain about a school in your case.

How to write a complaint correctly, observing all the requirements for the document, see below.

Sample Complaints

To complain about the school, if there are good reasons for that, it is necessary to fill out the application correctly, comply with the requirements for the location of details and adhere to the official style of presenting the situation. How to write a complaint about the school, see the sample application and an example of filling it out:

IN (full name of the Department of Education)

From (your name in full, address of residence)

Complaint about (e.g. "for teacher misconduct")

I am writing to you with a complaint about (full name of the school), which is located at: ____________________________.

My claim is based on the fact that (describe the circumstances in chronological order, indicating the dates, full names of the persons involved, what exactly happened, what consequences it entailed, what evidence is available).

In view of the foregoing and referring to the Federal Law "On Education in the Russian Federation",

1 Check the school (school name, address) for the infringements I mentioned.

2 Bring the perpetrators to justice and eliminate the violation within the time period established by law.

Attached to my application:

(list of documents that serve as evidence in this situation)

"___" __________20__ Signature

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Where to apply

When wondering where to complain about a school, you have several options to choose from:

Although there is a wide choice of where to file your complaint about a school, each application is submitted to the agency that is closest to solving your particular situation. Many issues are resolved peacefully when contacting the director of an educational institution, and it is realistic to achieve the desired result when submitting an appeal to the territorial department. Do not rush to immediately complain about the school to the prosecutor or to the court - if you do not have evidence that you tried to resolve the conflict with the leadership and the Ministry of Education, your complaint will be redirected without consideration to the person to whom you should have filed it immediately.

According to the Constitution of Russia, the state guarantees the right to free and public education, including general education. However, in practice, parents of schoolchildren are forced to pay considerable sums for various purposes. Despite widespread publicity, this problem remains relevant today.

Buying textbooks, notebooks, curtains, classroom renovation, school renovation, cleaning and security - this is not a complete list of what parents have to pay for. Considering that school uniforms, notebooks and stationery must also be bought by the beginning of the school year, school fees seriously undermine the family budget of parents.

It is believed that the problem of extortion in schools comes from the 90s of the last century, when "voluntary" contributions from parents were necessary due to the critical underfunding of the education sector. Even though school funding is much better now than it was two decades ago, the problem remains. Moreover, the requested amounts have multiplied.

The scope of the problem is vast. Thus, in 2017, the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation organized a “hot line” on extortion issues, to which more than a thousand people applied with complaints in 4 months.

Fundraising purposes usually include:

• the needs of the school or class - current repairs, purchase of desks, chalk, detergents;
• payment for security systems - schools purchase turnstiles and pay for the work of security guards;
• purchase of textbooks and workbooks - not all necessary (according to teachers) textbooks are included in the school curriculum, the missing ones are purchased by parents;
• payment for meals - free meals are provided only to certain categories of schoolchildren.

On average in the country, the amount of school fees varies from 1 to 5 thousand rubles per student per year. As parents' complaints show, some schools collect 3,000 rubles a year for new windows, 3,500 rubles a year for teaching aids, and 3,000 and 2,000 rubles a year for school and class needs, respectively. Many schools also collect 70-100 rubles a month for cleaning and paying for security services.

But the most unusual case of requisitions was noted in the city of Kukmor (Tatarstan) - the school administration offered parents to bring 16 kilograms of potatoes or a similar amount of money.

"Voluntary" contributions: what you can raise money for

Russian law clearly prohibits any extortion in schools. In particular, this is enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, as well as in the Federal Law N 273-FZ "On Education in the Russian Federation". Also, the Ministry of Education and Science in 2015 prepared and distributed a letter N VK-2227/08 "On the Prevention of Illegal Collections of Funds". This document states that in educational institutions it is not allowed to establish any form of cash contributions and material assistance in the learning process.

This means that school authorities have no right to require parents to donate money for such purposes as:

• study materials and workbooks- all textbooks provided for by the compulsory curriculum should be free of charge;
• school supplies- repairs and all materials necessary for it are paid at the expense of the budget;
• furniture, windows, equipment- all these cost items are financed from the budget;
• Sports Equipment– must also be provided by the school free of charge.

It is important to note that a school may adopt a School Uniform Policy. In this case, parents are obliged to provide their children with a school uniform that meets the requirements. However, the requirement to purchase a school uniform only from a specific manufacturer is illegal!

In addition, it is forbidden to require students and their parents to collect money for a gift to teachers. Often such a fee is announced by the parent committee, however, in accordance with the Letter of the Ministry of Education, parents are not required to follow the instructions of the parent committees and donate money for gifts. This is only possible on a voluntary basis.

Despite the rather extensive list of purposes for which it is forbidden to raise money in schools, it is possible to raise money for certain purposes. In particular, schools can organize additional tasks, sections, circles.

In accordance with the law, the collection of money for the following purposes is allowed:

• tuition fees for additional programs. This includes some extra-curricular activities, paid circles and courses;
• extra class fee on extended and in-depth study of individual subjects;
• payment for tutoring if teachers offer such services;
• fee for teaching special courses and subjects not included in the compulsory curriculum;
• payment for other services, which are not provided for by state educational standards.

