School says “bring lots of cash”

[Queestuproblema]

I’ll start this by saying I understand schools are underfunded and have been doing Christmas markets/summer fayres/wear x colour for £1 days since even I have been at school. It’s not going to stop but the leaflet we’ve been sent this week quotes:

”Spring market
Come and toast the coronation!
Support our school, bring bags and lots of cash”

AIBU to think the wording of bring lots of cash is completely insensitive to how much everyone is struggling right now? I don’t feel that part was necessary. They could’ve made the leaflet without that surely given some children wont even be able to attend with a few pounds.

Who said we should? But we're here and this school is trying. Instead of getting on the PTA herself, the OP has decided to critique it and advocate on behalf of alllll the stupid poor people that obviously can't speak for themselves, how horrifying the wording it.

There is no way anyone could be this sensitive.

Yes, I know it's wordy. It was an example of the kind of phrasing I've seen a million times on this sort of thing, not My Superior Alternative. I considered including a shorter version too (or instead), but decided that for a quick MN post — where I'm not claiming to be putting forth suggested wording, just trying to hold the OP's example next to a more common or typical way of phrasing this kind of thing — a version which bolds the most important parts would do.

Oh ffs. If it wasn't supposed to be a good example of suggested wording, what was the point of it? A deliberate attempt to waste time?

You tried to outdo the volunteer you're criticising and you failed because the job isn't as easy as you think it is. Cut the volunteers some slack, recognise their intentions and prioritise supporting the school.

I agree OP that in the current climate it could have been worded better

Seriously you ott op...it's said as a joke.. spend what you want...my DD school says the same..we visit and sadly don't buy anything...no one judges ..my DD enjoys seeing her friends

It's tricky as most people have good intentions and invariably the response is really defensive and along the lines of omg I won't bother in the future then. But the reality is that being supportive or an ally is sometimes speaking up if people are silenced and being their voice, but often it's facilitating their own voices. People who assume x, y or z is offensive whilst being outside of the group they think its offensive for is just another sort of condescending aw bless they can't speak for themselves so I'm going to swoop in. The reality is for people struggling financially this is unlikely to be a big deal, and making it one ruins things needlessly in their name without their consent or want.

I think OP is entitled to have an opinion on it without having to join the PTA. That’s like saying we can’t have an opinion on politics without being a Member of Parliament. Our PTA which I was on for a couple of years is very mindful of how things are worded, how often they fundraise and how much they charge for things. It’s not hard.

Turn up with £40. In pennies

Yes

Usually school fundraisers go out of their way to avoid pressuring parents. There are usually low priced items so that children can get something without spending much.

I hope the event isn't in school time.

Oh it’s another one of those ‘read the room!’ threads. How depressing.

Ffs it's a bloody fundraiser, there'll be plenty of cheap tat and crap to buy for cheap don't worry. The point is to raise money, have we reached the point where you have to say we are raising money but don't worry not too much. People struggling financially aren't bloody stupid.

Exactly. There's nothing wrong with being an ally and stepping in and saying hey this may not be very nice. However, I very often experienced situations in my childhood when people tried to 'advocate' for me, wouldn't stop banging on to everyone and their mother about said event and what they did to intervene and help poor old me. It sometimes felt like they were doing it just to feel better about themselves. Just like this thread, it's rarely done discreetly.
If you want to be an ally and help the poor, do it so they have dignity and don't shout from the rooftops how little X didn't get included, they're making fetes far too expensive, but thank goodness you helped out and gave him some coins!

OP, please know that the relentless scrutiny and criticism from parents is one of the reasons lots of teachers are leaving. It's not the only reason of course, but one of several. It doesn't matter what we do, we get this sort of shit, even about a leaflet asking for cash at a fundraiser. I realise it's a novel idea but why not occasionally see something that raises your hackles a bit and just turn the other fucking cheek. Or try to see the other point of view. Or weigh it against all the good things they've done and let it fucking go.

The children probably made the flyer 🙄

P.s our newsletter said contactless payment is available at the fete 🤣 chill out

Why would I be trying to rewrite a leaflet that's already happened? The example/typical stuff I typed was longer because it wasn't an attempt to rewrite a "better" version 🤣 (hence the central chunk full of random additional stuff) — I wanted to use an example to the type of thing I'm used to seeing for fundraisers round here, regurgitated some of their phrasing, and let it run longer to give more components of the style they tend to use.

I mean, on that front, at least, good on whoever wrote OP's leaflet for breaking away from the formulaic stuff. No slating here even though I was interested in the reasons people might take offence at it, and thought that it did come across as pretty blunt. If they're here and reading, do you think you're making them feel better by telling them that some horrible random internet person is telling them they're shit (rather than an internet person who's interested in what happens to make people feel offended by something not intended to be offensive)? Or by trying to elicit sympathy for their imagined background? For all you know they're in marketing and kindly donated some of their expensive time to the PTA, which is why they broke away from the less abrupt kind of thing I'm used to seeing.

Yawn

I'd be more bothered if it said all major credit cards accepted.

I think it was just a clumsy way of saying bring your own carrier bags and it's cash only. PTA relies on volunteers they don't have a marketing and coms department.

Why would I be trying to rewrite a leaflet that's already happened?

What, so you did do it as an exercise in pointlessness? Even you can't think of a reason why you rewrote it?

You did it to try to show how it "should" be done. As you say, giving examples of what you think people usually do. And you failed because it isn't actually as easy as you think it is. It's no good getting in a load of clichés if you're producing a wall of text that nobody's going to read.

Your verbose posts are an ongoing exercise in blaming some hapless volunteer who almost certainly isn't a communications professional. Trying to make out that she's more to blame than any professionally offended parent who'd prioritise their need to be offended over supporting the school.

I’m in my late 20s and gave 8 years of my life working in primary education before leaving. I really don’t need to think about what teachers and school staff have to deal with- I lived it. To address those posts.

With the replies about people who feel the need to be offended on behalf of the poor and speaking for them - I am the poor. I’m part of the people they talk about on the news who can’t pay their bills, can’t afford to eat and have to miss meals, wear clothes that no longer fit or aren’t warm enough. So if you think I’m speaking on behalf of poor people, it’s because I am one.

A lot of the public aren’t interested though. We’re being told to be interested, it’s like living in a dictatorship. Same as the forced mourning when the Queen died. Sombre music in supermarkets and on the radio, absolutely bloody ridiculous.

I probably value expressing my opposition to the monarchy more than supporting the school, because we shouldn’t need to be supporting schools to the extent we do in the first place, and that mob of inbred scroungers are part of the problem. Abolish them, distribute the country’s wealth more fairly and fund our public services properly. And that’s not to say I don’t support the school, I’ve done and given plenty over the years, but you did ask.

Perhaps return to teaching then, you can help them with their leaflets :) presumably you'll be on better pay too if you're struggling.

And this is the first time, with your 8yrs experience, that you've seen a school fete/fundraiser/sale, use the words "bring lots of cash!"

As a parent, I've seen this numerous times.

Gosh are people really this sensitive? No wonder people don't want to be part of the PTA.

Honestly can't comprehend someone who has worked in schools at any point in the last decade taking huge issue with this.