Anonymous wrote:There's a coat, shoe, backpack, supply drive every year from The United Way, local tv stations and *gasp* WALMART. I've stuffed buses for kids that didn't even attend my kid's school and they were never a recipient of any drives. Not to mention adopt a teacher. Don't ever sign up for that. That teacher will call you weekly demanding all kinds of things.

Anyone doing without needs to go find the things they need instead of waiting for it to land in their lap.

I for one am tired of my white privilege being used as a reason for others to get free stuff. Early on I saw those that claimed they couldn't afford trying to make those that could be responsible for not giving enough.

Just because I can afford my own kid's things doesn't mean I can afford to buy for the whole class.

The gift card giving is out of control. The PTA is nothing but a dues paying shakedown organization.

Anonymous wrote:
My school in MCPS has a lot of FARMs children and I think the PTA is concerned about things that do affect all of the children regardless of income. For example nutrition in the cafeteria. It is the low income children who are more likely to be eating hot lunches and they are more in need of good nutritious food.

As for the chrome book issue at Rolling Terrace. I don't agree that Chrome books are especially good for children without computers at home. The concern of the PTA is too much screen time. I think lower income kids actually watch more television than the higher income children. The MCPS information sent home for new Kindergarten families actually recommends limiting screen time at home. And yet the kids watch movies, shows and animated lessons on the smart boards. In addition to that some of these kids have televisions in their bedrooms and stay up late watching things like (the walking dead and Law and Order SVU) both shows my DS came home from Kindergarten asking about. So I think there may be disagreement about screen time but I do not think it is fair to say that the fight about screen time is only important to high income children. There are studies showing time and time again that screen time isn't good for developing brains.

I just don't understand how the PTA is vilified for trying to help. Think about the state of the PTA without the immersion program.

Anonymous wrote:
My school in MCPS has a lot of FARMs children and I think the PTA is concerned about things that do affect all of the children regardless of income. For example nutrition in the cafeteria. It is the low income children who are more likely to be eating hot lunches and they are more in need of good nutritious food.

As for the chrome book issue at Rolling Terrace. I don't agree that Chrome books are especially good for children without computers at home. The concern of the PTA is too much screen time. I think lower income kids actually watch more television than the higher income children. The MCPS information sent home for new Kindergarten families actually recommends limiting screen time at home. And yet the kids watch movies, shows and animated lessons on the smart boards. In addition to that some of these kids have televisions in their bedrooms and stay up late watching things like (the walking dead and Law and Order SVU) both shows my DS came home from Kindergarten asking about. So I think there may be disagreement about screen time but I do not think it is fair to say that the fight about screen time is only important to high income children. There are studies showing time and time again that screen time isn't good for developing brains.

I just don't understand how the PTA is vilified for trying to help. Think about the state of the PTA without the immersion program.

Anonymous wrote:
My school in MCPS has a lot of FARMs children and I think the PTA is concerned about things that do affect all of the children regardless of income. For example nutrition in the cafeteria. It is the low income children who are more likely to be eating hot lunches and they are more in need of good nutritious food.

As for the chrome book issue at Rolling Terrace. I don't agree that Chrome books are especially good for children without computers at home. The concern of the PTA is too much screen time. I think lower income kids actually watch more television than the higher income children. The MCPS information sent home for new Kindergarten families actually recommends limiting screen time at home. And yet the kids watch movies, shows and animated lessons on the smart boards. In addition to that some of these kids have televisions in their bedrooms and stay up late watching things like (the walking dead and Law and Order SVU) both shows my DS came home from Kindergarten asking about. So I think there may be disagreement about screen time but I do not think it is fair to say that the fight about screen time is only important to high income children. There are studies showing time and time again that screen time isn't good for developing brains.

