‘It's better to say nothing' people gasp as school shows ‘small' gratitude to teachers – & many say it's ‘unacceptable'

The Sun

10-05-2025

A SCHOOL has come under fire after showing the ''small'' gratitude to teachers during ''staff appreciation week''.
We all know that being a teacher is by no means an easy work - which is why one school decided to say a special ''thank you'' to its staff members.
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However, while it might have the best intentions, the kind gesture didn't exactly go down too well amongst horrified social media users - or the teachers.
Lost for words by what they had found on the table, one person working at the school decided to take to TikTok to share the special treat.
The now-viral video, which has racked up more than 2.2million views, sees a paper sheet left by the office administration.
The printed text read: ''Happy Staff Appreciation Week!
''To our incredible [unnamed] school's staff: we appreciate your hard work, passion and dedication every single day.
''Please enjoy this treat - it's just a small way to say THANK YOU!
''With heartfelt gratitude, central office administration.''
Right next to sheet were the special treats - five granola bars, as well as a more than a dozen tiny yoghurt pots and some napkins.
The bizarre footage was shared on social media by the gobsmacked user The Viper (@ the_viper79x) who wrote in the caption: ''Admin shows appreciation.''
Uploaded just three days ago, the clip has already taken the internet by storm, leaving millions furious, as close to 4,000 people flooded to comments in total disbelief.
I've saved £15k on trips to Ibiza, Mallorca & Turkey with term time holidays - I'll never stop, fines are a tax on the working class
One wrote: ''Nothing says thank you like a room temp yoghurt.''
Another chimed in: ''I'd call in sick the next day blaming the warm activia.''
Meanwhile, someone else thought: ''Sometimes it's better to just say nothing.''
Secrets of a school headteacher
By the Secret Schoolteacher
I STARTED working in schools in 1996, when parents respected teachers and left us alone to do our jobs. Not any more.
Nowadays parents think nothing of barging into schools to read teachers the riot act if their precious child has been told off, or they'll send angry emails in the middle of the night. Warning — it doesn't make you popular.
I've worked in all manner of schools across the south west of England, from state schools to private, and I can tell you that right now many teachers are dreading the start of the new school year.
They're braced for tears and tantrums, not just from their pupils but from their parents too.
Believe me, if you are an annoying parent it will spread round the staff room like wildfire.
So whether it's your kid's first day at a new school, or they're moving up a year, these are the things you do that drive teachers crazy . . .
Parents often turn up at the school gates complaining how frazzled they are, moaning that teachers must have had a nice long holiday while their six weeks stuck with the kids was the worst.
Nothing could be further from the truth. For the first two weeks I'll almost certainly have been struck down by a lurgy which always seems to strike on the first day of the holiday.
The next two weeks might have been an actual holiday, just like the average Brit takes in the summer, followed by two weeks of frantic lesson planning and administration.
Also, consider that I've probably been working over 50 hours per week during term time. Contrary to popular opinion, we don't clock off at 3pm.
Instead, we're roped into all manner of after-school activities and meetings before going home to do marking and more lesson planning. Please don't turn up and make sarcastic remarks about our 'six weeks off'.
We won't be happy.
''damn they weren't joking when they said 'small thank you','' a fourth penned.
There were also a few who shared their most shocking 'thank you' gifts.
''Last year for teacher appreciation week I got a ziploc bag of AIR labeled 'one deep breath' from admin,'' a teacher wrote.
seven purse-friendly present ideas - and no, it's not a mug.