To join the PTA?

[whatwindow]

Be honest, what do you think about the Mums or Dads that join the school PTA?

I had visions of Amanda in Motherland or stereotypical PTA Mum’s but now am suddenly considering signing up!

Any pro’s and cons welcome and just to add our PTA is separate from the fundraising team - it’s more so for school issues.

YABU - don’t join!
YANBU - sign up!

I think PTA parents are great, some might be a little pushy, but you get that in all wake of life. As someone that works in a school I think they are integral to funding and work really hard.
However i’m not sure what a PTA would do other than funding.

PTAs are usually about fundraising so what exactly is the difference between the "fundraising team" and the PTA? What does your PTA do?

I had a great 7 years on our PTA. But I think it depends on who is on it with you x

Some PTA parents are great, some are awful, most are somewhere in between. Just like any group of people.

I've voted YABU don't join, because I was on the PTA for a while when my dc were in primary school and PTA meetings were one of the most tedious, unnecessarily long and infuriating things I've experienced. Their ability to politely disagree at length about utterly trivial things was astonishing. Also, trying to get other parents to help out with things was a nightmare.

I'm on ours. We meet in the pub and organise various events throughout the year for fundraising and decide on which extra-curricular events we are supporting that year. None of us are Amandas or pushy.

Fundraising is the key purpose of a PTA enough. Something just about "school issues" sounds like an unofficial whingefest.

There’s a parent fundraising team and a parent/teacher forum.

The fundraising team run events etc and the parents forum meet with the teachers to discuss school and class issues

I genuinely joined ours as a way to be involved in my DC's school, to help out and get to know people.

It was clear from the off though that there was the official school PTA, and the sub group PTA (which was the real PTA, who made all the decisions and just told everyone else what was happening!). We all had to be utterly delighted when one of the sub group PTA made an "excellent spreadsheet" of what needed to be done for the summer fete . Everything was "fab" apparently. Very Amanda from Motherland.

Not for me. I quickly left!

I don't have time to join but I appreciate the parents who do.

@whatwindow hmm.... that's not really what PTAs usually do so your school has an odd set up.

Join and see how it goes, you can always withdraw later if it's not what you imagined it would be. Our school has 240-ish kids, and this year we're in danger of losing the PTA because we can't sign up enough people for the committee (we need at minimum a chair, treasurer and secretary). Last year we had a grand total of 6 parents on the commitee but due to their children leaving the school we're going to lose three of them. Parents are quick to criticise if the christmas disco or whatever doesn't go ahead, but they never step up and offer to help. Just be clear what you can commit to (eg whether you want a committee position or just be an ad hoc helper), I'm sure the committe will be more than grateful for any time or expertise you can offer. And honestly, it's good fun and rewarding too😊

I joined only to discover that it was an absolute coven of crazy; they were all making shit up and bitching about each other any time one of them left the room.

I quickly resigned. Fuck knows what they say about me 😂

I was going to join the PTA but it was impenetrable and I gave up. Saying that, most of the people on it are lovely but weirdly possessive of the PTA. I'm not that desperate to add even more to my daily workload so have decided against joining!

I joined pta when dd was little and it was ok but full on around events as not many volunteers. Teachers would pitch in tho. I did it a couple years.

Joined for my son's year and found it hard work the woman in charge did everything with her 3 friends while moaning no one help s. No support from school. Other parents bitching because pta perk was front row seats at Xmas concert. U didn't stay.

Join and see what you think.

I joined, but the meetings were during working hours and I didn't feel the main personalities really wanted new ideas or the school that bothered. Actually a bit sad I don't get to be involved.

My parents were both on my school PTA so I sort of assumed it was something one did!

Give it a go. It's thankless and soul destroying. I did four years. Admittedly we are more Julia and Liz types than Amanda but we did a good job. Delighted to be shut of it now though! 😁

PTAs do fantastic work. Don’t sign up unless you have plenty of time, though. It can be very demanding.

This has confused me, the PTA usually does the fundraising, and the parent governors meet with the teachers/the head around general (not child specific) school development.

And headteacher does an open forum once a term so anyone can input their thoughts and ideas.

It is good to get involved though, but can be a thankless task. When you ask for helpers so many people will say 'sorry, I'm too busy to help as I work AND have children, its so lovely that you have lots of time to be able to do all these things'. I have to bite my tongue to say 'err, so do I, and so do all of the PTA, we don't really have time either'. I would rather people just said 'sorry, I don't actually want to help'.

@whatwindow I am a bit confused. Do you want to join the "fundraising team" or the "PTA" ?
Because you say at your school they are different - but people will be giving answers based on the idea of a traditional PTA.

What you’re describing sounds more like the role of a governor, except that role is strategic, not operational. Discussing school and class issues doesn’t sound like a PTA role at all and I’d be concerned about it turning into a whinge fest. On both sides.

Is it more like a school governor thing?

You had me at whingefest! I’ve come to my senses and won’t be nominating myself….thanks all 😄

Thats true
I was PTA chair for 3 years and I had no idea about "classroom issues", its odd from a confidentiality point of view.
I am a Governor now and I know all sorts but its very different