School PTA spend £2k on queen Elizabeth mural

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AIBU to think this is ridiculous?

My DD’s school’s PTA is great at fundraising but they’ve just sent a breakdown of how they spent the money they raised in the last year. They’ve spent 1/4 of the budget, or £2,000, on a mural depicting the late Queen. I feel really angry at this. That money could have gone to so many other things that benefit the school/pupils in other ways. And no I’m not on the PTA, so yes this probably makes me hypocritical blah blah blah.

Sounds insane to me!!

I'm the Chair of our PTA, & can't imagine funding something like that.

Have they explained why? What is the purpose? You could request the minutes of the meetings where the item was discussed & agreed.

Id be making it clear that I wouldn't be putting a single further penny into the school funds if that's how they waste it without even running it past the people who have donated

I would be furious. When I was on the PTA, everything we fundraised for had to be on demonstrable benefit to the pupils - so this certainly wouldn’t have qualified!

I’m on the PTA and given the amount of work that goes into the fundraising I’d be really annoyed if someone suggested we spend £2k on something like that. Ours pretty much goes towards visitors like the animal man or buying something to improve the school. I’m surprised that everyone on the pta agreed to spend 2 grand on that.

I would expect a spend of that amount to have been discussed and voted on in advance at the AGM open to all members.

To be fair, anyone is allowed to attend the meetings & object to any funding proposals.

However, that is a lot of money for a decorative item. The only thing I can think is it's classed as enrichment through wall art, providing a nicer environment for the children. But the amount is batshit, though probably right for the type of work.

I'd be wondering if somebody on the PTA is a friend/related whomever supplied/painted the mural.

You can also review their constitution (if they're a charity) on the Charity Commission website & see how a mural meets the objectives of the charity?

What's their financial structure? Are they a charity? Does it fit with their objectives? What did they say they were raising the money for? Either way, I think it's fair to raise a complaint about this one.

That said, I hate and loathe murals of any kind with a passion. I walk past a beautiful community garden every morning blighted by a godawful mimsy mural of the worst 80s Laura Ashley pastels and I dream of getting acid wash and hosing it away (digresses). If you have to do one, it should be done by the kids.

Glad to see it’s not just me that thinks it’s mad. I’m not going to say anything but one of the other mums is going to ask some probing questions. We all feel very strongly that this is ridiculous.

Yes this is the most likely reason. Give people a little bit of power and they will abuse it for their own gain. PTAs are a great example of this, also anyone involved in local government.

What?????
I actually have no words.
If I had spent time making cakes or had to buy some poxy bit of art work that my kid had made or paid to watch an end of term concert or all of the others things I used to open my purse to feeling annoyed but knowing it would benefit my kids or other children in the village, I would be mightily annoyed.

I'd be asking some hard questions, but I guess this could feasibly be an ok activity - only if it was something like this (example is from my primary school days):

Headline: £2k spent on mural of the mayor
Reality: schools all come up with design ideas for mural of local area. Kids given supplies to create own murals. Best entries/ideas incorporated into huge mural designed by local artist. Kids invited to do "paint by numbers" filling in of parts of the scene, inc. the mayor. Design finished off by older teens/finished by artist. Installed on display.

The mural I took part in is almost 30yo now and still is on display!

Our PTA funds pay for whiteboards, playground kit, tablets, PA system, art materials, books, EAL support, end of year celebrations, refurbing some of the art rooms/music rooms and some SEN resources. What school budget in 2025 has so much in it that a mural of the queen is deemed a necessity?

Is the school named after the late Queen?

Unless the school is ‘ The Queen Elizabeth primary school’ I’d be a little shocked as well. £2000 is a lot of money, and it’s a quarter of the budget. What’s their justification? I’d be disinclined to donate in future if that was what they spent the money on.

@APurpleSquirrel ”Snap!”

A complete waste of money, but if I had to choose I’d rather it was spent on Betty than Camilla.

Perhaps all parents should write to the head and board of governors saying that they will no longer be giving or participating in fund raising since the school clearly doesn't need the money!

I think that’s outrageous given the demands on ptas to plug school funding gaps. Our school is struggling for basic things like glue sticks. The pta funding is often going on things like drama workshops or stuff that is really directly benefitting the kids. I think a lot of parents would be quite cross especially given how much effort often goes into fundraising.

Similar happened at my child’s primary. Fast forward a few years later and it was painted over white.

Meanwhile there had been cut backs all over the school.

No not at all!

Have they explained how it benefits the kids?

That sounds bad. Can you tell us a bit more?