SO tired of Boosterthon (and it's only day 2)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm tired of how much class time it takes EVERY DAY (morning announcements, prize delivery and hoopla, afternoon announcements)- not to mention the kick-off pep rally. I also don't like how it separates the haves from the have-nots. Last year while I volunteered in DD's class I saw how the haves (including DD) were showered with prizes and made a big deal over because they raised more money. I saw the have-nots sitting at their desks- shoulders slumped and eyes downcast because their families couldn't contribute. During the nine days of boosterthon I feel like I'm sending my child to school to be brainwashed.

Yes, it does raise tons of money for the school- but I would rather write a check and have 100% of it be used by the school. And this year they have an app- which adds another level to how they're trying to infiltrate my home. UGH!!!

Rant over.

This is sad. I grew up lower/middle SES. I was never able to sell enough crap to get an award either. I know how those kids feel. It sucks that they dole out the prizes so publicly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm tired of how much class time it takes EVERY DAY (morning announcements, prize delivery and hoopla, afternoon announcements)- not to mention the kick-off pep rally. I also don't like how it separates the haves from the have-nots. Last year while I volunteered in DD's class I saw how the haves (including DD) were showered with prizes and made a big deal over because they raised more money. I saw the have-nots sitting at their desks- shoulders slumped and eyes downcast because their families couldn't contribute. During the nine days of boosterthon I feel like I'm sending my child to school to be brainwashed.

Yes, it does raise tons of money for the school- but I would rather write a check and have 100% of it be used by the school. And this year they have an app- which adds another level to how they're trying to infiltrate my home. UGH!!!

Rant over.

I requested that my child be allowed to do an alternate activity during the times when the Boosterthon staff come into the classroom for exactly that reason (brainwashing). Quite simply, the Boosterthon fundraiser is unethical on many levels and I do not want my child to participate. We go to all of the Restaurant fundraising nights and other after school fundraisers - fundraisers that are VOLUNTARY and don't take up large amounts of instructional time or use peer pressure and manipulation to exploit young children. I do attend PTA meetings and volunteer in the school, and I will definitely be working to make sure that Boosterthon does not return to our school in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm tired of how much class time it takes EVERY DAY (morning announcements, prize delivery and hoopla, afternoon announcements)- not to mention the kick-off pep rally. I also don't like how it separates the haves from the have-nots. Last year while I volunteered in DD's class I saw how the haves (including DD) were showered with prizes and made a big deal over because they raised more money. I saw the have-nots sitting at their desks- shoulders slumped and eyes downcast because their families couldn't contribute. During the nine days of boosterthon I feel like I'm sending my child to school to be brainwashed.

Yes, it does raise tons of money for the school- but I would rather write a check and have 100% of it be used by the school. And this year they have an app- which adds another level to how they're trying to infiltrate my home. UGH!!!

Rant over.

This is sad. I grew up lower/middle SES. I was never able to sell enough crap to get an award either. I know how those kids feel. It sucks that they dole out the prizes so publicly.

They do it that way on purpose as a fundraising tactic (also known as shaming and peer pressure) yet at the same time, they pretend as though they are teaching about "character education". The whole thing seems so sleazy and shameful to me.

[Anonymous]

Plain and simple- don't contribute any money. I told my kid we wouldn't be giving even one penny to the boosterthon. Instead I went and bought cheap little 50 cent to one dollar prizes and send my kid to school with one in his lunch to open so he won't be sad when they pass out the prizes.

[Anonymous]

My child's school did Boosterthon for the first time this year, and it was awful. The whole thing left a bad taste, especially after parents who raised questions about it (in what seemed to me to be a generally respectful way) were accused of "attacking" the PTA organizers. Okay then.

Happily for us, my kid is pretty laid back and old enough to understand my concerns. I explained why he wouldn't be participating, and he was cool with it. This is harder with a younger child.

I'm kinda glad my kid is off to middle school next year. I used to be pretty involved with the ES PTA, but after sending 3 children through, I just can't with them.

