PTA asked teachers to pay for student breakfast: unreasonable?

[Anonymous]

This is terrible. They want you to spend both your money AND your time procuring these items for the students. No no no! The kids should be cooking YOU breakfast!

[Anonymous]

Excuse me, what? Absolutely not. It is THEIR job to pay for and provide the breakfast. They are the volunteers, you are just doing your job. WTF??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's definitely not appropriate.

But I also wouldn't assume all the PTA moms are rich. I'm sure some are, but the assumption that parents all make more than teachers is common and not true (some are teachers themselves - although a teacher would not make this request!)

It's a private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is nuts. If I were a teacher, I's be talking with head of my division or HoS.

As long as you’d be good with the parents reacting this way every time the PTA shook them down foe more than their tuition to fund a teacher breakfast or holiday gift. One reciprocal gesture from teachers to graduating seniors isn’t insane.

The PTA is an organization of parents. If they are shaking down each other for something teachers did not ask for that’s not on the teachers.

Actually the “T” stands for teachers who are members of the PTA. They’re soliciting charitable donations from their students to themselves. Whenever someone points out that its gross people say to just ignore the PTA emails. Teachers should follow that advice here if they really don’t want to do this.

When you are a teacher at a private school, you can't just opt out of things you don't like, even if they technically aren't part of your job description. We aren't unionized, and "fit" of a teacher is very important at a school. "Fit" is a vague and hazy category with a definition that shifts and changes in the way admin choose to apply it. If there is an event and you are encouraged to participate, you "have" to do it, and you do it with a smile.

And parents may also struggle to say no to harassing emails and texts demanding donations for teacher gifts. Get rid of the gifts for teachers, have PTA focus on field trips and enrichment, and then no one will think asking teachers to fund a breakfast for seniors is ok.

My private HS had teachers serve seniors breakfast once our AP scores came in. It was a nice tradition. Teachers did not pay for it though.

[Anonymous]

What is PTA going to fire us for not shelling out money. Dont answer bc the PTA is a two headed ankle that will buy a teacher doughnuts and then try to oust teachers for not being easy enough, corruptable or not inflating enough grades. They work with admin to make teachers lives more difficult and unstable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is nuts. If I were a teacher, I's be talking with head of my division or HoS.

As long as you’d be good with the parents reacting this way every time the PTA shook them down foe more than their tuition to fund a teacher breakfast or holiday gift. One reciprocal gesture from teachers to graduating seniors isn’t insane.

The PTA is an organization of parents. If they are shaking down each other for something teachers did not ask for that’s not on the teachers.

Actually the “T” stands for teachers who are members of the PTA. They’re soliciting charitable donations from their students to themselves. Whenever someone points out that its gross people say to just ignore the PTA emails. Teachers should follow that advice here if they really don’t want to do this.

When you are a teacher at a private school, you can't just opt out of things you don't like, even if they technically aren't part of your job description. We aren't unionized, and "fit" of a teacher is very important at a school. "Fit" is a vague and hazy category with a definition that shifts and changes in the way admin choose to apply it. If there is an event and you are encouraged to participate, you "have" to do it, and you do it with a smile.

And parents may also struggle to say no to harassing emails and texts demanding donations for teacher gifts. Get rid of the gifts for teachers, have PTA focus on field trips and enrichment, and then no one will think asking teachers to fund a breakfast for seniors is ok.

My private HS had teachers serve seniors breakfast once our AP scores came in. It was a nice tradition. Teachers did not pay for it though.

Most teachers would be thrilled if the PTA stopped existing. Teachers aren't the ones asking for the gifts, so arguing that it's OK for the PTA to mistreat teachers because they also mistreat parents is a little weird. They should stop doing both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is nuts. If I were a teacher, I's be talking with head of my division or HoS.

As long as you’d be good with the parents reacting this way every time the PTA shook them down foe more than their tuition to fund a teacher breakfast or holiday gift. One reciprocal gesture from teachers to graduating seniors isn’t insane.

The PTA is an organization of parents. If they are shaking down each other for something teachers did not ask for that’s not on the teachers.

Actually the “T” stands for teachers who are members of the PTA. They’re soliciting charitable donations from their students to themselves. Whenever someone points out that its gross people say to just ignore the PTA emails. Teachers should follow that advice here if they really don’t want to do this.

