what has your PTA wasted lots of money on?

[zanzibarmum]

PTAs do a great job raising money but IME they can also waste a lot of money on ill-conceived, poorly executed and under used projects.Who's got the most outrageous story of waste?

'I'm being naive, aren't I?!

YES!

Catherine - after half term, why don't you go and ask the chair of the PTA or the head teacher, or any of the teachers in fact, exactly what the PTA has contributed to the school over the last, say, five years. Then think how it benefits your child(ren). If you don't want to contribute to the school's community then fair enough, but don't have the gall to criticise those that do.

catherine you are being very rude about people who have worked hard to help your children (and others').

Yes, maybe they enjoy doing it - but still, they are giving time and in many cases money for nothing.

I am glad you are not a parent at our school and hope not many people have that attitude.

Lynette made the key point. If whiteboards are essential to our children's education, why are they not funded by the same source that funds our state schools - ie the taxpayer -aka us? Appalled to think that those schools without active PTA people are deprived of this vital resource - how can that be fair? How about sending some PTA worthies out from our leafy suburbs to schools which really needing funding for those essential items? I am very happy for my children to buy cakes to provide funds for those that really need it, and delighted to provide roundabouts that well water for African children who otherwise would have to walk miles to obtain it - NOT for a few frills for the edification and self esteeming of London mums with too much time on their hands.

OK, clearly you are incandescent with rage at the notion that essential items aren't funded by the Government. But using this as another stick to beat the PTA with is... bewildering, to put it politely.

And where on earth are you coming from with the "leafy suburbs", and "London"? Are you really suggesting that the schools with active PTAs are all in privileged areas?

Our PTA like most provides large amounts of books, equipment, money for trips and all sorts of extras that the teachers ask for. The allocation is decided once a year at a committee that all parents may attend, and where the Head has an advisory role only.

This year we are also fundraising for upgrading our playground. A lot of the funds we raise for that will be dependent on the grants we apply for, and each of those has it's own bent. So at the moment we are thinking about how we can incorporate native plants (one grant) and technology (another grant) and accessibility (a further very generous grant). If we are successful that might mean the playground we end up with has some quirks which may or may not be "needed" by the children at the school right now. But hey if their are people out there with money they'd like to give us with no strings attached at all, then give me names and addresses!

I have no examples of "outrageous waste" btw, and the systems seem to me to be pretty similar for PTAs all over the place. I've been a member in suburban London (fairly leafy), relatively deprived New York City and now in almost urban British Columbia, and the fundraising and spending seem pretty similar, despite quite different circumstances.

PTAs are simply groups of involved parents, the skills (hard and soft) are going to be totally dependent on the group, as there is little to no professional input on either fundraising, grant applications, or spending.

The LEA can't even afford text books, so they are hardly likely to provide an interactive whiteboard for each class. I much prefer that PTAs get on and do it, to benefit all DCs, rather than bleat about something that should happen- but won't.

our school council (ie the children) have asked to spend school money on a shelter for the parents - think it's a lovely and sweet thing for them to ask for. we don't have a pta but I'd like us to - it's not just about the money, but getting school community to work together, although the extas you can buy with the money must also come in handy, no?

Our PTA, in the last year have...

Provided a covered, soft floored play area outside each of the lower school classrooms, with equipment, so that children can play outside all year round during the school day.

Contributed at least 50% of each and every trip plus provided a fund for people who cannot afford the trips.

Bought wooden teddy statues for the front entrance.

Supplied benches outside for the upper school to eat packed lunches at in good weather.

Provided the equipment and manpower to begin a school garden for the children to grow organic veg for the kitchen.

Added an extra 4 new computers to expand the ICT room so it can be used by two classes at once - meaning the lower school can now use it properly as well as the upper school.

Of these I can only see the teddy things as a "waste" but, actually, they do look good and all the children love them so I don't really think waste is the right word.

They have worked hard, unimaginably hard. Most of the women in it are obnoxious busybodies who I do not like - personally - but nothing can make me slate their efforts, they have given so much to the school I don't think most people would believe it and they have equally large plans for this year. They are fab!

I don't have too much time on my hands. I work 30hrs/week and volunteer in a number of other ways as well as PTA.