As you can see, it is allowed to accept payment only for additional classes and teaching additional and special subjects, as well as classes in paid circles.

The main requirement for them is that they must be voluntary, while free electives and circles must also be organized at the school. In addition, paid classes cannot be part of the compulsory educational program and must be held in the afternoon.

Laws allow schools to accept voluntary (charitable) contributions. Contributions can only be transferred to the school's current account and may not be mandatory. Parents can then contact the school and indicate what the transferred amount can be spent on. After the end of the reporting period, the school must submit a report on the use of charitable contributions. As a rule, such a report is posted on the school website.

A school can provide paid services solely on the basis of an agreement, and this agreement is concluded with each of the parents individually, and agreements with parent committees are not legally binding.

Unfortunately, in Russian practice, cases of illegal school fees are not uncommon. Thus, individual teachers may impose their tutoring services, threatening to lower the grades of those who refuse them. In some schools, teachers, directors and representatives of the parents' committee can organize "harassment" of students whose parents refuse to pay fees on principle. Of course, all such cases are illegal.

How not to pay and to whom to complain about the fees?

As a rule, in Russian schools, fundraising is organized through parent committees. It should be borne in mind that the financial situation of families is very different, and an insignificant amount for one may be unbearable for another. As a result, situations arise where parents are unable or unwilling to pay “voluntary” contributions to the school.

Given that the legislation regulates monetary issues quite strictly, parent committees may resort to non-standard measures for collecting money. So, often parents are motivated to “throw in” for repairs, gifts and events so that their child does not separate from the team. It is very difficult to resist such demands, but many parents do not agree with the decisions of the committees. Since parents have every right not to pay a penny, the problem of coercion is psychological in nature. Usually, the initiators of requisitions are a few of the parents, while the rest are forced to agree to pay.

Given that the sums of extortions amount to tens of thousands of rubles a year, the question is quite reasonable - how to refuse to pay.

At parent-teacher meetings, you can use the following arguments to reinforce your position:

1. Any fees- illegal, no one can oblige parents to pay for the needs of the school.
2. parent committee decisions have no legal force and are only advisory in nature.
3. The school can accept charitable donations only to current account and account for their use.
4. Collection of money by teachers and school employees, not supported by contracts for paid services, criminally punishable and may be the basis for a prosecutorial review.

The material supply of Russian schools leaves much to be desired, even in conditions when every year more and more money is allocated for education from the budgets of different levels. Therefore, many parents are positive about the idea of ​​improving the conditions of education at their own expense. It is important not to force other parents, and also take into account that not every family can allocate money for this. Therefore, it is necessary to link the capabilities of parents with the needs of the school.

If the parent is unable or unwilling to pay by the decision of the parent committee, he may not pay and is not even required to explain anything. This decision must not affect the child's position in school in any way. If this happens, you should contact the relevant authorities.

You can file a complaint about school fees in different instances:

• first of all, you need to contact the class teacher or school principal (if they are not aware of the activities of the parent committee);
• you can also file a complaint with the education department of the city or district administration;
• in the case when the child is under pressure due to the decision of the parents not to pay, you need to contact the prosecutor's office;
• it will be effective to apply to the head of the city or district administration, as well as to the reception of the regional governor;
• there is an option to file a complaint with representatives of the All-Russian Popular Front, who will take control of the verification of the information provided in the complaint.

Also, hotlines are periodically organized at the federal and regional levels on issues of school fees. Information about them, as a rule, is posted on the official website of the school, the Department of Education, the Ministry of Education, as well as on the website of the Public Chamber of Russia.

Liability for extortion in schools

School requisitions are close to extortion in their essence, because parents are directly voiced the amounts that need to be handed over periodically for various purposes. However, even if parents do not agree to pay, teachers and principals are rarely held accountable under the law.

As noted above, parents can complain about extortion in schools both to higher authorities and to law enforcement agencies. In the second case, as a rule, a prosecutor's check is carried out. Based on the results, the school and the director may be subject to disciplinary or administrative liability.

In practice, cases were noted when, based on the results of an audit, the prosecutor's office submitted a proposal to eliminate violations to the headmaster of a school in which money was collected from students for the purchase of workbooks and for cosmetic repairs. There was also a case when a school principal was reprimanded for systematically demanding payment of voluntary contributions.

In addition to disciplinary, a decision can be made to bring the perpetrators to administrative responsibility (fine). Thus, there is a precedent when compulsory donations for household needs were established in schools. As a result of the audit, several administrative proceedings were initiated. In another case, for similar violations, the world court ordered the school to pay a fine. in the amount of 100 thousand rubles.

Criminal liability for school extortion is not ruled out, but such precedents are quite rare. However, if officials are proven guilty, they may face imprisonment. for up to 4 years.

