Why do PTA parents get to reserve the best friffing seats at the school plays HMMMM?

[BaublesAndCuntingCarolSingers]

Seriously, pack it in.

I know you do good for the school yadda yadda but it DOES rather cheese one orf when one has being waiting for 30 minutes outside school to get a decent seat and then one finds that PTA wimmin have reserved all the good seats for them and their DHs/children's siblings. Then said PTA wimmin waft in 2 minutes before the performance starts.

You want a good seat then put the work in, m'kay? Kfanx. xxx

I don't have spare time to volunteer for the PTA. But sometimes I inconvenience myself by doing so anyway, as my way of showing commitment to the school.

There are some very stupid anti-PTA posts on here. Some people just don't think beyond the narrow limits of their own minds.

FWIW our PTA doesn't do school play organising, and doesn't get special seating either. In fact, the only reward we get for all our year-round bloody hard work is a thankyou and the satisfaction of seeing good results. Which is fine, because that's what we work for.

you're v quick to dismiss others opinions,and assert small mind at work
see you use the PTA we,so I think you're huffy we all don't heap praise on PTA
you're in no way objective,in fact you're biased PTA mammy sounding off how others don't care, but you,yes you do

Scotmum you need to read properly. I emphasised my in italics to indicate that that was my choice while others make different contributions.

Secondly, I'm not on the PTA at all, but said 'we' because I sometimes help out. No point in saying 'they', is there?

Stop making up stories about people and relying on your imagination. Look for facts instead. You just make yourself look like a damned eejit when you post that way.

you're all over the shop,positively bristling with indignation
the we is that your PTA we,despite you now clarifying you're not in PTA?
re-read your post,the we,the it's thankless,the we(PTA) are under appreciated

Who cares if they work on the play or not? If you don't like it, get more involved and join the PTA.

Parents like you really hack me off. You hate us for 'interfering' and helping out, but won't lift a bloody finger yourselves.

Always gunning for a fight, aren'tya? You are She Who Is Never Wrong.

the only reward we get.you're inferring you're in PTA throughout the post
only when pushed you clarify you're not PTA, actually yes should have said they
we is indicative of you being PTA member,they indicative of others being PTA.big difference

get it right I've never said PTA interfere,nor do i hate them
the demands are irksome.and yes I not participate on stall.never have never will
I donate, I attend,I spend,that's my contribution

But without the events there would be nothing to contribute to, would there,SM? And without the people willing to spend money, there would be no profit made at the event.

I think we've moved off the OP a little bit, however IMHO it's not unreasonable for someone who is going in and giving time to help prepare for a school Xmas show to bag a seat. For themselves and one other.....not hoards of others.

Some posters here have said they would rather just donate money and that's fine but the reality is that people don't donate or give anything to the school unless events run. This requires volunteers to make the events happen. The last event I helped at last week raised just over £300 for the school and was well attended by parents who donated say £1:50 for hot chocolate and a slice of Christmas cake. This would not have just been donated....it needed the CHristmas Coffee morning...and it was fun.

I agree with JakeBullet.

Our PTA died when the committee retired as their DC moved on to secondary school. The HT set up a fund, but never received a single donation, which left a £10k hole that was previously filled by PTA fundraising - so, to all those suggesting a £20pa donation or whatever, it simply doesn't work.

Also, it does take a lot of events out of the school calendar that your children probably enjoy.

I suppose that where some people see officious busybodies, martyrs, brown nosers etc others with a rather more 'glass half full' attitude to life would see people (who have probably had their arms twisted to get involved in the first place) getting on and doing a job that few others have the time or inclination to do, largely because it appears to be valued by the school and provides events that the children enjoy; they tend to only take the martyr's view when challenged about their efforts or motives.

People dont just donate money though do they despite the huffing and puffing. And actually at the risk of sounding pious its not about the money - our motivation is to raise funds but also to run events that the children (and families) really enjoy. We have pared it right down to events that we have had good feedback from parents in the past. I have really fond memories of Christmas/summer fairs as a child I think it would be a shame if all those went. No adult really enjoys Christmas fairs (shudders at memory of last Thursday!) but hey the DC had a ball and we raised £3k for the school so its worth it. My 5 year old still talks about the Book at Bedtime thing we did last year. I struggle to believe that all the naysayers genuinely dont want these events to go ahead. No martyrs or hairflicking here - I am helping out this year so when I get a job in September I can do nothing and can sit back and complain cant wait!

Heh heh!

Goodness, this thread has taken a turn for the worse since last night. What a lot of angst about some manky auld cakes/raffle stalls, eh?

See what you have done now Buppers. You can have some opened perfume from the bottle tombola for your trouble.

Awww do you mean it, Sparkling?!

I was really after an Impulse gift set :(

Ooh there's a half used Charlie body spray

I detest the combination of martyrdom and smugness that emanates from the PTA at DD1's school. I too would vastly prefer to write a termly cheque to the school, rather than having to stand in queues for cake-sales etc - in fact I said this out loud, once, while standing in such a queue, and people edged away looking appalled.

My observation of our PTA is that it's all about so much more than the money. It's about imposing a particular, narrow-minded view of how things should be done, and about a small group of under-occupied women getting to exert a bit of control. All this would be fine - annoying, but fine - if the money was benefiting the school. But it isn't! The PTA is sitting on a massive amount of unspent money, because (according to the minutes of the meetings that always happen mid-afternoon), they can't agree on how it should be spent! The minutes record that the head regularly asks for money for specific things, and the PTA says no! I'm amazed at that, and that's what suggests to me that the PTA committee are on a power-trip. Nasty.

kerala could you elaborate on the Book at Bedtime event? Sounds lovely!
officious busybody now runs away from thread

Thats shocking owlbabies. The money we raise is spent usually within 6 weeks we wrote a cheque for £15k last month to buy the school some amazing new kit. Our meetings are always in the evening as most of our members work and we vary the evening so doesnt clash with stuff people have going on.

Owlbabies, wow, that's appalling. No way the PTA should be sitting on funds. I'd be asking some very searching questions if I was at your child's school.

Heads do have to ask the PTA for PTA money - that's all sensible and correct. But for them to turn down everything and hang onto the money... that's mad and arguably not a proper use of charitable funds (assuming your PTA is a charity).

Ah I'm glad to hear it's not the usual way of doing things - I thought it probably wasn't! PTA is a charity. I do keep meaning to ask questions about it. Problem is, questioning the way things are done now begs the question back to me of why I don 't get more involved - and I would really struggle, because of other complicated commitments. I just think it isn't too much to ask that the people who so ostentatiously put efforts into doing all this stuff also hand over the money to the school!

I think you have every right to ask what on earth they are doing, sitting on the money, especially as these are donations given by parents (including you, presumably) for the benefit of the children at the school. Not to sit in the PTA bank account until further notice.

Blindly! Our pta is asked by the ht or teachers each meeting if they have any requests, and we almost always grant them! How bizarre.

The pta at my childs old school were so friendly with the teachers that the teachers used to tell them personal things about other pupils or parents problems.

I dont think that should be allowed. No matter how much they help to raise ie ( stand in the playground and look down their nose at people and then look money off them for some brain wave they thought up.