There Needs to Be Enforced Equity Among PTA's

[Anonymous]

I’ve taught in several different schools. To be honest, it is frustrating when old co-workers are getting $400 gift cards and I get a few boxes of dollar store chocolate. It’s especially frustrating that I have to purchase all of the school supplies for my students as their parents don’t send any in. It’s just the way it is. I don’t see a way to change it, but some of you seem to have no idea what a discrepancy it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This has to be the most idiotic thread I've read in months.

One poster is complaining that Title I schools aren't funding their teachers with basic school supplies? MCPS CO is claiming that's not true, so I think you need to speak to your P about that.

Another poster claims there is no difference between a PTO allocating funds versus a PTA? Yes, there is. No parents will want to contribute to a PTO. But it's clear someone is on a personal power grab.

Go ahead and post a link for the parents that want to establish a PTO. I want to see what these nutcases backgrounds are.

This absolutely is not true. Patents do contribute to PTOs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know, its also not fair that the students at the W schools are provided with Teslas and Jeeps by their parents. And trips to Europe. And sleep away Sumner camps. Not everyone can afford these, so no one should have then.

Do you even realize how crazy all of you sound? Yes, some people have more and some people have less. Some people on the dance floor can really move and others look like goats. Life isn't fair, the sooner everyone realized it, the better off you'll be.

Meanwhile, if you are at a school that isn't as wealthy, pair up with a wealthier sister school and they will help to fundraise whatever you need/want.

You're completely missing the point. This isn't about W kids having Teslas (what an idiot you seriously are.) We are talking about WORKING CONDITIONS AT A WORKPLACE. "Life's not fair! You all are snowflakes!" is such a lazy response. The point here is, PTAs shouldn't be providing staff with funds for their classrooms. MCPS should give every single teacher money and prohibit PTAs from using funds for that purpose. Rich parents can still provide all the excess crap they want, just not money for classroom basics. In life, there are rules. This would be one of them PTAs would have to follow. The horror of bylaws. This evens the playing field for all employees in MCPS. Grow up. You have zero concept of nuanced thinking and you sound like an immature child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know, its also not fair that the students at the W schools are provided with Teslas and Jeeps by their parents. And trips to Europe. And sleep away Sumner camps. Not everyone can afford these, so no one should have then.

Do you even realize how crazy all of you sound? Yes, some people have more and some people have less. Some people on the dance floor can really move and others look like goats. Life isn't fair, the sooner everyone realized it, the better off you'll be.

Meanwhile, if you are at a school that isn't as wealthy, pair up with a wealthier sister school and they will help to fundraise whatever you need/want.

You're completely missing the point. This isn't about W kids having Teslas (what an idiot you seriously are.) We are talking about WORKING CONDITIONS AT A WORKPLACE. "Life's not fair! You all are snowflakes!" is such a lazy response. The point here is, PTAs shouldn't be providing staff with funds for their classrooms. MCPS should give every single teacher money and prohibit PTAs from using funds for that purpose. Rich parents can still provide all the excess crap they want, just not money for classroom basics. In life, there are rules. This would be one of them PTAs would have to follow. The horror of bylaws. This evens the playing field for all employees in MCPS. Grow up. You have zero concept of nuanced thinking and you sound like an immature child.

MCPS should either give funds or basic supplies to every classroom. MCPS has plenty of money for their pet projects and other wasteful spending. It is shameful that they don't provide classroom money to each teacher (my understanding is they do give a little bit but you have to order overpriced supplies from them so the money doesn't go far).

It's ironic that the same parents posting are probably the ones whose teachers have to beg or go without. I regularly sent in snacks and supplies without asking. You KNOW teachers can always use wipes, tissues, and snacks (if offered depending on lunch).

[Anonymous]

PTAs are meant to help teachers and students. Ours provides school supplies and coats to help students in need. They also offer great activities for free to all students, whether the families can afford them or not. Should we stop doing that too because other schools don't have active PTAs? I am sorry that there is inequity from school to school, but it seems like you want to stop good things from happening other places because you aren't able to benefit from the PTA at your school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a PTA officer at a wealthier school in Bethesda and I agree with the OP. Our PTA donates $300 to teachers every single year for classroom supplies while at the same time, parents supply them constantly throughout the year with way more than they will ever actually need. Parents do this without asking-they just send their kids with supplies. On top of that, most room moms end up collecting 400-500 for teachers in for Christmas in the form of Amazon gift cards. Teacher appreciation Amazon cards are usually 150-250 per teacher. This isn't about "jealousy" as some ignorant posters here are saying. It truly is about inequity. Title One/focus school teachers are paying for everything out of pocket for their classrooms. They aren't given gifts during the holidays that could potentially fund their classrooms. They don't have an overabundance of supplies. Teachers working in the same district should have opportunities for the same supplies. And before self-righteous posters jump in, I'm not suggesting you stop providing your teachers with gifts and supplies. I'm saying MCPS needs to provide all teachers with stipends for classroom supplies at the beginning of the year and not allow PTAs to provide additional funds. It simply is not fair. The giving of gifts and supplies is something entirely, but i added it to prove a point that teachers in wealthier schools do NOT ever need to dig into their own pockets for supplies.

