School production - auction for best seats

[rubeeeee]

Primary school is doing first whole school production in years. Everyone is so exicted. They have already said tickets will sell out and be limited. Email has just come out allowing people to bid for up to 32 seats in the front two rows by putting in their best offer. Normal tickets not out until end of the month.

For some reason this really doesn't sit right with me. It means parents with money will get a) the best seats and b) get to buy earlier than everyone else.

Am I overthinking this? The kids are all so excited and it just seems really unfair to those on lower incomes who are struggling. It's not a fun day or fundraiser, it is their DC's performance so should be equitable? Maybe it's a normal thing to do to raise money?

I've never heard of this, but actually I think it's not a bad idea. The thing is that someone has to have the best seats - you say it should be "equitable" but there's no obvious fair way of allocating them. At least this way the kids will benefit (I assume the money raised will be spent on something the school needs).

I think it is absolutely wrong to charge parents to see a school performance.
To have an auction for front row seats is just privileging the already privileged.

First come first served?

I think it’s a horrible idea. Even if I could justify bidding I wouldn’t, I would however email the school to point out the inequality and blatant advantage given to the more privileged in the school community.

Front seats should go to the PTA. This would be an incentive to get more to get involved.

Totally dislike this idea of bidding for seats. It becomes about who has the most money. That's not equitable.

Oft. Terrible idea.

That’s not fair either, though, as it benefits people who have the time and lack of other commitments (work, childcare etc) to queue.

Lottery would be a fairer way.

But schools need the money, and I suppose this is one way of fundraising.

There are other ways to fundraise for eg the PTA silent auction going ahead next month. But putting a premium on the children's performance is not right.

Whole school production! So year 6 kids have the same parts as the receptions. Not a chance! Too many kids even in a small school. Most of the kids will be sat down barely singing. Only a few kids will be involved with actual parts. The plays should be just for the year group to gone as many kids involvement as possible,

Someone has to sit in the front, why not let the school make a bit of money from it? When schools can’t afford colour photocopying and teachers buy their own stationery, they need to do everything they can to raise funds. Be grateful there’s people able and willing to support the school this way.

Yup I think it’s unfair also. Should just be a ballot or a raffle on those seats in my opinion.

Totally wrong, even though I know most schools are struggling with their budgets.
It would be fairer to let smaller parents have the front rows (from experience of sitting in the 2nd row and then some six foot something bloke sits in the front row and totally blocks my view).
School halls are nearly always level, unlike cinemas and theatres.

That's probably why it's being put to auction - to avoid the PTA expecting to be at the front as though they're VIPs.

But you know the PTA won’t be able to use them, they’re the ones setting up the drinks/raffle/tea and coffee stall for interval, poking their heads in the back door of the school hall when it’s their own kids turn to perform, then back to setting up or cleaning up… (speaks from bitter experience!)

These threads make me laugh, honestly. So many people dreaming up an idea of why it should be them who has the best seats not someone else! Maybe it should be tall people so they get a bit of extra legroom in the front row?

The piece of info that’s being forgotten here is how many other seats there are and whether there’s a massive difference. ie what happens if you don’t have one? If there are 300 seats and most are good enough then that’s fine to auction them off. If there are 150 and the others are restricted then it’s not. And please don’t give them to the PTA, many of them are self important and sanctimonious enough as it is. As are the parents of kids with lead roles.

The way around this is for the school to pick a handful of roles they want filling next year and offer the seats out if you agree to fill one. Not just PTA roles. Reading helper? Accompanying kids on trips? Treasurer for PTA? Careers presentation? Then it’s not based on money it’s just giving up a bit of time to help out.

Many schools must poverty proof now.

It tends to be an LA initiative but there no reason why a school can't make this decision themselves.

I'd be emailing the head and potentially the governors to point out that whilst they may not be officially poverty proofed, this is not a fair pressure to put on parent. Especially if their children have main parts.

blog.optimus-education.com/have-you-poverty-proofed-your-school

I teach in the NE which has a much higher rate of poverty compared to the rest of the country, so this is common place in schools now.

@WarriorN thank you that’s incredibly helpful

It does mean less money can be raised for schools in poorer areas.

We have to ask for a voluntary donation for show tickets.

Most things, bar residentials, that cost parents money, are voluntary. Even those can be subsidised for parents who are really struggling.

Poverty proofing aside, I'm pretty shocked that anyone in a school came up with that idea. It's either first given / first bought if chairs are numbered or first arrivals on the day.

This wouldn't sit right with me at all and I would have to rasie this. If they want to raise money (and can totally understand why they do), perhaps a raffle draw - normal tickets £3 - pay an extra £2 to be in with a chance of front row seats for example. Most people would be able to offer the extra couple of pound if it was important to them without Jonny Big Balls of class two chucking £100 at the school just because he can.

I don’t like this idea. Reminds me of fast track tickets at theme parks.

This is terrible! If anything, they could draw names from a hat for the best seats. At least everyone would get the same chance. All this does is sow the idea between the children that if they're not well off, their own school doesn't think they're worth much. Truly awful.

Well all these threads from private school parents sending there kids to state now have a way to spend there cash .

I jest.. tbh . Ime it’s the same people who get front row so it’s never really fair . However I doubt been at the front makes much difference . I would rather be a few rows back than at the end of front row

Brilliant. Saves the first people saving every seat next to them for late arrival grannies etc. is this free? No my mums sitting there (numerous coats and jumpers spread out). Last minute nan, grandad, best friend etc swan in and head to the front.

I think the front rows is a good idea. I mean two rows doesn't really make a lot of difference, so it's actually just about fundraising rather than restricting access to the 'good' seats. Those who would otherwise manage to get the front row (first come, first served is hardly any fairer, as pp's have pointed out it depends on parental commitments etc) will just get the third row.

I'm not really sure how it's inconsistent with poverty proofing - quite the opposite in fact it's solely targeted at a minority of parents but it's not visible who those parents are/not, there's no shame for those who don't bid because bids are hidden so it's not known who didn't bid Vs who was just off winning a bid. And there's an option available for those who can't afford the auction tickets. In so doing it raises funds which can benefit all students. A much better idea than e.g. charity non- uniform days where everyone is under pressure to participate.

The only issue I'd have is that tickets should be allocated to allow every child one or two - or whatever the seat limit allows. If people are allowed to buy more tickets through this method and it prevents some children from having someone in the audience, that's not ok.