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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that the PTA is voluntary?

277 replies

malificent7 · 30/11/2016 06:43

I used to help the pta as and when i could with the Christmas fare etc.

Then i got more work so i had to stop. I will nog forget one of the PTA have a moan at me in the playground that some mhms were not pulling their wieght as they were not in the PTA. When i said id love to help but couldnt she said "we are all in the same boat" She didnt work.

Aibu to think that if you volunteer you shouldnt moan about people not volunteering for whatever reason!?

Voluntary means just that!

OP posts:
KERALA1 · 30/11/2016 14:25

Wookie that pyramid scheme being peddled by PTA is shocking.

Our school has suffered for its success, intake up, catchment shrunk, deprived area no longer in catchment, drastic budget cut.

Our PTA is run incredibly professionally by an ex senior corporate manager on a career break. You really notice the difference. Everyone is valued and thanked etc. Evening short meetings. You can't tar all PTAs am sure there are some crap ones but some are very good.

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 14:25

Oh... forgot
Do terra
Arbonne

NoSquirrels · 30/11/2016 14:25

Well, really, Wookie, I was only trying to do you a favour!

Grin
MyschoolMyrules · 30/11/2016 14:26

So Wookie, you would expect to just turn up at meetings, tell the PTA what they are doing wrong, boss them about how to do it right, walk out, not help at events that were your ideas, and they would say ahhh thank you so much for your help... Really? Do you not see why you are wrong? Hmm

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 14:29

Of course not myschool but as you have misread me entirely and surmised I am wrong already on the back of that last post, then You can see what I mean by raising new and different ideas and how they are not well received. By some (admittedly not all) pta's. Wink

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 14:30

And I have readily admitted in previous posts that I am not the comittee type. I have not denied or hidden that fact.

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 14:31

And where in the almighty funk, did I mention not helping at evemts that were my ideas? Hmm

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 14:31

Events

SellFridges · 30/11/2016 15:16

Ours has just relaunched. They obviously had some feedback around meeting times (always in the school day) so have helpfully scheduled the next one for the evening so more people can attend. It's at 5:30pm. Which is not the evening as far as I am concerned!

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 15:30

Haha sellfridges no, not really! Grin

RichardBucket · 30/11/2016 15:40

No, because my pta are snooty and self important. They love doing it and feeling relevant.

That describes an awful lot of people in these volunteering situations. They like to moan so everybody knows how generous and saintly they are by volunteering, but they would be really upset if more people actually did volunteer and take some of the workload.

KERALA1 · 30/11/2016 15:45

Yes shifting tables and clearing up after Christmas fairs inc taking all the rubbish to the schools recycling area is my dream gig. I would fight anyone trying to prevent me taking on these plum roles Hmm. I get all my self worth from doing shit jobs like this.

GreatPointIAgreeWithYouTotally · 30/11/2016 17:20

If schools need better funding let's pay it through the proper channel of taxation. That way people who can afford it pay more, and hard pressed families aren't press ganged into donating to PTA so that they don't have to tell their kids they can't afford to bake/buy cakes or other junk and heat the house/eat properly that week.

Under this system the naice middle class schools with expensive catchments will prosper whilst the kids in most need of enrichment activities are less likely to benefit.

Our council spends fortunes on stupid shit like planting annuals all over the town, hanging baskets, fireworks, Christmas lights bah humbug but we can't fund schools, elderly care and libraries.

Seriously, if schools need propping up to the tune of several thousands a year the PTAs should stop tombolaing and join together to start lobbying as a political force.

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 17:37

great think you may be onto something there! Wink

HeCantBeSerious · 30/11/2016 17:52

Our school sits in an odd position. It's on an ex-council estate but being Welsh medium draws children from middle class estates and villages further out. The local English medium schools (on the same estate) has 30+% free school meals. In theory we should have a similar proportion. We don't. Just 6%. Hard to believe that our school is so different to the others. As a result they get new buildings, playgrounds etc and we get nothing. There's no outdoor shelter even. Because the formula underfunds.

There are a fairly high number of parents that don't work, and many on average incomes or lower. And then dentists and recruitment consultants and teachers etc.

School loses out

Parker231 · 30/11/2016 18:08

DH and I couldn't join the PTA as the meetings were always held before we got home from work. We often said we would happy to be involved but we both worked full time and couldn't be a 6.30pm meeting.

HeCantBeSerious · 30/11/2016 18:11

We did a parent survey last year, and following feedback arranged meetings at different times. Was still the same 5 people that turned up. Not one other oerson came even when we'd chosen times they could apparently make.

melj1213 · 30/11/2016 18:17

They like to moan so everybody knows how generous and saintly they are by volunteering, but they would be really upset if more people actually did volunteer and take some of the workload.

Trust me, most volunteer groups would give their left arms to get more, regular, available, reliable volunteers but can't, mostly because volunteers come and join a group and then want to pick and choose the actual help they want to give rather than what is needed.

If we need people to volunteer for the school fair, we need people to do the "shit" jobs as well as the "good" ones ... and if you only want to do the good jobs, then why should you automatically be given them? Especially over someone who has most probably, on past occasions, been the one left doing the crappy jobs because nobody else wants to and still turned up and did the job they were asked?

And if you get to the fair and only want to sit on a stall and not do any of the cleaning up, then really the PTA aren't losing anything because they already had someone to cobver the job you want to do, and they are still in need of someone to clean up. If nobody else is willing to do it, they're going to end up doing that job too, anyway.

Yes shifting tables and clearing up after Christmas fairs inc taking all the rubbish to the schools recycling area is my dream gig. I would fight anyone trying to prevent me taking on these plum roles hmm. I get all my self worth from doing shit jobs like this.

This attitude is a shining example of what I just said in reply to Richard ... shifting tables, recycling and cleaning is nobody's dream gig but it still needs to be done the same as sitting on a stall, running the ticket desk, selling raffle tickets if a successful event is to be run. Somebody is going to have to do the set up and clean down, and if you're willing to do the other jobs, why do you feel you're above doing the shitty ones?

Scrumptiousbears · 30/11/2016 18:19

My kids aren't old enough yet.

Do PTA only happen in schools or nursery as well?

SheldonCRules · 30/11/2016 18:49

It's always the same parents at ours. Lots want this or that but want somebody else to do all the work.

As another poster has said, there are 168 hours in the week. No excuse really to not help out. Plenty are happy to take the benefits for their children though.

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 18:49

Run scrumptious, like your life depends on it. because it does 😂

needsahalo · 30/11/2016 18:52

Tbh it just does get frustrating when literally hundreds of parents tell you they are too busy to volunteer. Yes obviously some just are but when everyone expects events to go ahead

Yes, personally too busy. Not bothered about events. Would be happy to donate £100 per year, per child,mid there were no longer an expectation that I pull cakes out of the bag with 12 hours notice.m

Cucumber5 · 30/11/2016 18:57

It's fine for parents to help or not help. What ever suits. What isn't kind is putting down people who give their time to raise funds for your child's education.

AnnPerkins · 30/11/2016 19:08

Please please, can schools just ask for a cheque at the beginning of each year instead? grin (dont hate me!)

Wookie following a survey our PTA offered this option last year.

Guess who were the only ones to pay up Hmm

Wookiecookies · 30/11/2016 19:11

Interesting, Did you make it clear that there would be no further events/cake sales etc and that the money would go to the school not through the pta?