So you want to punish the teachers at these wealthy schools and, by extension, their students because not every teacher in MCPS shares the same experience? How does that make sense? Isn’t it a net negative to take away the benefits that these teachers receive? Is equity really about resorting to the lowest common denominator?

Can you even...read? Instead of it being the PTA providing teachers the $300, MCPS does. How is that punishing teachers OR students? Hint: it's not. In addition, those wealthier school teachers will still receive more just bc again, parents will provide those extra supplies. You're not very bright.

Resorting to the lowest common denominator? Do you even hear yourself? ALSO, that is just more money for schools like mine in their PTA fund. Again...you're not very good at critical thinking. "BUT WON'T SOMEONE STOP AND THINK OF THE WEALTHY!" So gross. So ignorant.

You’re not helping your cause with the hysterics. It seems like reading comprehension isn’t your strong suit so let me try to boil it down for you.
The poster I was responding to talked about how much their teachers receive from parents and the PTA, from $300 supplies allowances to Christmas gift cards. They said teachers never need to come out of pocket at these rich schools. They said it’s not fair. They said that because it’s not fair, the extras that are provided to these teachers need to stop. I asked why this practice should stop solely because it is inequitable. Is it that hard to understand? Why shouldn’t kids in Bethesda schools receive extra resources because their parents can pay for them? Seriously, tell me why. Is it because it’s unfair? Because not all kids can get matched resources? Then that’s literally using the lowest common denominator. We don’t do that in other parts of MCPS. There are plenty of Bethesda kids who qualify for the CES magnet school who can’t go because they don’t win the lottery. That’s not fair. We should cancel CES and the magnets too. They’re inequitable!

Again, you truly cannot read. I'm the PP-I never said the additional gifts need to stop. I said the beginning of the year payment to teachers from ALL PTAs need to stop. Kids in Bethesda will still receive those extra resources their parents can afford because they will continue to bring them in. Just like I said in my post. I am saying it is unfair to provide the teachers with funds plus everything else we provide them with when teachers all over the county don't receive anything. I've spoken with so many parents at various schools in our area (Bethesda/Potomoc) and they agree. It will more than likely be a thing of the past soon anyway. No one is worried about our kids having resources-we know they will have resources. Not only do you sound uninformed and pathetic, you sound like a terrible individual that is incapable of critical thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PTAs are meant to help teachers and students. Ours provides school supplies and coats to help students in need. They also offer great activities for free to all students, whether the families can afford them or not. Should we stop doing that too because other schools don't have active PTAs? I am sorry that there is inequity from school to school, but it seems like you want to stop good things from happening other places because you aren't able to benefit from the PTA at your school.

Lol, not even close. I want all teachers to have access to the same basic resources. PTAs can jump in whenever they want. It was a simple ask that PTAs stop allocating funds to teachers and let MCPS do that instead. What wealthy PTAs do here would be prohibited in MANY places if you bothered to do research, but it's easier to just point fingers than use your brain. This county is so unbelievably sad.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher in a Bethesda school and we absolutely do not need that money from the PTA in the beginning of the year. We've actually asked the PTA if they would move funds to other schools instead and they refuse to do so. We have more than we need, meanwhile so many other schools do not. Schools in the same district should not be this unbalanced. I can't believe what I'm reading in the majority of this thread. People with a lot of money seem to be really unhinged, uneducated, and unsympathetic to people residing in the same county as you. Shame on you. Like an above poster said, some of you are just completely missing the point and want to harp on the "life's unfair!" bs. I cannot wait to retire. So tired of this entire community. It is beyond toxic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTAs are meant to help teachers and students. Ours provides school supplies and coats to help students in need. They also offer great activities for free to all students, whether the families can afford them or not. Should we stop doing that too because other schools don't have active PTAs? I am sorry that there is inequity from school to school, but it seems like you want to stop good things from happening other places because you aren't able to benefit from the PTA at your school.

Lol, not even close. I want all teachers to have access to the same basic resources. PTAs can jump in whenever they want. It was a simple ask that PTAs stop allocating funds to teachers and let MCPS do that instead. What wealthy PTAs do here would be prohibited in MANY places if you bothered to do research, but it's easier to just point fingers than use your brain. This county is so unbelievably sad.

