Where do you go if your PTA is essentially corrupt?

[hobbgoblin]

Is there a body of some kind to which one can turn if things in the PTA are decidedly dodgy and possibly quite undemocratic.

Same question if you feel that the Head and Governing body are ignoring a large number of parents and are in cahoots, again destroying any hope of democratic decision making.

Our PTA is going through troubled times. Some half wit has posted on Facebook or similar about it because the Chair of Governors has written to all parents asking that no photographs be posted of chidlren on the net, and also adds that school has been discussed on social networking sites and that such comments are damaging the school's reputatin and "are not wanted".

Many of us are preturbed by this letter as it seems a bit 'shut you up' rather than any sign of alarm bells ringing for the policy makers who then might like to question exactly why so many parents are upset. The disquiet is growing. I want to do something.

funding is difficult. It depends what funding you're talking about, but PTA funding cannot be used for school based stuff, i.e. you can use it for things like school trips and playground equipment but not for books and pens etc.

If it is a small school then in budgetary terms the funding will be less than the bigger schools because schools are funded according to the numbers of pupils on role.

Has anyone spoken to the chair of governors re the safety concerns? What other concerns are there?

I can see from your last post that there clearly are issues, but tbh I think these are being lost in the whole PTA row which really is small fry by comparison.

Playground supervision is a seperate issue.

THAT really needs to be sorted out.

Wannabe we have funded books/classroom equipment via the PTA

OUr PTA has funded laptops, whiteboards, software etc, as well as the usual library books, book bags and school trips.

We too are a small school. Only 4 classes and around 100 children. Not in a particularly affluent area.

But through a combination of an enthusiastic head, energetic PTA and supportive parents we raise loads of money and put it immediately to real and highly visible use: climbing frames, trim trail, climbing wall etc.

Head's argument that you are a small school and therefore can't expect much is totally specious. She just sounds like she can't be bothered anymore. Is she nearing retirement?

Governors is the way to go. Each year the governors should be setting performance objectives for the head and these will be reviewed at her annual appraisal. If the disquiet among the parents at the lack of initiative and community involvement on the part of the head can be communicated to the governors, they might be able to add some specific performance points for her. Of course, it depends how receptive the governors are or whether they are in her pocket too.

It's such a shame but small schools really do stand or fall by the quality of the head. And a duff head is very hard to get rid of unless they do something really terrible.

Problem is with Head + Governors, NOT PTA.

I would go to the local LEA and question the head's competence, she sounds like she can't be arsed.

My dd attends a small school (approx 140 children). The PTA raises approx 15K per year.

I agree that you should express your concerns to the governors, or the LEA.

I cannot understand how any of this led to your choice of thread title. Where is the corruption?