To think the hassle is not worth staying on the PTA

[Raspberryberetthekindyoufind]

School have not had a PTA for years as the last head got rid of it (long story) anyway this year my DS started at the school and they sent a letter out asking for parents to join the PTA and help set it up from scratch. I said I would be interested
It’s been running for about four months now and there is only myself and 2 other mums volunteered for it.
Our first even is a summer fair after sports day.
We have advertised this in four school newsletters that go home with the kids every week.
A flyer giving an idea of what will be going on was sent home a month ago and then 2 weeks ago
The kids have also done posters that have been put up around the school, on every classroom door and a big poster on reception.

I have had parents coming up to me demanding to know why the school fair has not been advertised along with sports day as they can’t get time off work
When I told them all the ways it has been advertised I have been told “well I still didn’t know” or “I don’t look at the newsletter” etc etc
3 mums are not speaking to me or the other PTA mums and I heard one of them call me a “clever cow who it sucking up” and “PTA think they run the bloody School”.
I actually challenged one of the mums to join the PTA if we have done so much wrong to be told “would not been seen dead on the PTA”
I am seriously thinking of jacking it all in after the fair as no doubt parents with what with what we have done.
The thing is the school can get so much more extra funding with a PTA and we can apply for things the head and other teachers don’t have the time for.
Just don’t know if it’s worth the hassle. Has anyone else experienced this type of thing

Sorry should have been
Some parents will find fault with what we have done

Also- it was advertised on the school website (missed that one out)

Why not just apply for funding etc and knock the 'events' on the head?

Raspberry when you're doing something like a PTA it's really important, for your own sanity, to remember that the parents who complain up are not the majority, they're just the ones being loud. YANBU to jack it in for any reason - it's voluntary. But please don't let the few entitled moaners make you think that's all there is to it. What you do will be important for a lot of parents who don't think to tell you so and, much more than that, for lots of kids who will enjoy the fruits of all your hard work.

The PTA at my DC school is really appreciated and it's awful that a few parents have taken against yours.

I'm not surprised you're considering leaving and I think your plan to decide after the fair is err very fair (sorry!). Those parents sound like ones best avoided but I can appreciate you'd rather not be dealing with their pettiness. Hopefully parents that do come to the fair will enjoy it and will provide some balance to the sniping you've had.

I wish you the very best - organising these events is hard work, though rewarding in many ways. One really odd thing I found was that the moaners, who criticised every last thing but never helped at all, were often the ones who spent the most at the actual event !

I know the other mums are getting grief as well. This new head has come in and really shaken things up. The school has gone from a satisfactory to a good school.
I get the feeling the old head didn’t care about kids being late all the time or correct uniform etc and I believe the bullying was terrible.

I have been told certain parents got away with anything with the old head as she did anything for a quiet life. Whereas this new head takes no bullshit

Is the HT part of the PTA? I know they have little time, but it might be useful in the beginning.

God they sound awful. There is an issue with some people thinking volunteer organisations should be run like a luxury all inclusive holiday resort. Nothing should be too much trouble for the volunteers giving up their time for the CF's kids.

As PP have said these idiots are probably a tiny minority.

There's some ridiculous reverse snobbery against the PTA, but only by a few idiots who like to think they are better than anyone else. I am not sure what they are basing their smirk on, PTA members being parents and around her professionals like anyone else.

It's easier to criticise than actually doing something, just ignore the haters, you are doing something for the kids and your school, it's very commendable.

What's the point of any PTA?

They generally just put on a few scabby cake sales and attempt to guilt trip working parents into running the tombola stall?

All to earn the school a grand total of £13.53 at the end of the year.

suggest to the Head that they do a regular text message update for things like this. They may say no but our school did it and it was so useful.

One text a couple of weeks or so before the event and another a few days before.

Our PTA paid for a new climbing frame, the whole school to go to the seaside, and a theatre company to come in just in this year, actually, goadypants.

It can feel thankless, OP, but you just have to enjoy the teamwork and the sense of satisfaction. The moaners can just bog off.

SandyFagina

I'm not on the PTA but at DS's school they've run nice events which the kids enjoy. They usually raise a few thousand quid too. (OK not a huge amount but often the money is spent on "fun" stuff like playground equipment wouldn't otherwise have). They're also useful for parents to get issues raise with the school without actually having to go in yourself.

sandy our PTA has kitted out a new library, paid for leavers tshirts and new sports kit for the football team this year - without a scabby cake in sight!
We are a new PTA as well and while there aren’t many people on the committee we do have helpers and also the thing that I think has made a HUGE difference is our relationship with The Head. She always thanks us both publicly and privately and makes sure everyone knows what we do.
I’m sorry you are being treated like this OP and see why yiu would want to quit but remember there will be a new set of ( hopefully keen) parents arriving in September!

@SandyFagina

Take it you don't bother to make cakes for the scabby cake sale then. Maybe if everyone has that attitude that's why they're rubbish. Why not actually do something positive.

Most PTA's raise lots of funds that are spent throughout the school to enrich al the pupils time.

My DS school (400 pupils) used to raise about £10,000 a year all through bloody hard work.

OP anyone who volunteers and organises things gets this. I have volunteered organising things for years so have lots of experience of this. And it is always people who would never do anything to help.
If you do PTA or anything similar you have to remember that there are some people who are just shit and will complain to anyone who does anything. They will be the same people complaining to school about petty things. I don't blame you at all if you quit. But if you continue understand this comes with the territory.

Also anyone I know who runs things voluntary for kids says the hardest bit is dealing with the parents.

sandyfagina, if it weren't for our PTA the school wouldn't have any computers or an outdoor area for the foundation stage.

Our PTA runs discos, Xmas events, Easter Egg hunts, leavers events, new starter events, uniform sales and a host of other things. Theyve kitted out the infants playground the new equipment, funded the library, provided IT resources, updated the school ktichen for the kids to do cooking.

The PTA can add huge amounts of value, and dismissing their efforts as "scabby cake sales" is insulting.

However, i think the OP should absolutely quite the PTA as in her case it just isn't worth it.

The head is on the PTA. I will se what comes at the fair and take it from there i think.

The Head really has been the key for us.
She has also appointed 1 teacher to be our liaison. Another thing we have done is get Tshirts so we are very visible.
One of us gave a very short talk at New Parents evening next week and we then mingled and chatted to lots of parents and answered questions about the school ( from a parents angle not just PTA stuff). We have Found that the more high profile we are without asking for anything the more people are happy to engage with us. When possible we go to things we aren’t involved with and help with crowd control etc
We are also getting a mention at the Leavers assembly for paying for the tshirts
Too may people (scabby cakes!!??) have no idea what The PTA does or how much work goes in so a lot of self promotion is needed