To think class parents need to do more?

[annoyedatotherparents]

Probably will get told that people have their own lives, everyone's busy, etc etc.

But am seriously annoyed today. I've done two years of being a class rep at my DS's school. Primary aged kids, but pretty minimal work - organising vouchers for teachers at Christmas, occasional presents for class mums who've had babies, organising volunteer rotas for two fairs a year (Xmas and summer). The kids are getting older so there's minimal reminders needed and everyone knows everyone else now so fewer social things - people just hang out in the groups they like. So all pretty easy.

I asked around today as the usual pattern is for people to do two years as class rep then hand over to someone else. The class WhatsApp was totally silent...tumbleweed. Everyone appears to be utilising the Mumsnet maxim of no being a complete sentence. However....this will mean I end up getting saddled with it all again. And I have 3DC and a full time job. There are plenty of mums in the class with one child and no job. (Rich enough husbands to not need to work).

I guess my AIBU is - would I BU to just tell everyone I'm drawing names out of a hat? The competitive busyness thing is ridiculous and I'm sure everyone will have a tantrum if I do that but the alternative is me just putting up with it and that will drive me mad!

As others have said just stand down, tell everyone on WhatsApp that you're no longer rep. You don't need to carry it on or find a replacement.

We don't have any class reps at our school and things go along just fine.

''organising vouchers for teachers at Christmas, occasional presents for class mums who've had babies, organising volunteer rotas for two fairs a year''

and to be honest, I realise you've probably only given a brief outline of what you do but those first 2 things - well, i'd hate all that. We have to cough up enough for the school as it is without people asking for more money for vouchers and presents.

I don't think there should be such thing as a class rep. Nobody needs to organise presents for teachers or class mums who have had babies. Teachers do not expect presents (I'm a teacher). Why on earth would anyone other than close friends or relatives give presents to a woman having a baby?!

As for Christmas Fairs etc... normally it's the PTA which organises those, isn't it?

Do you really have to have one?
they are probably all hoping that it gets dropped and forgotten about.

Give a date you will be stepping down and mean it. The threat of names out of a hat has usually worked in finding new volunteers in our school. Worst case your year just doesn't have one but remember that is not your problem. I did a 2 year stint and said no more. 2 years out of 7 primary school years is more than enough.

You don't need to do this, my ds is yr6 and there has never been a class rep, class WhatsApp etc and we all survived.

Just say you are stopping the role at x date and if no one takes it up, then that's life.

ive never heard of a class rep- it sounds like the most pointless thing?! I wouldn’t offer to do it if I was on your what’s app group. Just say you’re not doing it

Maybe the others think like the rest of Mumsnet?

Hahaha

nope

it’s totally unnecessary, you do it if you want or don’t but don’t be a martyr.

My child’s school manages perfectly well without a class rep. Just stop. It’s a non job.

I volunteer quite literally dozens of hours a year directly to school, I’m happy to volunteer for stuff and do plenty of unpopular tasks, but no way am I volunteering to buy presents for other parents and arrange vouchers for teachers - that’s not helping school/the kids. If you think it’s important you do it - I suspect the tumbleweed suggests how much this “role” is valued…

If you drew my name out if the hat I’d tell you to jog on.

However you’re perfectly within your rights to say ‘I’m not doing it - sort yourselves out.’

I’m not even in the class WhatsApp.

I guess my AIBU is - would I BU to just tell everyone I'm drawing names out of a hat?

Who made you god? If you tried telling me you'd drawn my name out of the hat so that was it, decision made. I'd tell you where to go quite frankly. If you don't want to do it again yourself then just tell the school you won't be and leave it

This - never come accross class reps

I disagree with the above “not needed” posts.

We have class reps, similar to duties you describe. Without them, life would be a lot more difficult for the class teachers - as the rep sends reminders/messages/kit details etc, without which way more parents would forget. A lot more jobs would fall to the PTA, which would in turn lead to people not wanting to be PTA.

Plus if every other class has a rep, it’s going to be a PITA if your class doesn't as the whole school clearly works on that basis.

However, I don’t agree that your only options are you keeping the role or choosing someone at random. Why not pass it back to the PTA and/or the school and say nobody has volunteered, please can you send a request? I bet a suitably worded request from the school will bring someone out of the woodwork.

You could also consider reducing it to a one year commitment (ours is one year only, so it’s less onerous).

blimey OP of course you can't draw names out of a hat. Just say you aren't doing it any longer.

I mean this kindly but are you one of those people who is always 'organising' other people? ie. slight martyr tendencies? If nobody replies fine then there is no class rep - under the anarchist theory of self organisation I think you will find things get done anyway

So waht if there is no 'central' rep to organise stuff? either it happens or it doesnt. no big deal.

Just tell them you’re stepping down at the end of the year, and someone else can take over if they want to.

Hahahaha YABU. Never heard of a class rep. I buy my own child's presents to teachers, I'd not contribute to another mum's group present unless we were friends in which case we'd have a separate group/discussion going on. Fairs and fetes that need volunteers are usually organised by the PTA who send out the necessary emails, usually through school. Never heard of class specific things though!

You sound like hard work

Thanks for all the replies. (Except the 'pregnant people' one ....)

So this is a private school - not sure if that makes a difference? The class reps are part of the PTA. It's a big school, and all other classes have class reps. My DS is my oldest so I didn't realise it wasn't normal school practise. But the issue is that if I 'just stop' which I get is the main advice, then the PTA will just continue to contact me for all this stuff.
I appreciate I can't make people do stuff they're not being paid to do. But it really irritates me that these people get to benefit from someone doing this stuff - organising fun stuff for their kids basically - but just get to opt out of doing even minimal things to ensure it happens.
And I am definitely not someone doing this for glory! I volunteered as it seemed like the right thing to do, given that my child would be benefitting. Regretting it now obviously....!

Oh my goodness OP!! I'm just finishing my 28th year as a primary school teacher...in all of those years, I've NEVER worked in a class where there's been a 'class rep' amongst the parents 🤦‍♀️

Plenty of class WhatsApp groups (😰 which have caused no end of controversy over the years 😱) but never a class rep!

Just step down - don't give it a second thought (I'd personally tell them all to fuck off, but I'm a straight talker and can't be arsed with all that nonsense!)

If PTA keep contacting you just reply with ‘I’m no longer class rep for XX so unable to help’

job done

Delete the WhatsApp group too...no time for all that shit!

I’ve also never heard of a class rep. I can see no need for that. Obviously, things like class vouchers for teachers or presents for new mums are OTT. There’s a cost of living crisis as well, so even more inappropriate. Winter/summer fair is organised by the PTA.

Utter bollocks 🤣🤣🤣🤣

When the pta continue to contact you just reply every time saying sorry I’m not covering that role anymore. Simple. You can’t make other people do it