I know I am opening a can of worms, but here goes. I HATE FUNDRAISERS!!!! Yes, it is that time of year again--we just get the kids back to school, and after spending hundreds of dollars on school supplies and fees, we are hit up with the dreaded fundraiser! I am not a fan of fundraisers, by any stretch of the imagination. As a matter of fact, at my house, the envelopes usually go straight in the trash without ever being opened. I cannot feel good about pressuring friends and family into buying overpriced junk just because they happen to be associated with us. I think it is a sugar-coated way of exploiting my children, and I will not buy into it.
I know it takes money to run a PTA, really, I do. I get that there is an ultimate purpose to fundraisers, but I also think that selling to PTA's is big business. In one of my school districts, the PTA actually had a cultural arts fair where they would invite all of these community groups to come and showcase their cultural programs and then each school's PTA would choose which programs would come to their school. Our school had $5000 budgeted for cultural arts and we could usually get 3 different groups to come for that amount. In my opinion, this was wasted money! The elementary aged kids would have thought it every bit as cool to see the high school drama department present a play or hear the high school band or orchestra perform or to watch a dance performance by the high school drill team. It wouldn't have cost a cent and everyone would benefit.
The computer programs, play equipment and school store supply companies are set to make a lot of money off your school too. Make no mistake, the fundraisers that are marketted to your school are also big business. Yes, the school gets a profit, but the fundraising company takes a huge cut. It is all a big scam if you ask me!
Last year, our middle school decided to do away with all fundraisers. They asked for a $20 donation from each family, and about half of the families in the school participated. It was relatively painless and I was all for it! In the end, they were a little short of their fundraising goal, but they were able to analyze their programs and cut some that weren't necessary.
I think we are all a little guilty of buying into the idea that we need more money to make life better for our kids than it was for us. Who hasn't been dazzled by the idea of purchasing a new play structure or a rock wall for your kids' school? But the truth is, these are not necessary purchases. A study was recently done that showed that activity levels were lower at schools where a large play structure had been installed. Small play equipment like balls and jumpropes promoted higher activity levels! Now isn't that our ultimate goal? Why can't the PTA focus more on organizing our time to help out in classrooms or plan special events rather than spending so much effort on pressuring my family to fundraise?
Until we see a major reform in the mindset of PTA parents, I am afraid we will continue to see runaway budgets (one of our schools had a yearly budget of $60,000!) and the continued pressure to fundraise. In the meantime, my fundraiser envelopes are right where they belong......my trashcan!
3 comments:
Any time our kids bring home fundraiser garbage for an actual program (Band, etc.) I call and ask the teacher what the end goal is for that student. I am usually told $20-$35 is what they are hoping for as the school/class "cut". I tell the teacher my kids will not be selling but that we will send a check for that amount. It has worked out just fine. We typically do not get involved in PTA fundraisers.
I do remember as a kid going door to door with Janine selling stuff from a Christmas catalog - cards and the like. (In the summer we even sold vegetables from our dad's garden) it seems like that was a different time. If you think I will let my kids canvas any neighborhood alone today to sell stuff you are out of your mind.
Amen!! I'm so glad to hear there are other parents out there that refuse to fundraisers like me. I'm more than happy to send $10-20 for my kids, but I WILL NOT sell crap! We did cave one year and we were so disappointed in the size/quality of the products that I will never do that again. My kids' envelopes are very happy at the dump.
I so agree with you. This is like you have put down my thoughts every time I come across the fundraising envelopes my children get from school. The only year I saw any value out of it was when they had a school picture fundraiser for kindergarten. I loved my daughter's photographs and so did most of the parents. And 50% the money we paid in buying the school pictures went back to the school, definitely. I thought this was one of the most value added fundraiser as far as I am concerned. I dint have to sell junk to others, and I love having all these memories of my daughter.
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