PTAs: I don't want to donate money to facilitate adults socializing with their friends

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PTA volunteers should not need “thank you” breakfasts. Parents should not need “community building” events for themselves. The PTA is for the kids and should be kid focused.

That's just now how things work. If you think you can do it better run for PTA President.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Then don't donate. Spend your money and time how you so fit.

Easy.

You know OP begrudgingly donates about $10 a year then moans about where her dollars are going. Clearly doesn’t donate any time either if she has no idea what these events even are. Just save the $10 and do nothing. Nobody will notice.

Yeah if there is an event to thank people who have hundreds or thousands, the return to the school is worth it.

The only adult only event I can think of at our school is a volunteer thank you breakfast.

I disagree. It is a PTA that should be focused on the school not fundraising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Then don't donate. Spend your money and time how you so fit.

Easy.

You know OP begrudgingly donates about $10 a year then moans about where her dollars are going. Clearly doesn’t donate any time either if she has no idea what these events even are. Just save the $10 and do nothing. Nobody will notice.

Yeah if there is an event to thank people who have hundreds or thousands, the return to the school is worth it.

The only adult only event I can think of at our school is a volunteer thank you breakfast.

I disagree. It is a PTA that should be focused on the school not fundraising.

They need to fundraise to help the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTA volunteers should not need “thank you” breakfasts. Parents should not need “community building” events for themselves. The PTA is for the kids and should be kid focused.

That's just now how things work. If you think you can do it better run for PTA President.

lol how do things work? I can tell you how things work at the PTA - a bunch of parents who take themselves way too seriously and often neglect to think about what would actually be welcome to the school as a whole. The idea of a thank you event runs counter to what should be more like a mutual aid society. A hierarchy of volunteers runs counter to that. PTA is not the place to get your ego stroked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Then don't donate. Spend your money and time how you so fit.

Easy.

You know OP begrudgingly donates about $10 a year then moans about where her dollars are going. Clearly doesn’t donate any time either if she has no idea what these events even are. Just save the $10 and do nothing. Nobody will notice.

Yeah if there is an event to thank people who have hundreds or thousands, the return to the school is worth it.

The only adult only event I can think of at our school is a volunteer thank you breakfast.

I disagree. It is a PTA that should be focused on the school not fundraising.

They need to fundraise to help the school.

Not really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our PTA had a thank you breakfast for all volunteers last year. It was at 10:00am on a Tuesday. I think that should tell you everything you need to know about MY kid's school's PTA.

This sounds really nice. Our volunteer thank you event is at a bar at night, everyone brings their husbands (who have done zero volunteering 99% of the time) and it turns into a bro-fest. I think the men are cliqueier than the women. But everyone pays their own way so there's no actual thank you happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTA volunteers should not need “thank you” breakfasts. Parents should not need “community building” events for themselves. The PTA is for the kids and should be kid focused.

That's just now how things work. If you think you can do it better run for PTA President.

lol how do things work? I can tell you how things work at the PTA - a bunch of parents who take themselves way too seriously and often neglect to think about what would actually be welcome to the school as a whole. The idea of a thank you event runs counter to what should be more like a mutual aid society. A hierarchy of volunteers runs counter to that. PTA is not the place to get your ego stroked.

Ok. How much money have you raised for any non profit? Tell us. How many years have you been in fundraising?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTA volunteers should not need “thank you” breakfasts. Parents should not need “community building” events for themselves. The PTA is for the kids and should be kid focused.

That's just now how things work. If you think you can do it better run for PTA President.

lol how do things work? I can tell you how things work at the PTA - a bunch of parents who take themselves way too seriously and often neglect to think about what would actually be welcome to the school as a whole. The idea of a thank you event runs counter to what should be more like a mutual aid society. A hierarchy of volunteers runs counter to that. PTA is not the place to get your ego stroked.

Ok. How much money have you raised for any non profit? Tell us. How many years have you been in fundraising?

Dude, that is the point. It is a school PTA, not a professional nonprofit fundraiser for the Humane Society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTA volunteers should not need “thank you” breakfasts. Parents should not need “community building” events for themselves. The PTA is for the kids and should be kid focused.

That's just now how things work. If you think you can do it better run for PTA President.

lol how do things work? I can tell you how things work at the PTA - a bunch of parents who take themselves way too seriously and often neglect to think about what would actually be welcome to the school as a whole. The idea of a thank you event runs counter to what should be more like a mutual aid society. A hierarchy of volunteers runs counter to that. PTA is not the place to get your ego stroked.

