school pta rant

[welshmum]

At christmas the pta arrange for personalised cards to be designed by the kids. The pta makes £1 on every pack they sell. So I offered to supply the cards last year (I run my own business making wedding stationery, etc). To make more money for the school I took no wages so there was £1.50 on every pack profit. To cut things short they paid me over 2 weeks late. Told the parents that the cards would be available a week earlier than I stated and then the printers were delayed by the snow! Printers only sent half the cards so I paid personally to have the cards printed in house (much more expensive) so the parents could have the cards by the deadline. When I finally received the last cards I gave these to the parents on top of the in-house ones. I was 'thanked' by having my business named and shamed in a letter to every parent in school, even those unaffected by the delay.

Well I decided to be the 'adult' person and ignore their discretion and explained the situation to the school who understood that I was not to blame. If this wasnt bad enough I was forced to pay full price for the christmas cards for my children even though the chair had told me to get the pictures from the school so I could do my own cards. She later recanted that!

It took a lot for me to keep volunteering and go to the pta meetings. But thought I would for the benefit of the kids. Well at the next meeting I suggested that we do a social fundraising evening. Cashino night. They asked me to get more information on how the night would run, etc. So I did I came back with prices and pledges of prizes, full costing break-down and an advertising plan. They then said that they think that spending £300 on the night is a risk. So I gave a guarantee that I would pay any shortfall in cash raised so that they could not lose money. It was decided that letters should be sent to parents asking if they would attend the night. Still with me? Well my hubby was told on the following tuesday there was not enough response to hold the social night.

Me and the husband decided that as the work had been done we would hold the night and then donate all procedes to the school.
On the Thursday the chair phoned to say that they deadline for letters has passed and they were not holding the night due to poor response. So I discussed our plans with her and she was happy for us to host the night. On the Friday at rugby I asked had anyone objected and she said no so I spoke to the rugby club and booked it. The chair had stated that the treasurer thought that if we hosted the night we should keep all profit! (isn't that theft if the prizes have been donated to raise funds)

At our scheduled meeting today, the treasurer basically informed me that they have now decided that they are having a social night on the same night in the rugby club and the prizes I had secured they were going to auction on their night!!! I find out the letter mailed to parents gave the choice of cashino, race horse, or quiz. This was not discussed but added by the secretary. They also said that I hadI should not of contacted people for prizes. Apparently 10 responses to the letter is not enough to warrant a cashino night but only 6 for a race night is.

[Milims]

Hi Welshmum - it's probably because you used the word cas1n0 that it did the dirty spammer thing. In fact I'll try it out - I am a dirty spammer, please let one of the moderators know about this post !
Oh and you have every right to rant - they sound like a selfish bunch of egotistical money grabbers!

[Milims]

Yup- that's the word - I am a dirty spammer, please let one of the moderators know about this post I am a dirty spammer, please let one of the moderators know about this post I am a dirty spammer, please let one of the moderators know about this post!

[welshmum]

I will try and edit it out now!

[Milims]

I wouldn't worry - besides which if you do it'll make me look like a loony - actually I am a loony so it won't make me look any different! Lol! There are just some words it doesn't like so if i hapens again just try and substitue numbers or stars etc - we'll know what you mean Thank you for being so concerned and reporting yourself

[boboff]

What an absolute sorry state of affairs.

These people are arses.

You don't sound that Welsh though, maybe thats the problem.

dirty zenophobic spammer, I am a dirty racist spammer.

I am a dirty spammer, please let one of the moderators know about this post

[Green Aura]

Really want to both sympathise and edit this thread but I can't - for laughing

[oldjerry]

Hells teeth, just tell them where to get off.Is this a small school in a rural area?My 3 all go to a small rural primary,and there's no pta(thank god) but there are the most officious(though strangley ineffective) governors,whoare living proof that care in the community doesn't work,and a new ruling regime that has presided over the worst ofstead in the county(having been top 3 under the old head),and so far this (less than 1/2) term,has demanded over £30 for school trips,which we simply cant afford.(not everyone in the countryside does £50g a year).
I could add so much more,but really it seems to me that despite their protestations to the contrary,the school isn't there just for the kids benefit.
I'm sorry you're getting all this crap,but don't be bullied,let them know what you think of them,if nothing else it's a good example to your children. Best Wishes.

Oh,and by the way,Boboff is a dirty spammer!

[homegrown]

Welshmum. you should watch the american movie Harper Valley PTA it'll make you feel better, my wifes on the PTA and when she came on board and it was arranged that she would organise and coordinate a school fair by the chair. But as soon as she did there were a whole group of bitchy women who immediately started trying stuff things up so they could come to the rescue and look like heros, even though they refused to have anything to do with the fair in the first place. I suspect that this in part what happened to you, when the other PTA members realised how good you would look donating the proceeds to the PTA they decided to stuff things up for you.

[Green Aura]

It would appear have have quite a few dirty spammers, including a mod (who's also a self-confessed loony). Don't start me laughing again, it's starting to hurt now

I've removed the report as people will avoid this thread if they think it's got something nasty in it - and it's far too good for them to miss.

And sorry welshmum, all the dirty spammers distracted me for a while, but I agree with the bits of the above threads I can decipher . I think you often find the active, ideas people in any organisation often get shunned and sidelined - you're just making the others look apathetic, which is just what they are.

[Graye]

You probably scare them witless with your planning and organisational skills. Have a PTA do things properly and actually make some funds? Whatever next! They just like having meetings, not actually DOING things (apologies to other ishers who are on other PTAs which work properly).

I would work on the once bitten twice shy rule (having already been bitten twice I would do it even more so) and let them get on with it. Bunch of egotistical committee persons! Or form your own alternative "Friends of ....School" and raise funds that way. I would also keep away from their meetings so they don't pinch any more of your ideas/prizes.

PS I am currently deep in the throes of trying to organise a marketing strategy for my son's business. I know where to come for tips now...

[ajs88]

you have the patient of a saint to put up with all of that crap

[Susie]

1/ You are scaring them with your competence so they are trying to undermine you. Stop volunteering for things, leave them to it (I know that isn't a great solution because you want to help and could help very effectively, but, I don't see this one getting better).

2/ Never go anywhere near a charity management committee. They are much worse. Every time DC sets off with his bloody Big Society I imagine some of the people I've encountered being given more power, and I nearly have to take Valium.

3/ Hugs .

[welshmum]

thanks very much for the responses! Actually, being a dirty spammer for the night has cheered me up no end!

I am actually 100% welsh but unfortunately I was born and bred a meer 11miles outside the village and forced myself on the husband who is the true native of the village.

I think you are right in the scaring department though. The treasurer has a definite issue with me. The only prizes they have ever secured before are boxes of chocolate, wine and the occassional £10 gift voucher. Until last year there were only 3 proper members and 3 others that ever showed up to meetings. I start and take 3/4 others newbies with me. Who had never gone before because they thought there was no point.

The sad thing is that he evening was being planned as a village event! For everyone in the community. Now the horse race is only going to be promoted to parents of our school only.

I wonder if the dirty spammer has some hired guns that would help us out!

[yvette]

Schools moan that parents don't support schools, and I know that some parents don't seem to care, but my experience has been that every time I have tried to get involved with a school group or project at my son's previous school I got a bit bruised. I'm afraid I am very wary now. I'm so sorry you have had this experience.