There is a case when the leadership of the lyceum forced parents to make charitable contributions to the city public fund for the development of this lyceum. Based on the results of the audit, a criminal case was initiated under article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Fraud".

In general, school fees are mostly illegal, but often " extreme» become ordinary in proceedings « performers- teachers. It is important that when violations are identified, those who are responsible for providing the educational process with everything necessary are punished first of all.

Modern schools are not what they used to be. Now, for successful and high-quality education according to current standards, it is necessary to use in pedagogical activity a maximum of multimedia technologies, all kinds of educational literature and little things that greatly facilitate the process itself. Often the following fact takes place: extortion at school. Where to complain, where to turn to stop extorting money from the parents of children?

In addition, the school leadership constantly conducts requisitions, collects unimaginable amounts of money for various purchases and repairs, holidays, which often do not fit into an adequate picture of a free educational institution. And sometimes teachers allow themselves to demand the collection of money supposedly for themselves as a gift.

If you are really not happy with the situation with extortion at school, do not give up and do not put up with the existing situation. You can easily resolve this situation, you just have to pay attention to the current legislation regarding such incidents. Often money can be spent irrationally, and sometimes not at all for the needs of the school, so do not be afraid to intervene. All parents who have already faced similar circumstances will be grateful to you. So, if you face such a problem as extortion at school, there are several options for different situations. Do not be afraid to defend your interests, and the law will be on your side.

Requisitions at school - there is a confrontation!

Of course, in such a situation, one should start with a constructive conversation with a teacher or head teacher. Consistently find out where the required money goes and why the school cannot pay these costs on its own. If this did not produce the desired result, which, as a rule, happens, feel free to go to the principal of the school. State your claim at a personal meeting, here success is more likely, since everyone knows what threatens representatives of such positions with a complaint to higher authorities.

Keep in mind that if you complain to other authorities, you risk ruining your child's life. He can deliberately underestimate his grades, make constant comments and try to shame him in front of his peers. For the same reason, you should not speak in the minority at class meetings and declare your intention to stop donating money, while not even going anywhere with complaints.

Moral preparation of the child

If you are determined to resist lawlessness and unreasonable frequent school requisitions, you need to prepare your child for the situation that may arise around him in the classroom. Explain to the child in such a way that he firmly understands that the truth is on your side, and any unusual (illegal) actions on the part of teachers or other school employees are aimed at persuading his parents to pay money into the pocket of the instigator of these events.

Tell your child how to behave. Bring to his attention that if his behavior is no different from usual, the work in the lessons is at the same level, and the teacher began to put bad marks, he should immediately tell you about it. At the same time, at school, the child should behave calmly and not give unnecessary reason for the indignation of teachers. You, in turn, will need to indicate this fact of violation of the educational process with links to copies of entries in the diary when writing an application to Rospotrebnadzor and the Ministry of Education.

Writing a complaint

In the upper right corner of a regular A4 sheet, write the full name of the organization you are applying to to accept the complaint, as well as the full names of the specific leader. Specify your personal and contact details as detailed as possible.

Write a complaint as specifically and accurately as possible: indicating all the persons involved in this problem in one way or another. Naturally, you need to indicate both the number of the school and the date of the meetings at which certain decisions were made. If you have already had any conversations with the school authorities, indicate their circumstances, the date and the result of your communications.

Submit this document in two copies. Subsequently, you will leave one at the reception office of the ministry, and on the other you will be given a visa about fixing the moment of applying.

Electronic Complaint

If you live in a large city, it is better to first send the application to the district authority, and only then, if you, for example, received an unsubscribe, to the citywide one. An electronic appeal can be generated in a special section of the website of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. If you think that your problem is really serious, go through and start filling out the feedback form.

Or you can try to contact the local Ministry of Education in your city first. To get contacts, simply type in Yandex "Ministry of Education of the city of ...". Usually official sites are on the first lines in the search results. Go to the site and look for the link "Feedback Form", or "Internet Reception", or similar. In the "Contacts" section you can always find the addresses and phone numbers of the organization.

It will also be useful to send an electronic complaint to such a high-status body as Rospotrebnadzor. This organization will conduct inspections at your school, and after them there is a possibility of a complete cessation of extortion in schools, resignation from the director's position and dismissal of the teaching staff. The frequency and amounts of fees may also be reduced.

Applying electronically can be done fairly quickly. Find your region on and follow the link "Feedback on the Internet" on the website of Rospotrebnadzor.

Fill out the contact form. Be as specific as possible about the problem. Describe the dates of school parent-teacher meetings at which decisions were made on fees. List the dates when your child brought diary entries from school, indicating the amounts and topics of the fees. Describe what actions on your part were taken in this situation at the local level (appeals to the director, to the Ministry of Education) and what they led or did not lead to.

Write the names and surnames of each person involved in the requisitions. In the "Subject" column, be sure to select the category that best suits your request. Don't choose email as the way to reply, rather include your mailing address. It is always more useful to have paper with seals and signatures on hand than a printed e-mail.