Ok. How much money have you raised for any non profit? Tell us. How many years have you been in fundraising?

Dude, that is the point. It is a school PTA, not a professional nonprofit fundraiser for the Humane Society.

Dude make a friend and go with them to the invites instead of sounding like such a loser that nobody talks to you at a PTA event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTA volunteers should not need “thank you” breakfasts. Parents should not need “community building” events for themselves. The PTA is for the kids and should be kid focused.

That's just now how things work. If you think you can do it better run for PTA President.

lol how do things work? I can tell you how things work at the PTA - a bunch of parents who take themselves way too seriously and often neglect to think about what would actually be welcome to the school as a whole. The idea of a thank you event runs counter to what should be more like a mutual aid society. A hierarchy of volunteers runs counter to that. PTA is not the place to get your ego stroked.

Ok. How much money have you raised for any non profit? Tell us. How many years have you been in fundraising?

Dude, that is the point. It is a school PTA, not a professional nonprofit fundraiser for the Humane Society.

Dude make a friend and go with them to the invites instead of sounding like such a loser that nobody talks to you at a PTA event.

Thanks for proving then point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Then don't donate. Spend your money and time how you so fit.

Easy.

You know OP begrudgingly donates about $10 a year then moans about where her dollars are going. Clearly doesn’t donate any time either if she has no idea what these events even are. Just save the $10 and do nothing. Nobody will notice.

Yeah if there is an event to thank people who have hundreds or thousands, the return to the school is worth it.

The only adult only event I can think of at our school is a volunteer thank you breakfast.

I disagree. It is a PTA that should be focused on the school not fundraising.

Ugh this makes me want to leave public school. If I give thousands and we get a thank you dinner, the school still makes money. Some people are so dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm very invested in the PTA as a way to support the school, the students, and the teachers. Money that goes to classrooms or enrichment events for students (and, if appropriate, their families) is great and I'm happy to donate to that. Community events that are linked to academics or social-emotional learning at the school, and focused on the kids, are great --we will participate and donate time and money for those.

PTA events that are primarily about adults socializing with one another away from the school should not be PTA events unless they are fundRAISING events. PTA money should not be spent on those activities.

If you want to socialize with other parents at the school, that's great, do so. But it shouldn't be PTA sponsored. No one should be donating money to a PTA to facilitate adults social events. Especially when these events have little to do with building community, and more to do with ensuring people who are already friends can get free food or entertainment, paid for by the PTA, while they hang out.

100%. I'd try to get involved in the pta to shoot this crap down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are you talking about? We raise about $30k a year and it all goes to classroom needs, kid focused weekend events, like $500 a year goes to pizza for pta meetings (open to all of the PTA members and kids), activity busses etc.

WTH? I've been active at every single school my kids attended. We never wasted money providing pizza/food etc for a pta meeting. What a waste of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sure they are just “hanging out” and it’s not for the purpose of facilitating future parent participation/volunteers or events? Because I often coordinate and solicit volunteers — it’s a lot of work. I haven’t used pta funds for that but wouldn’t be opposed to it.

What I always see in every one of my kids’ schools are the parents who NEVER volunteer and justify it by denigrating the parents who DO volunteer, saying things like how we are just in it for our social lives and to get attention. It’s trite and old and often sexist. Don’t volunteer if you don’t want to but back off of the people who do.

I'm not op and I've been active in my kid's ptas. Op is right that some of the activities are inefficient wastes of money. You are out of line to shut down criticism of pta activities. You need checks and balances because I've seen personalities come in and waste $.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm very invested in the PTA as a way to support the school, the students, and the teachers. Money that goes to classrooms or enrichment events for students (and, if appropriate, their families) is great and I'm happy to donate to that. Community events that are linked to academics or social-emotional learning at the school, and focused on the kids, are great --we will participate and donate time and money for those.

PTA events that are primarily about adults socializing with one another away from the school should not be PTA events unless they are fundRAISING events. PTA money should not be spent on those activities.

If you want to socialize with other parents at the school, that's great, do so. But it shouldn't be PTA sponsored. No one should be donating money to a PTA to facilitate adults social events. Especially when these events have little to do with building community, and more to do with ensuring people who are already friends can get free food or entertainment, paid for by the PTA, while they hang out.

You sound jealous OP. They are already friends because they are working hard together volunteering for their kids’ school. Not because they are a clique and you weren’t invited. Give it a try and you might make some friends too.

You're a 14 year old, aren't you?