I just don't understand how the PTA is vilified for trying to help. Think about the state of the PTA without the immersion program.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTAs in this area are filled with the worst kinds of human beings. The PTA, national and state, should look into how groups using their name do business. They are all about "MINE MINE MINE MINE." One of the principles of the PTA is INCLUSION, and the PTA is all about EXCLUSION in this white exclusive area. THEY SUCK.

Its not just white exclusive. They don't want the SN and and white families who are not in their click.

I totally agree. I meant, it is the white well off PTA parents who are doing the excluding. Awful people who give PTA a bad name.

You sound a bit racist. Its not just white who exclude and self-seggregate but please keep telling yourself that non-sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think most PTAs in diverse schools have a demographic problem - just because middle class white families tend to have more time and energy to attend meetings at night, where there may or may not be snacks, and where the discussion is in English.

HOWEVER - what's happening at RT seems to go beyond these challenges. It sounds like the immersion parents have basically taken over the PTA and use it to advocate for the needs of their own kids at the expense of the rest of the student population.

I've also heard that the administration at that school has been completely beaten down by the white parents in the immersion program.

I think in a school with sharp income inequality between classrooms, it's only fair that parents not be allowed to contribute money specifically to their child's class. It should all go into the same pot and be divided fairly.

Anonymous wrote:I think most PTAs in diverse schools have a demographic problem - just because middle class white families tend to have more time and energy to attend meetings at night, where there may or may not be snacks, and where the discussion is in English.

HOWEVER - what's happening at RT seems to go beyond these challenges. It sounds like the immersion parents have basically taken over the PTA and use it to advocate for the needs of their own kids at the expense of the rest of the student population.

I've also heard that the administration at that school has been completely beaten down by the white parents in the immersion program.

Anonymous wrote:This is why I prefer a school where everyone is the same SES then everyone's interest are the same.

Anonymous wrote:There's a coat, shoe, backpack, supply drive every year from The United Way, local tv stations and *gasp* WALMART. I've stuffed buses for kids that didn't even attend my kid's school and they were never a recipient of any drives. Not to mention adopt a teacher. Don't ever sign up for that. That teacher will call you weekly demanding all kinds of things.

Anyone doing without needs to go find the things they need instead of waiting for it to land in their lap.

I for one am tired of my white privilege being used as a reason for others to get free stuff. Early on I saw those that claimed they couldn't afford trying to make those that could be responsible for not giving enough.

Just because I can afford my own kid's things doesn't mean I can afford to buy for the whole class.

The gift card giving is out of control. The PTA is nothing but a dues paying shakedown organization.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a coat, shoe, backpack, supply drive every year from The United Way, local tv stations and *gasp* WALMART. I've stuffed buses for kids that didn't even attend my kid's school and they were never a recipient of any drives. Not to mention adopt a teacher. Don't ever sign up for that. That teacher will call you weekly demanding all kinds of things.

Anyone doing without needs to go find the things they need instead of waiting for it to land in their lap.

I for one am tired of my white privilege being used as a reason for others to get free stuff. Early on I saw those that claimed they couldn't afford trying to make those that could be responsible for not giving enough.

Just because I can afford my own kid's things doesn't mean I can afford to buy for the whole class.

The gift card giving is out of control. The PTA is nothing but a dues paying shakedown organization.

Uh, wrong thread. Bitch.

Anonymous wrote:There's a coat, shoe, backpack, supply drive every year from The United Way, local tv stations and *gasp* WALMART. I've stuffed buses for kids that didn't even attend my kid's school and they were never a recipient of any drives. Not to mention adopt a teacher. Don't ever sign up for that. That teacher will call you weekly demanding all kinds of things.

Anyone doing without needs to go find the things they need instead of waiting for it to land in their lap.

I for one am tired of my white privilege being used as a reason for others to get free stuff. Early on I saw those that claimed they couldn't afford trying to make those that could be responsible for not giving enough.

Just because I can afford my own kid's things doesn't mean I can afford to buy for the whole class.

The gift card giving is out of control. The PTA is nothing but a dues paying shakedown organization.