PTA

[HiyaWishey]

I joined the PTA when DC started a new school last September. During the first meeting, subcommittees were being arranged. A chair of the subcommittee for a particular fundraising event was needed; so after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, I raised my hand and volunteered myself on the basis that I have been to many similar events, but did state "I have never done anything like this before."

The event is now less than a month away. Some deposits have been paid but not all. The fliers have gone out, the event is advertised as having a casino where only 'play money' is used. However the ethics of the PTA have been called into question by the school governors as gambling is not something the school wishes to promote.

The other members of the subcomittee have gone very quiet. My messages aren't being answered. The chair of the PTA actually hasn't responded. I've been a parent of the school for a matter of months, the event is next month and I feel totally out of my depth.

AIBU to wish I had just stayed quiet in that initial meeting and not tried to help?

I haven't voted as that isn't going to help.
You can wish you hadn't volunteered or not, but you did.
The question is what you are going to do next.

I've organised one of these evenings - to me it is a similar level to playing cards or playing any board game, which is reliant on the throw of a dice. Yes, throwing dice is bringing 'chance' in to a game. For me though, gambling is where you risk losing money. You don't on a casino night, your ticket gets you in and then it is all points.

What you need to do is speak directly to the Chair of the PTA and discuss how you are going to proceed.

Cancel it due to lack of support

Well you are where you are now.

In these circumstances I would send a message to the chair of the PTA along the lines of 'as the ethics have been called into question I guess we will have to cancel unless I hear back from you otherwise'

They are crap for going quiet.

You need to message the head of the PTA and put the ball back in their court with a very blunt message along the lines of:

"xxx deposits have been paid and xxx are outstanding, if all of the deposits are not received by 20th January (or whatever date you need them by) then the event will need to be cancelled due to lack of interest. Can you send out a reminder to all parents by 14th January advising them of this. I also need help with and if I do not have enough volunteers by then I will not be able to proceed with the event."

Once the event is either cancelled or over and done with, resign! The PTA is more hassle than it's worth, usually populated by cheeky fuckers looking for maximum credit in return for very little work.

Never volunteer for anything like this.

Yep cancel and return the deposits. Not worth the ball ache. The chair of the pta is ultimately responsible so email/ call request a meeting, but i think the message from the governors is clear. Cancel and organise something else at another time.

PTAs are full of people with strong opinions who do fuck all to actually help!

I was secretary at dd's primary school. I was approached by her secondary, i politely declined ran like the wind

When you say they've all gone quiet, what are you asking them? Surely at this point the event is organised, you know why you're offering and it's all booked etc. So an email needs to go out for outstanding deposits to be paid

I'm also a bit confused bout what deposits have been paid. Do you mean you have paid a deposit for the people that run the evening / for the bar ?
Or do you mean people have paid a deposit to you for something ?

How many tickets have you sold ?

First of all, unless the Governors have a policy on this, it’s NONE of their business!!! It’s the business of the PTA who are completely separate.

In the circumstances, pull out. Refund any money. Many schools have race night and it’s no big deal. Just a fund raiser. If they need money, they can put their hands in their pockets without any fun element. I assume this was an event for parents who are adults? I would step back and let someone else on the PTA get more involved.

The chair should have said it wasn’t suitable. The Governors are overstepping by their remit. It doesn’t cover the PTA.

I forgot to say that sadly you now know why no one else volunteered. It’s a poison chalice.