Pushy Class Reps

[caterpiller]

HELP!!

I need ideas for subtle but effective ways of putting pushy, over-zealous class reps in their place. We've got one this year who's driving us mad..

yes well - that told you didn't it caterpillar? tail between your legs I see.

ps totally agree with Gunpowder - either do the job yourself or shut the fuck up you whining twats.

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Cod - it is the woman who organises the mum's Christmas do - that is all you need to know

Soory, busy night last night!

Wow, so many responses.

To clarify:

The class reps have nothing to do with running the school, or raising money for the school. They are only in charge of social events.

I contribute happily to all events eg bake cakes, man stalls at the fair, give prizes for raffles etc.

What I can do without is to be spoken to in a bossy, obnoxious way and sent constant pushy emails. The majority of mums who take on this role are lovely, though, so all I'm saying is that you can get the job done in a nice way.

I would also like to take my turn doing it but unfortunately am not in a position to do so yet.

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well said elphaba ! and poor Hippi !

pmsl Cod, oh yes, that is so so bad!!

No, we go out with whoever we want to, but twice a year the class rep is expected to organise an evening out for everyone, as in the whole class.

Other than that, I really cannot tell you what we do, I have only been the rep for a few weeks.
But I have been summonsed to a meeting to talk about the nativity play, so will see what that is all about.

Still standing MAS, have regained my sense of humour and am still here.

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After several glasses of wine perhaps, in the beginning we make polite conversation and pretend to get on

we don't have any get togethers for parents (social ones) - at ds's old school there were quiz nights which were great fun,very competitive and people got drunk and indiscreet !

Very topical because I was cornered again yesterday by another PTA person who said ' I heard Mrs X spoke to you and you were too busy to take on a task alone, so I have matched you with Mrs Y for you to share - will catch up later re what needs to be done' And then she disappeared in the throng
So I funed for a bit, and then rang her to day - sorry clearly misunderstanding, I cannot participate, am too busy.
THEN the floodgates opened about her busy life and Mrs A, B & C's busy life and how they all help and its always just the few etc etc.
Which missed the point.
I had not claimed to be busier, not insnuated that they were not busy - this is not a busyness competition. (Where is Jamie Whyte when you need him?)

And I appreciate if everyone is also busy there will be nore of - er- whatever is provided by the fund (latterly painting the teachers' toliets - shouldn't their employers be providing that????) and for that I do not give a flying monkey.

S'pose I will need to do a name change now and hide for a while

No you don't kookaburra, because that PTA person should not have your name down without your express permission. In our school the PTA sent out slips prior to each event, on which you tick what you are willing to do (so you can chose timeslot and type of activity) These then get sent back to the PTA chair via the class teachers and on the basis of that a helpers' rota gets established.

Wheras our PTA is cliquey, have volunteered twice to get involved and they have never bothered to come back to me, but all the mums who run it all have Los in Yr2 so will all leave next year.

See, my pet hate is a cliquey (sp) PTA. Ours was cliquey 4 years ago, I joined and left within a year. Now it is much better, and there is a wide variety of parents involved. Mind you, the PTA covers both the infant and junior schools, so that is 600 pupils, plenty of variety of parents
I think a cliquey PTA usually signs it's own death warrant as not many people will want to bother.

Please don't automatically assume that people who say they are too busy just can't be bothered. Personally, when I say I'm too busy, what I mean is that my "spare time" is already fully committed, running two toddler groups and a summer holiday playscheme, and acting as a worship leader and leadership team member for my church. Personally I think that is sufficient community-minded volunteering for one person, on top of a paying job and running the home. Otherwise my children would feel even more neglected than they do already.

Thankfully, the PTA committee at DD1's school are understanding of my lack of involvement. They know that I will offer to do things if I can, but I'm not lying if I say I can't. Frankly, if I got the same vibes off them that I'm getting of some people here, I would be less inclined to make the very limited contribution that I do make when I can manage it.

I do appreciate the reasons for the frustration that is being expressed here. but I can also appreciate how a person might become exasperated by being badgered by a pushy individual. The OP is not personally responsible for the difficulties of running a PTA and I don't think she entirely deserves the outpouring of irritation that she is getting here.

I get really cross at this "cliquey: thing. Our PTA probably looks cliquy, but that's becahse it's the same 6-8 people who do everything. We've done everything we can think of to get more people involved but it's like getting blood out of a stone!

Sorry, that was anothe outpouring of irritation. But that was because I went to a PTA meeting to dicsuss out Christmas Fair last night. We had a every successful one last year, and all the questionnaires we sent out mentioned it and could we do another one and what fun it had been. So we had a very well publicised meeting last night to plan this years - and 2 people turned up. 421 kids at our school, popularly requested event - 2 volunteers.