How much would you pay for your child's art? That's the question one Australian kindergarten posed to dozens of families this week when it asked them to stump up A$2,200 (£1,000; $1,400) for the pleasure of taking home a curated portfolio of their child's artwork. The folders included many a random blob and splodge, alongside happy snaps of the would-be Picassos making creations only a parent could love. Billed as a fundraiser, the debt-ridden centre said the money from the portfolios would go towards whittling down a long list of overdue bills, including unpaid wages for educators. Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool in Brisbane closed last month after funding was halted amid an investigation into claims about its governance. Its obscure request, however, has sparked anger in Queensland, with the state's leader calling it emotional blackmail, regulators staging an intervention, and one parent allegedly going to extreme lengths to take back their child's collection of artworks in the middle of the night. The controversy has been months in the making - tensions between management and parents at the kindergarten centre have been steadily brewing this year. While the day-to-day operations of the centre were controlled by a volunteer committee of parents and community members, a dispute led to the mass resignation of its president and other key members, leaving its treasurer to take over. The drama culminated when management emailed parents to address the school's debts and revealed their plan to sell the children's art portfolios. One frustrated parent reported the centre to the police after attempting to reclaim her child's artwork without paying. After public backlash and intervention by educational regulators, parents were assured they have a legal right to their children's works. The Department of Education confirmed that the portfolios have been retrieved and are available for families to collect, ensuring that what many consider priceless works of art are ultimately provided to parents for free.