[Anonymous]

What can we as parents do to make Boosterathon not welcome in any schools? It seems like they are all over MCPS this spring and my school is already talking about bringing them back. I want to make sure this doesn't happen. Any complaints fall on deaf ears.

[Anonymous]

The best way to get rid of it is not contribute. We normally contribute a large amount of money to school fund raisers but will be giving the minimum and directly to the school for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best way to get rid of it is not contribute. We normally contribute a large amount of money to school fund raisers but will be giving the minimum and directly to the school for this.

Yes! Don't give any money during Boosterthon. Instead I asked my child's teacher what she needed and I would buy it for her instead of sending in 150 dollars. She really wanted a laser printer/copier so she could make a single copy instead of having to go to the workroom, so I bought that and contributed nothing to Boosterthon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best way to get rid of it is not contribute. We normally contribute a large amount of money to school fund raisers but will be giving the minimum and directly to the school for this.

Yes! Don't give any money during Boosterthon. Instead I asked my child's teacher what she needed and I would buy it for her instead of sending in 150 dollars. She really wanted a laser printer/copier so she could make a single copy instead of having to go to the workroom, so I bought that and contributed nothing to Boosterthon.

Of course, but the kids are participating by default even if they don't contribute money because the Boosterthon people are holding pep rallies and disrupting instructional time for 9 straight days. It is not just contributing money that many of us have a problem with, it is the entire program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boosterathon is awful. I complained the year my school did it, as did a number of parents and the answer was, we will only do it every other year. Which means, because my son was in kindergarten they year it started, we will get it 3 times. It is just awful. I'd rather write a check to the PTA than deal with this nonsense. And what really makes me mad is my school won't do the PTA school supply boxes because it is "unfair" but they willl do boosterathon.

I was our fall fundraiser chair at my school and we do a no fuss fundraiser where parents write a check. It was awful. Participation rate is pretty low. We ended up doing Boosterthon in the spring and we raised three times as much as we did from the no fuss fundraiser.

The ends justify the means, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best way to get rid of it is not contribute. We normally contribute a large amount of money to school fund raisers but will be giving the minimum and directly to the school for this.

Just a heads up - any money donated directly to the PTA within a certain time after Boosterthon STILL gets split with Boosterthon per their contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best way to get rid of it is not contribute. We normally contribute a large amount of money to school fund raisers but will be giving the minimum and directly to the school for this.

Just a heads up - any money donated directly to the PTA within a certain time after Boosterthon STILL gets split with Boosterthon per their contract.

Really? I was going to write a check to the pta when boosterathon was over. Do you know how long it is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best way to get rid of it is not contribute. We normally contribute a large amount of money to school fund raisers but will be giving the minimum and directly to the school for this.

Yes! Don't give any money during Boosterthon. Instead I asked my child's teacher what she needed and I would buy it for her instead of sending in 150 dollars. She really wanted a laser printer/copier so she could make a single copy instead of having to go to the workroom, so I bought that and contributed nothing to Boosterthon.

Of course, but the kids are participating by default even if they don't contribute money because the Boosterthon people are holding pep rallies and disrupting instructional time for 9 straight days. It is not just contributing money that many of us have a problem with, it is the entire program.

When our school did it last fall, parents could opt their child out of the daily (!) sessions with the Boosterthon staff. These sessions happened during their already limited recess, so I was definitely on board with opting out. I wanted my child to play outside, not listen to a sales pitch.

[Anonymous]

they get the $$ because they endlessly pressure the kids and family and shame people into giving money. so of course they earn a lot. doesn't mean it is pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best way to get rid of it is not contribute. We normally contribute a large amount of money to school fund raisers but will be giving the minimum and directly to the school for this.

Just a heads up - any money donated directly to the PTA within a certain time after Boosterthon STILL gets split with Boosterthon per their contract.

I have no intention of contributing to our PTA, they are truly awful. My check will be made out to the school.