Kids asked to bring alcohol to school?!

I was just wondering if this is "normal":

My 6 year old niece was sent home a letter yesterday that in order for her to wear a casual outfit to school next week she must bring beer or alcohol in for a teacher holiday party!

Now I remember to wear a hat on school days in the US we had to donate a $1 to a cancer charity, or to wear a sports jersey we had to bring in food to donate to a homeless shelter.

But I can't really wrap my head around asking a 5 or 6 year old to bring in a bottle of alcohol for teachers.

Is this legal? (I know in PA it was illegal to bring alcohol within 900ish yards of a school) Can 6 year olds even legally carry alcohol to school? Do other schools do this?


I told my sister in law that I would send in a letter with a receipt for a donation to a substance abuse charity for the same price as a bottle of alcohol. 

Wow.   

That sounds a little bit ridiculous to me... In no way would I ever send my child to school with alcohol! We don't even let our 4 year old see alcohol in our house, because she has a very vivid imagination. And she is full of never ending questions, and right now just isn't the time to be teaching them about alcohol.

Asking a child to bring alcohol to school for a teachers party seems way out of order, and if I were you I'd address this with the school. They can't honestly expect anyone to agree to that LOL

Hell to the NO say all of my British co-workers! 

My son's school has a non-uniform day in return for 'bring a bottle' (alcholic or otherwise) for the Christmas Fayre/Summer Fayre.  I sometimes send wine but often olive oil or something else.  

I'm happy with the idea that it's for a general bottle tombola stall but I wouldn't be happy to fund the teacher's christmas party - if they want to drink they can pay for it - I wouldn't want to subsidise it!!

Wow, I'm just shocked! 

I'm happy with the idea that it's for a general bottle tombola stall but I wouldn't be happy to fund the teacher's christmas party - if they want to drink they can pay for it - I wouldn't want to subsidise it!!

This!! 

WOW talk about setting an example!

NEVER would I let kids bring alcohol in and talk about balls to ask parents to give the teachers drinks

sometimes at my nursery playgroup we have gotten wine as Christmas or end of year presents but never would we be cheeky enough to ask for it!

Thanks for the feedback- I am so glad this is not considered normal! I mean I know why primary school teachers NEED a drink, but it is ridiculous to ask a child to get one for you!

My SIL and some other parents are drafting a complaint letter.
This is not the first shocking thing I have heard out of her school, so I am going to chalk it up to their administration being absolutely insane!

I am still a bit shocked they can ever serve or sell alcohol on school property then question the drinking problems, though.

Oh and I just realized you said you were from PA on the first post! I am too!! Im from west PA around erie. A town called Greenville.

That is shocking. I can't believe how unprofessional that is.

I've never heard of that before - it didn't happen when I was at school and it's £1 for my daughter to dress down tomorrow for Children in Need.

Those teachers must be desperately thirsty & poor! 

The law is fairly vague: it is an offence to allow a child under 5 (!) to consume alcohol (except for health reasons and under medical supervision); a person under 18 may not purchase alcohol; the police may confiscate alcohol from under-18s in a public place. However I would not give a 6 year old any alcoholic beverage to carry to school. Think if a naughtier kid persuaded them to open the bottle and try it?

This is insane! For so many reasons. Frankly, even something more benign like requiring children to bring in a baked good for the teachers' party seems out of line (as it's only for the benefit of the teachers, bringing in something for the class to share or a canned good for charity would be fine) but booze? Insane.