Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do the snack cart at my school and it's always filled with junk food! Do teachers really want this?

Generally, no.

PTA's need to start cluing in.

PTAs are run by SAHMs with nothing to do all day. They pretend this is a "job." 99% of what they do is busy work they create for themselves and the teachers neither ask for it or want/expect it. Almost none of the teachers in this school will visit this snack bar because we are there to work those days which is what we are doing. We don't want snacks, we aren't juveniles. If you don't like this proposition, and I don't blame you, tell the PTA. The teachers have nothing to do with it and don't care at all about it.

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school is doing this as well this year. I did not make a donation for the teacher bar snack bar because I donate to the annual Thanksgiving pie event for the school staff every year which is coming up. Our school's PTA does things like this all the time and the primary motive seems to be so their children are given extra special treatment and unfortunately, this happens. the children of the PTA members are assigned the "best" teachers every year, they are friendly with the school staff and they hear and get info. about personnel issues and other children that should be confidential and not shared. Our elementary school is very clickish. I 100% support the school staff and appreciate everything the teachers have done for my teacher. however, the PTA seems to cross the line.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are more likely to be treated as professionals when others view them as professionals --- these special favors, special caretaking, doesn't help with their image. It's excessive.

My non-teacher husband gets special meals, treats and gifts at work all the time as do many other professions

How are these paid for? Do they come from solicitations for donations or does the employer pay for them? That makes a difference in perception. If the employer pays for it, it's a perk. We only ever solicit donations/contributions for gifts/treats for nonprofessional staff.

Anonymous wrote:Let me make sure I understand.....Some parent volunteers at your child's school would like to do something nice for the teachers. They sent out an email to let others know and give them an opportunity to participate if they would like to. And you're pissed? That says much more about you than it does the PTA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The PTA at my DC's school is asking for donations for a "teacher snack bar" for this Monday and Tuesday, which are teacher workdays in Fairfax County. I'm curious why PTAs do things like this. I already am finding alternate care for my kids on those days, which is absolutely my responsibility, but I'm also expected to provide snacks for grown adults who are being paid to go to work those days? They aren't volunteering their time, they are just showing up to work on a paid work day. I already think that it should be teacher appreciation day, not week, why in the world would the PTA think this is a good idea?

There is nothing compulsory about this, so I’m wondering why you’re taking such offense if some other parents want to show their appreciation this way. Just ignore the solicitation. The teachers know which parents are supportive of their work and it never comes down to one thing.

But you are giving off a pretty negative vibe here, and teachers do pick up on which parents view teachers as the hired help rather than partners in their kids’ education.

I actually don't view teachers as the hired help, I view them as paid professionals. I'd happily contribute to snacks for "the hired help," who usually are not paid well for the jobs they do.

If you view teachers as paid professionals, then you'd support better pay and benefit for them as well. FCPS has increased teacher pay in recent years, but it's still below the levels in DC, Arlington or Montgomery.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this is our school. I don’t mind it on occasion, but to do it for back to school, November work days, teacher app week, Xmas, etc - is a little excessive.

I think it’s nice, but excessive too. But it’s not mandatory so simply ignore.

The one email asked for contributions to three different events. They aren't mandatory, but shouldn't the PTA at some point worry about donor fatigue and show some care in how many donation asks they make? I don't think teachers should have to buy supplies. I would be perfectly fine if at the beginning of quarters 2, 3 and 4 the PTA puts together a teacher supply request list and asks for donations. All these random solicitations make me want to just delete the emails without reading them.

Anonymous wrote:This is why I have zero interest in joining or supporting the pta. Very little of what they do benefits education. It’s mostly busy work for women to do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are more likely to be treated as professionals when others view them as professionals --- these special favors, special caretaking, doesn't help with their image. It's excessive.

My non-teacher husband gets special meals, treats and gifts at work all the time as do many other professions

So true. My husband is always going out to lunches and dinners with clients. He’s a paid professional and receives gifts, alcohol and sports tickets at random times throughout the year.

But seriously, as a teacher I do not want these snacks. I’d love tissues. Please donate tissues if you want to send something. We are buying cases for our classrooms all year. Food often sits in the teachers lounge and no one goes in there.

I personally hate the snack cart and I refuse to donate brownies or cakes or whatever else to teachers. You're an adult. Bring your own snack to work. BUT I would happily donate tissues or whatever else teachers need to support their classrooms. Parents just don't ever hear about those needs. I wish there was some way to get the word out...I bet you would get a ton of useful donations! A SignUp genius for Ms. Smith who needs glue sticks and pencils? I'm in!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do the snack cart at my school and it's always filled with junk food! Do teachers really want this?

Generally, no.

PTA's need to start cluing in.

PTAs are run by SAHMs with nothing to do all day. They pretend this is a "job." 99% of what they do is busy work they create for themselves and the teachers neither ask for it or want/expect it. Almost none of the teachers in this school will visit this snack bar because we are there to work those days which is what we are doing. We don't want snacks, we aren't juveniles. If you don't like this proposition, and I don't blame you, tell the PTA. The teachers have nothing to do with it and don't care at all about it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do the snack cart at my school and it's always filled with junk food! Do teachers really want this?

Generally, no.

PTA's need to start cluing in.

Anonymous wrote:We do the snack cart at my school and it's always filled with junk food! Do teachers really want this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd have no problem asking the PTA to do a school supply drive for a Title One school. I work in one (not in Northern VA) and teachers spend a lot of their own money to fill in the gaps. We would love to get donations from wealthy schools so we don't have to buy these items ourselves. That might be a suggestion so that parents won't have their feelings hurt. Do it anonymously if you are worried about parents being pissed off.

I think you’ve missed the point of the post entirely. You’re suggesting that a wealthier school ask, yet again, for a donation of something else - school supplies - to be donated to another school OR maybe your last sentence means to ask for the donation but don’t tell the parents it’s for another school. Wealthy school or not, asking and asking and asking for donations is out of hand.