to think the school prize draw shouldn't be fixed like this?

[anklebitersmum]

Watched the FOS posse drawing out the tickets, reading the names and then putting them back on more than one occasion. Not only that but they were discussing who got what. No set list from what I gathered, just oooh she can have this/that. Providing they got past being put back in the bucket that is

I have tried to reconcile what I witnessed but there really is no plausible excuse for what they were doing as far as I can see and now I'm torn as regards drawing attention to it versus the damage it could do as regards fundraising.. WWYD?

Why don't you join the FOS and take an active part in organising and managing the events instead of complaining about it.

Of course it sounds wrong but after so many years of being on PTAs I get a bit sick of hearing people complain about things, yet not bothering to get involved themselves .

YANBU, that's a disgrace. The draw should be done in public maybe by one of the kids with everyone watching.

Depending on what was meant by "prize draw", they may be breaking the law by doing that. If so, it is obviously a serious matter.

ragwort I would join and have done at previous schools..however seeing this behaviour has put me right off..why would I want to associate myself with fakes?

I've seen this done a cub draw. People who were there for the draw got to choose what they wanted from the table (usual raffle procedure afaik). If the winner wasn't there then something was chosen for them. If a person had already won, either they or someone on their behalf would say draw it again.

Didn't seem odd to me.

Was the draw made in public and not many turned up, or was it behind closed doors?

Edith everyone had bought tickets..sent them home with the kids and local companies donate too..it's a big fundraiser, hence my reticence to go to the headmaster

So ..... unless you're actively involved in the PTA you waive your right to a bit of honesty ? That's ridiculous.

Presumably, many more tickets were sold to non-PTA people than actual PTA people .... i.e. that group would have therefore contributed most money to the draw. And they'd have paid in good faith ... that their names would be put in a hat and pulled out at random. Can't see many people paying up if they'd been told beforehand that their winning ticket might be put back if, presumably, their name "didn't fit" !

I'm sure the remit of most PTAs doesn't include the "right" to fix prizes for your mates, your family or whoever.

Ok, so draw was in public, off to a flank from main event. People were handed their prize, if they won, after the FOS had decided what they were getting. Didn't seem to be an order, ie 1st, 2nd in value..just whatever they deemed appropriate and then another FOS went and found said winner where possible.

Thing is, why put tickets back? If they were theirs then why not just make a donation and avoid the 'it's mine' issue in the first place?

I am getting the impression that I am in the moral minority here and might regret this thread

Cats IME, being part of the PTA is more likely to mean your ticket gets put back than you get prizes you weren't entitled to.

Was this at a school event OP? I was a bit uneasy at a Christmas Show a few years ago, when they just announced the winners in the interval.

Not very uneasy, as I had won a bottle of wine, but it didn't seem right to draw the prizewinners without some independant witnesses.

The PTA buy the tickets because their DC want to "sell" them just as much as everyone else's

I get that Condover but regardless of DC selling them to you, if you're setting up the draw and you don't want to be in with any chance then you just don't put your tickets in the bucket surely?

Besides if you buy you should be in...just have someone impartial pulling out and a 1-20 list of prizes that's followed religiously. Not hard to see fair play done if you want to.

Ah, now that would be wrong if all the tickets aren't in the draw

I've never seen a raffle where prizes are listed 1-20, it's first come first served, at the choice of the winner, at every charity event I've ever been to.

Putting it back is the same thing as just donating surely?

What's FOS

Very funny Condover..get your point but the fact is, it wasn't independently monitored, it wasn't winners choice and I'm sorry but the way it was done was just flippin dodgy.
If you pull out FOS1's ticket and FOS1 says "pick someone else" then fine but if FOS are going to allocate prizes there should be a list/method of prize dispersal above and beyond "what shall we give Freda?" and they should be seen to be above reproach

besides I know one put back wasn't FOS

In that case it does sound a bit dodgy and you should make your feelings felt, but only if you're prepared to do it better next year.

I's perfectly OK for a winner to renounce their prize and invite the organisers to draw again (and as noted above there are events where social pressure means this is the norm).

But it is wrong for anyone other than the holder of the winning ticket to make that decision.

And indeed illegal to fix a raffle: all tickets must stand an equal chance of winning.

^^

Please

sorry Exitpursuedbyabear FOS is Friend of School

I would say something, what are they doing with school funds behind closed doors if this is what they do in public

Ta
I agree, it is not right. We sometimes allocate presents to tickets if there is no one around to collect it - usually at the Christmas Fair when each stall holder donates a prize, but we always get other people to pick the tickets.

Not sure the best way to go about it though - I am of the join em and change em brigade.

Pardon me but waht is FOS?

They shouldn't be doing this (speaking as PTA chair). At ours, we have a set first/second/third, then people get to chose from the table. If they aren't there, we choose them something, because inevitably someone there knows them and can pick something for them.

That said, I ended up putting a ticket aside and drawing again this year, but that was beause it had no name on and no-one claimed the number!