Will gift offend non Catholic teacher?

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UtahMaggie

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My son has been attending public school for the last four years. He has High Functioning Autism so he is in special education along with his regular classroom. This coming school year, he is enrolled in a Catholic school. I want to get a special gift for his special ed teacher at the public school because she has been so amazing. I’m really going to miss her. I was thinking of getting her a small statue regarding teachers. I was also thinking of giving her a Holy Card of the patron saint of teachers. I do not know what her religion is.

My question is, if she is not Catholic, what are the chances this will offend her?

Maggie
 
In this day and age where everything offends everybody it wouldn’t be right.

If you don’t know the religion of the teacher you could really upset her.
 
I agree; it seems to be almost PC to be offended now. :banghead:

First, you might want to check school policy; there are some (at least in my neck of the woods) that don’t allow faculty to accept gifts from students or parents. (This is generally more a problem at public schools, but you never know.)

If gift-giving’s okay, you’d definitely want to keep it faith-neutral. Fortunately there’s no shortage of teacher-themed gifts available. Otherwise, why not consider just writing her a letter? You’d be able to convey your gratitude, and she’d get something much more personal (IMO, anyway) than a material object.

I’m glad your son’s had such an excellent teacher–the good ones seem to be rare now.
 
Thanks for your responses. I’m glad I asked. A local radio station has a feature in which you can nominate an exceptional teacher. If chosen, they win dinner at the nicest restaurant in the Salt Lake Valley, an overnight stay at a really nice bed and breakfast and a plaque. I’m going to nominate her for this award.

Thanks again for your help. I really appreciate it.

May God bless you,
Maggie
 
As someone who works in the public school system, I can tell you the nicest thing you can give her is a letter telling her what you think is great about her AND (this is the big important part) send a copy of this letter to the principal of her school and to the school district superintendent. Doing this will help her for years to come at employee evaluations, pay raise evals, and if she changes jobs.
 
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mommyaprilj:
As someone who works in the public school system, I can tell you the nicest thing you can give her is a letter telling her what you think is great about her AND (this is the big important part) send a copy of this letter to the principal of her school and to the school district superintendent. Doing this will help her for years to come at employee evaluations, pay raise evals, and if she changes jobs.
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Actually, I sent a letter to the principal a few years ago regarding this teacher. However, I will send another one now that my son is leaving. Thanks for your suggestion. Consider it done.

Maggie
 
Any gift with any meaning comes from the heart. As a teacher, I can tell you that that is how I would rec. anything a child or parent gave me. Give her what you want to give her. You’ve no obligation to observe the “seperation of Church and State.” We as teachers may have to jiggle around it, but parents and children generally don’t.
 
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UtahMaggie:
My son has been attending public school for the last four years. He has High Functioning Autism so he is in special education along with his regular classroom. This coming school year, he is enrolled in a Catholic school. I want to get a special gift for his special ed teacher at the public school because she has been so amazing. I’m really going to miss her. I was thinking of getting her a small statue regarding teachers. I was also thinking of giving her a Holy Card of the patron saint of teachers. I do not know what her religion is.

My question is, if she is not Catholic, what are the chances this will offend her?

Maggie
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It depends on the person. I would be very touched.

Earlier this year a Jehovah’s Witness co-worker of mine gave me a gift of a book that she found very helpful to her in her every day life–she said she wanted to give it to me because I had always been so nice to her. Although I don’t agree with many of the things in the book, I was very touched by the gift and accept it as something given with love----that she wanted to share something that meant a lot to her and that she hoped that it would enrich my life. I thought it was very nice.
 
We decided to give our daughter’s music teacher a Christmas gift even though she wasn’t Christian because she treated our daughter very nicely and didn’t want her to feel slighted if we didn’t give her something.

When my daughter gave her the gift, the woman freaked out saying that she wouldn’t accept it because Christians are evil people and are keeping her apart from her true love. She ranted for several minutes making less and less sense as time went on until finally she burst out of the room in tears.

That was the last time we ever went to that music school.
 
Utah Maggie,

Go ahead and give your gift. Write a letter of appreciation thanking this lady for all her help with your son. Explain the meaning behind the statue or whatever you decide to give.

I do not see how she would be offended by you thanking her for helping your son, sincerity goes along away and just that might be all she needs.

For the rule of gift giving? Well your son is no longer her student and this rule is set up for reasons beyond appreciation, it is set up so that parents cant buy off teachers.

I think its great you want to share your thanks and love for this woman plus share yoour faith.

We are called to be Saints which means different, we cannot go along with the political correct policy everytime.

Go with your heart
 
Duc in altum! Launch into the deep! as our late beloved Holy Father reminded us.

I gave my baptist friends a book about being open to life (kids)by Kimberly Hahn and a blessed crucifix and told them that to me there is nothing more meaningful to me to offer them for their wedding. To my surprise, we’re still talking!

With a lot of prayer and prudence, I think it’s worth risking it…it tests the depth of the friendship. And it also can deepen a friendship from formalities and niceties if it works out. As long as we’re up front in saying: hey I’m not trying to proselytize you or anything of that sort, but this is so true to me and I want to share it with you…

Hello again Maggie. God bless your apostolate.
A.
 
If the teacher works at a Catholic School then you should be safe giving them a Catholic gift. Why dont you give them a book on the Church Fathers if you think a patron saint might offend them.
 
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