Anonymous wrote:Finally, the list of sign opportunities was overwhelming social type activities. Why no science activities, no art, no math, no geography or no language volunteer opportunities? I would be happy to be a reading or math assistant but you need to be able to go in twice a week for 30 minutes between 10-11 or 1-3 pm. I could understand that this is not a once a month type activity but if it was in the morning when school started and once a week they could atrract many more working parents with the educational background to contribute substantially.

At our private preschool, parents were encouraged to do things that let kids benefit from their experience. One parent who had worked at NASA came to the school one morning (this was a huge hit with my kids and he introduced some physics), parents from other cultures taught traditional songs, doctors came in and did health activities, a vet brought some animals in, a naturalist professor took them on a nature walk around the school grounds, etc.

I love these ideas I have noticed also, heavy on social. I sometimes think parents feel like academic nights are for poor kids.

Anonymous wrote:We live in a relatively well-off neighborhood, but only about 50% of families at our school even join the PTA.
Only a couple dozen people staff the various committees and run all the events that make it work year after year. Some of us feel so overspent that we're ready to throw in the towel. We have had to downsize fundraising efforts that could bring in tons more money if we had more people to help. As a result, the PTA offerings at our school pale in comparison to some other schools with similar demographics and one mom I talked to at one of my kids' outside classes mentioned that as a reason not to move into our district.

I'm just wondering what motivates people not to join their school's PTA and help out in whatever way they can. It's not like public schools are awash in money.

Anonymous wrote:I don't like volunteering at the school. Basically, b/c every time I do it, I run into some other parent who "turns me off" to the whole process. There was the mom who badgered me about what math class my DS was in (so as to compare her son); there was the mom who helped the teacher grade quizes so she could see how the other kids performed; there was the mom who told me that so-and-so is a "troubled" child from a "bad family." Yuck! Each time I left the school with a bad feeling, so I haven't been back. As usual, the parents are a big part of the problem.

Anonymous wrote:I served on the PTA board for two years. I have since quit, and have not gone to a single meeting or helped with any fundraising. And here's why...We live in a pretty affluent area, and raised a good sum of money. But when it came to deciding how to spend that money, there were three other board members who dictated everything. I was the only voice of dissent. And let me tell you, what they spent it on was incredibly wasteful. There was no open discussion about how to spend the funds. It was all done in secret, and then presented at the PTA meetings as a done deal.

It was also in incredibly cliquey. Very few outsiders could break in to the inner world of PTA. So I can see why not many want to volunteer to help. But I think the "insiders" actually like it that way - it gives them more power.

Anonymous wrote:Former PTA board member here. Haven't read the whole thread but I think there are some misconceptions. The PTA doesn't have anything to do with the curriculum and the teachers don't want parent input about what they teach. Period. The PTA has a very limited mission. The reason that some of you didn't see any educational volunteer opportunities at your back to school night is that the PTA doesn't control those opportunities. Individual teachers ask for volunteers to help in their classroom (can include helping kids with an assignment or photocopying or whatever help the teacher needs during the period you are there). Some teachers don't want any parents in the room (my dc once had a teacher who wouldn't accept volunteers b/c she was worried that the parents would discuss how other children were doing and gossip). Probably a valid concern. If you want to volunteer in the art room, contact the art teacher. If you have a special talent and want to do a program for the students, contact the principal, vice principal or school counselor. The money the PTA raises does go to the cultural arts presentations which teachers typically appreciate and and the students love. So it isn't all fluff. If you don't want to support the PTA, that is your right. But stop criticizing it for not being educational -- those volunteer opportunities are there -- just not through the PTA.