Children’s artwork recovered after school charges $1400 “ransom” for it

by

A kindergarten in Brisbane, Australia, caused upset among parents by requesting thousands of dollars for their children’s artwork at the end of the school year.

Parents at Craigslea Community Kindergarten were unexpectedly asked to pay AU$2,200 (about $1,400 USD) to receive copies of their children’s learning portfolios.

Australia’s A Current Affair reported that collections of children’s artwork – including finger paintings and drawings made with felt-tip pens – were being sold to help pay off over AU$40,000 (about $26,000 USD) in outstanding taxes, wages, and debts.

The kindergarten accused parents of stealing their children’s artwork after the parents refused to pay a fee and tried to take it home.

Authorities get involved to return children’s art

According to a report on September 23th, one parent stated they were told by officials the portfolios rightfully belong to them. They’ve even involved the police to try and get the portfolios back from the kindergarten, but so far, their efforts have been unsuccessful.

A video taken by a parent inside the school captured a staff member stating that the children’s artwork belonged to the teachers, referring to it as their ‘intellectual property’.

I was so relieved to hear that the Queensland Department of Education managed to recover those important records! They told the BBC on September 24th that everything’s been sorted out and families can now go pick them up. It’s great news for everyone involved.

Craigslea’s management later attempted to clarify the situation, stating the AU$2,200 charge was simply a recommended “donation.”

Read More

2025-09-29 14:20