When you are a teacher at a private school, you can't just opt out of things you don't like, even if they technically aren't part of your job description. We aren't unionized, and "fit" of a teacher is very important at a school. "Fit" is a vague and hazy category with a definition that shifts and changes in the way admin choose to apply it. If there is an event and you are encouraged to participate, you "have" to do it, and you do it with a smile.

And parents may also struggle to say no to harassing emails and texts demanding donations for teacher gifts. Get rid of the gifts for teachers, have PTA focus on field trips and enrichment, and then no one will think asking teachers to fund a breakfast for seniors is ok.

My private HS had teachers serve seniors breakfast once our AP scores came in. It was a nice tradition. Teachers did not pay for it though.

Most teachers would be thrilled if the PTA stopped existing. Teachers aren't the ones asking for the gifts, so arguing that it's OK for the PTA to mistreat teachers because they also mistreat parents is a little weird. They should stop doing both.

I’m not, I’m saying both should stop.

On the other hand, I’ve never heard of a teacher decline name the money their students were solicited for for holidays….

[Anonymous]

See PTA can bully teachers easily too bc they can say that if we don't give out A's than we must be trying to ruin their child's future. This is why they too should be advocating for cameras in the classroom. It's a safety concern for both students and staff. Also students would be less likely to attack their teachers and peers as well as admin would be less likely to retaliate and not bully teachers. Everyone wins. Except for the people who want coverups and made up fraudulent data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe this is a troll but as a parent of a kid in one of the wealthier east end grade schools in Alexandria we were solicited for funds by the PTA at the poorest school in the city.

Yeah, parents of kids we don't even know asked us to fund their PTA.

This was 10 years ago and it turned into a litmus test for if you were a true democrat or just one in name. Ultimately, those of us that did not hand over cash to beggars were called racists, because of course we had to be.

I can't believe that you didn't just make a small donation and I can't believe that you're posting about it 10 years later.

Why, do you have memory issues?

[Anonymous]

Gifts for teachers by parents seems like bribery. Why does every single department in education have to be so damn sketchy? I never want to be a teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am horrified. Especially don't private school teachers make even less than publics in most places?

It's probably a sign of people who don't think much of spending $25-50 on a food to contribute to a "pot luck" like they literally don't realize that's actual money. The even more insulting thing in my opinion is, even if they are out of touch with money, they are imposing upon your time to go out and do this. That's probably the real burden they are trying to shift - the actual labor.

Please reach out to someone and state that the teachers have neither the funds nor the time for this project, except (if true) are happy to help contribute to the set up at school. Ask if there is a parent you can liase with that can organize the funds from the families and the actual purchasing of items if the families don't have time.

Yes! I took a $15,000 pay cut to teach at a private school. Forward this to your HOS. There must be a new PTA mom who needs help determining what is appropriate.

[Anonymous]

I would pay my union dues in order for the PTA to be disbanded as they are a negative influence on fairness of public education. Many students dont have parents that get corruption level close to admin in order to have outside influence to their kids success ie making and starting on sports teams, grade inflation, resource allotment etc. All kids should have equity and equality and the PTA Karen Klub is the antithesis to that.

[Anonymous]

teachers should never be "serving" students breakfast. that's nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is PTA going to fire us for not shelling out money. Dont answer bc the PTA is a two headed ankle that will buy a teacher doughnuts and then try to oust teachers for not being easy enough, corruptable or not inflating enough grades. They work with admin to make teachers lives more difficult and unstable.

LOL this is really paranoid.

I can't even get my PTA to take an interest in curriculum. My fellow officers keep telling me that isn't what PTA "is about". They think it's about creating community through social events and teacher appreciation. They don't have any concern about what is actually happening in the classroom. And they decided they don't want to fund field trips either. So their unconcern extends to enrichment.

Every PTA is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would pay my union dues in order for the PTA to be disbanded as they are a negative influence on fairness of public education. Many students dont have parents that get corruption level close to admin in order to have outside influence to their kids success ie making and starting on sports teams, grade inflation, resource allotment etc. All kids should have equity and equality and the PTA Karen Klub is the antithesis to that.

How do you think PTA is getting kids on sports teams? Usually it's the principal and maybe another administrator who goes to PTA. Not teacher coaches.

High school PTAs are the least active because they have the least fun kid stuff. And that's the level where there are cut sports. Male coaches in particular are not hanging out with PTA moms and going to PTA meetings. Athletic boosters, yes. Captains' parents, yes. Unless those people are also the PTA people, there's no connection.

You can say whatever about Karens but I doubt they are having the impact that you hypothesize. Even at schools where they are perceived to be powerful.