It's not a big stretch from that to say that all students should have access to the same basic resources and prohibit PTAs from contributing to students too. I don't see the difference. If I want to fund teachers classrooms so they have supplies, that is ultimately not to benefit the teachers. It is to benefit the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher in a Bethesda school and we absolutely do not need that money from the PTA in the beginning of the year. We've actually asked the PTA if they would move funds to other schools instead and they refuse to do so. We have more than we need, meanwhile so many other schools do not. Schools in the same district should not be this unbalanced. I can't believe what I'm reading in the majority of this thread. People with a lot of money seem to be really unhinged, uneducated, and unsympathetic to people residing in the same county as you. Shame on you. Like an above poster said, some of you are just completely missing the point and want to harp on the "life's unfair!" bs. I cannot wait to retire. So tired of this entire community. It is beyond toxic.

Most people are more likely to contribute when they can see where it is going. And quite honestly if money is moved around alot that gives rise to a LOT of potential for corruption and inappropriate funneling of funds. I am someone who grew up in a corrupt and socialist country, so excuse me if I am a little skeptical of "forced equity."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher in a Bethesda school and we absolutely do not need that money from the PTA in the beginning of the year. We've actually asked the PTA if they would move funds to other schools instead and they refuse to do so. We have more than we need, meanwhile so many other schools do not. Schools in the same district should not be this unbalanced. I can't believe what I'm reading in the majority of this thread. People with a lot of money seem to be really unhinged, uneducated, and unsympathetic to people residing in the same county as you. Shame on you. Like an above poster said, some of you are just completely missing the point and want to harp on the "life's unfair!" bs. I cannot wait to retire. So tired of this entire community. It is beyond toxic.

What school? I’d like to think our school would approve this request.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, the teachers on here who aren't being reimbursed or supported with basic supplies from your principal... you need to complain to MCPS! I'm super confused. We're at a middle school with 50% FARMS. Those families who have money contribute a bunch to the PTSA so we do have money to help with basics and supplies. We have tried to give money but the Principal and staff say that MCPS provides them with the funds needed for materials and supplies; in other words, the basic stuff everyone on this thread keep talking about. What we end up using the money on are the staff breakfasts, lunches, school events, any unfunded needs for field trips, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Another poster claims there is no difference between a PTO allocating funds versus a PTA? Yes, there is. No parents will want to contribute to a PTO. But it's clear someone is on a personal power grab.

Go ahead and post a link for the parents that want to establish a PTO. I want to see what these nutcases backgrounds are.

Could you explain the difference of PTA vs PTO that would stop donations? I thought the PTA was more structured and you have to give money to the state PTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know, its also not fair that the students at the W schools are provided with Teslas and Jeeps by their parents. And trips to Europe. And sleep away Sumner camps. Not everyone can afford these, so no one should have then.

Do you even realize how crazy all of you sound? Yes, some people have more and some people have less. Some people on the dance floor can really move and others look like goats. Life isn't fair, the sooner everyone realized it, the better off you'll be.

Meanwhile, if you are at a school that isn't as wealthy, pair up with a wealthier sister school and they will help to fundraise whatever you need/want.

You're completely missing the point. This isn't about W kids having Teslas (what an idiot you seriously are.) We are talking about WORKING CONDITIONS AT A WORKPLACE. "Life's not fair! You all are snowflakes!" is such a lazy response. The point here is, PTAs shouldn't be providing staff with funds for their classrooms. MCPS should give every single teacher money and prohibit PTAs from using funds for that purpose. Rich parents can still provide all the excess crap they want, just not money for classroom basics. In life, there are rules. This would be one of them PTAs would have to follow. The horror of bylaws. This evens the playing field for all employees in MCPS. Grow up. You have zero concept of nuanced thinking and you sound like an immature child.

DP, but it sounds like your moving the goalposts quite a bit.

I don't think anyone would disagree with the notion that MCPS, funded by taxpayers, should in turn provide every school/teacher with the basics.

But the people who want to "enforce equity" go well beyond that. They don't want any disparities so they want the extra money that some PTAs might raise confiscated and redistributed. If that means they have to redefine what they consider the "basics," they are more than happy to go there. But readers of the thread know that what they really want is to level the playing field 100%, even if that means a race to the bottom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Only Asian families care about math? What?

From what I've seen of who registers, yes that is the case.
However, you have the reasoning wrong. I am saying start a math club not because only Asians care about math, but because Asians only care about math.
'Only care' is over the top, but you will get a good response and fundraising if you start a math club.