Boosterthon Runs at MCPS schools?

[NotAnArtist]

Included in this year's annual report from the National Education Policy Center / Commercialism in Education Research Unit is a discussion about fun runs:

"Fun run companies market their product as a fundraising tool, but the central aspect of their work is to bring all the players into alignment with the commercial values that validate their existence. That is, all the adults involved participate in manipulating the children to harass family and friends for contributions, to work for trinkets, and most significantly, to learn that manipulation, harassing their family and friends, and working for trinkets are all desirable if they lead to getting the money in the end. Social pressures discourage objections."

-F. Boninger and A. Molinar at NEPC/CERU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school is doing this event this year and I am just shocked it is even allowed. They are asking the kids to raise money for the school but the company takes half the money. I asked at the PTA meeting if families are made aware upfront about the percentages and they looked at me like "Why the F would we do that?" I felt a few of use were wondering why this is happening but the board was so happy to have it like it is going to make so much money. It just seems corrupt. Can anyone tell me anymore info. Pros/Cons?

I'm not allowing my 6 y o to participate in that brainwashing, corrupt event. And I already expressed my opinion to the school administration.

[NotAnArtist]

Anonymous wrote:I asked at the PTA meeting if families are made aware upfront about the percentages and they looked at me like "Why the F would we do that?"

Same experience here. I asked that EXACT question at my PTA meeting and the PTA prez said something like, "Well, I'll say it - our revenue would be lower."

We shouldn't then wonder why we get kids like the one in this 15-second video: https://youtu.be/rP4qssVser8

Alas, I don't think individual parents dashing off an Email to the school administration or BOE here 'n there will move the needle.

[Anonymous]

NotAnArtist wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked at the PTA meeting if families are made aware upfront about the percentages and they looked at me like "Why the F would we do that?"

Same experience here. I asked that EXACT question at my PTA meeting and the PTA prez said something like, "Well, I'll say it - our revenue would be lower."

We shouldn't then wonder why we get kids like the one in this 15-second video: https://youtu.be/rP4qssVser8

Alas, I don't think individual parents dashing off an Email to the school administration or BOE here 'n there will move the needle.

Maybe not a handful, but if their email was inundated with comments? Or, phone calls? I've emailed them already about it. I pulled my DC out of it in prior years.

[Anonymous]

My ES is doing Boosterthon this year in the spring. I'm considering keeping DD home all of April and May out of protest and I don't want her near the Boosterthon cult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My ES is doing Boosterthon this year in the spring. I'm considering keeping DD home all of April and May out of protest and I don't want her near the Boosterthon cult.

That's a lot of time out of school. I let DC join in the rah rah because DC had fun, but I pulled DC out for the actual run, and we did something fun together.

[NotAnArtist]

I know one parent who's let her child know up front that whatever "prizes" are won will be donated.
This isn't meant to be mean-spirited, but rather meant to be a positive lesson in philanthropy instead of materialism.

[NotAnArtist]

So why are we paying PTA dues if nobody gives a frack about PTA guidelines....?

Children should not be the primary means of soliciting within fundraising activities.

http://www.ptakit.org/UploadedDocuments/2015BTSWebsite/Fundraising/2015%20FUNDRAISING%20GUIDE_INTERACTIVE.pdf (pg 3)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Kid at new school now, and they had Boosterthon for the first time this year. Not as bad because a number of kids had done it prior and simply opted out. Some even created an "anti-Boosterthon" group.

If anybody knows of any coordinated "anti-Boosterthon" effort involving more than one school, I'd love to know about it.

Meanwhile, National PTA came out with some new guidance,

"National PTA encourages local PTAs to utilize fundraisers in which only adults, not children, are active fund raisers."
This will no-doubt continue to be roundly ignored.

(The quote can be found at http://www.ptakit.org/Fundraising/Fundraising-and-the-Purpose-of-PTA/Fundraising-and-the-Purpose-of-PTA.aspx - but registration is required.)

[Anonymous]

We had it last year. The moms that push it are as relentless as Boosterthon.

[Anonymous]

We do just bookfairs and direct donations. It seems to work.

[Anonymous]

I would rather see my PTA have no funding, and offer no programs at all, including all of the fun stuff my kids love and the programs that help less fortunate kids, than help with boosterthon

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: We do just bookfairs and direct donations. It seems to work.

We do bookfairs, too, but no direct donations. I would so love if they did this rather than Boosterthon. I would probably give more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would rather see my PTA have no funding, and offer no programs at all, including all of the fun stuff my kids love and the programs that help less fortunate kids, than help with boosterthon

Amen.

[Anonymous]

I'm actually going to school every day during the stupid "character lessons" and pulling my kid out. The actual run, she can do, but the public shaming of children who don't raise money is not something I want her exposed to.