I haven't meant to insult anyone. Honestly, apologies if I have.
I know this thread has moved on now so I am going to say really simply
- I don't object to PTA type activities, or the people who do them, per se (but more on this later).
- I do object to anyone (whether they are doing PTA things themselves, or not, but it is usually those who are I think) who imply that those who don't do those things, should. Many on this thread have said "Oh we don't mean you, but lots of people don't get involved but could and they jolly well should". I don't think anyone ever has the right to make that judgement. this is the one point that no one is getting. you don't get to decide what is a worthwhile use of anyone else's time
- going about hassling people for their time is something that primarily happens to women and the way it tends to be enforced is deeply sexist
- I have doubts about the absolute value of these things beyond the enjoyment of those who voluntarily take part - and it is not childish or silly to have these doubts, when asked for my time, it is only like asking "what for?" when asked to write a cheque. Given that a lot of people who do do these things are saying, on this thread, they don't enjoy them, then I have doubts about their value, full stop.
- Even if we do accept that this sort of activity is ultimately a Good Thing, there are significant barriers to entry; even identifying these is perceived as the sort of criticism that marks you out as a Bad Lot on this thread. however, this is a thing, read about it, it is a Thing and there are things you can do about it
- Finally, I do have misgivings about the privitisation of responsibility in this way. I also actually have come to the conclusion that the relative inefficiency of these events is actually sort of wired into them, because it is about a sort of political elevation of work for its own sake. There is a sense that we don't deserve anything, even education for our children, unless we have worked for it as individuals, ridiculously hard, even if our labour has actually added little of value; it is about seeing ourselves as people who should be grateful; people who shouldn't have time to do anything but work. It is sort of related to the kind of glee that some people have about austerity, a kind of embracing of punishment, especially for other people, and kind of superstitious insurance, an idea that you can put yourself in the winning camp (and by george, there will be losers) by working, working, working.
we do still have tax-funded state schools but I see this sort of activity as connected to a sort of tory endgame of everything being run by unregulated committees and volunteers, some richer and more successful than others, and the devil take the hindmost. And if / when that happens then like everyone else I will have to put the work in or let children go untaught; but I do not gleefully embrace the thin end of this horrible wedge.
- also what about our own educations? As adults many of us work (paid or not) in repetitive and demanding and unsatisfying environments. Our own continuing education, if it is to take place at all, will take place in our leisure time. This sort of pressure on leisure time and, by extension education, for adults, is part of the notion of education as training, a utilitarian sausage factory that turns children into workers and has no other relevance and no relevance for adults. I resist this notion of what education is and thus I guard my own leisure for me, and for its own sake, and partly in the service of helping me be the fullest person and thus greatest parent I can be.
- not everything is about business. Making everything businessy is a direct and deliberate assault on the survival of other values. Taking this mindset directly into schools and implying that parents of school age children must live by these values or be unfit, is a direct assault on even a potential future for other values, by poisoning the well in the next generation
I do not expect many of you to understand the last 3 points but none of this (and very little of what I have posted so far) contains insults or big words. If you want to read it and understand it you will