I agree actually that interactive whiteboards should be funded by LEA - and actually ours were - but that's not the point.

If the only way a school can afford them (because it is spending its meagre budget on items like teachers) is for the PTA to fund them then I think it is valid.

BTW our school (in a leafy suburb, yes) gets very little funding for the kind of extras that can make a difference to a child's learning experience (like booster sessions with a TA) - unlike the schools in poorer areas of our LEA.

Well, I hope all he people on here who sneer at and despise their PTAs make sure their children don't go on the trips, ride the tricycles,go to the parties, eat the easter eggs,sit in the gardens, play with the toys, read the books, accept the prizes, enjoy the gardens, visit the Father Christmas or use the theatre lights that it funds! I'm sure they do - it would be very hypocritical for them to allow their children to benefit from the work of "a few busybodies currying favour with the Head"and "justifying their own sense of worthyness"

And to whoever it was talked about the "leafy suburbs or some rubbish like that, our school is in an area of significant social deprivation. There is little spare money in the school budget for extras and the "obnoxious busybodies" do a lot to make sure that school is as happy and enriching experience as possible for all the children.

Our PTA (not sure about anywhere else) doesn't choose what to spend the money on, the school does. And comes up with great opposition from parents if they want to spend it on something like books, or to replace broken things like shutters. Parents seem to think it should be spent on "fun" things and that all educational spending should be made by the council.

It's very very easy to laugh at the PTA, but the books at my childs school would be falling apart if it were not for the PTA, there would be no new minibus and there would be no events at all. Stop your whinging and get involved!

And we have a shelter for waiting. It's rather nice not to wait in the rain.

well, lets go into fab examples. i am not on a pta, never have been. However, very grateful for the fund raising that enabled the whole school to go to the science museum to support science week. also playground equipment and equipment for lunch-time cookery club.

you are on the PTA, you know, whether you want to or not! All parents are members by virtue of being a parent!

I run a nurture group in a nurture room so if any PTA's want to fund one I can heartily recommend it to the house.

Catherine it is perverse in the extreme to translate your justified anger at a lack of resources for schools into sneering at the PTA for working to make up the shortfall. Take the chip off your shoulder and do something productive instead of carping from the sidelines.

Seeker is quite right-every parent is on the PTA and you can go along to any meeting -not just the AGM. If you don't like something-go along and give constructive alternatives.

Oh, pisces - how nice to be agreeing with you again!

Seeker, interesting that you pick up on the only negative comment in my post and ignore the great hunk of positive - feathering the nest of your own agenda possibly?

I said "Most of the women in it are obnoxious busybodies who I do not like - personally" as in, on a personal, person to person level I do not like them, they are not people I would mix with socially or have anything to do with outside of school but, even taking into account my personal feelings about some of them I still will not be drawn into slating their efforts for our school which are amasing - as I said before, they are fab.

Please do not tar everyone with the same anger fueled brush, it does you no favours at all.

Our PTA is fab - they provide time and commitment for not a lot of thanks. They have raised money for classroom essentials at a time when school budgets have been cut, so that the teaching staff did not have to be redueced. They part fund all school trips and provide a great social calander for our village - organising family treasure hunts, christmas fairs, adult balls, the Village BBQ, Spooky Disco for the kids, promise auctions, et al.

As for currying favour, the head of the PTA was told her youngest could not attend the school as there were not enough places and there had had to be a place lottery. This is despite her having 2 other kids in the school. Thankfully her dd was given a place when another child was put into a private school.

Our school would be a poorer place without the efforts of the PTA.

Ours doesn't waste money because they buy what the head wants them to buy.

Sorry, DailyMail - I did 'cherry pick" your comment. But only because it's one I've heard so often used about the people who do the work in the PTA - not because I didn't take on boeard the rest of your message. I just think it's extraordinary that ALL the active PTA people at your school are obnoxious busybodies - you must be very unlucky. I am feathering nothing!

Again??? I did not say that ALL of them are

Either you are having difficulty reading or just difficulty understanding Seeker but I was SUPPORTING your point, I was AGREEING with you that they do worthwhile work regardless of what you think of the individuals involved on a personal level.

Why not save your bile for people who are actually disagreeing with you?