The problem with PTA

I love PTA. I love being an officer and being part of the board. That is where you get all the insider information about the school. You get to see how decisions are made and be a part of it. Information given out at a PTA board meeting is oftentimes never repeated outside the meeting. I supposed that might be where PTA gets it's reputation for being "cliquey". I don't consider this a problem though since everyone has an opportunity to serve as an officer or chairman. What is a problem is that most parents at the school don't care about PTA business. Why? Because it's kind of boring. Most people don't care about discussing budgets, fundraisers and bylaws.

Tonight my son Ben was in a show at the school singing international songs. This was a show that the 3rd and 4th graders were performing. All the 3rd and 4th grade parents were there waiting. I had to stand at the back with Ada, Tommy and Abe due to inadequate seating. But before the show could start there was a PTA meeting. We voted in the new officers for next year. I watched the parents faces as the voting occured. Several seemed annoyed that we had to vote so much. Especially those with small children seemed to just want to "get on with the show".

As much as I like and respect PTA I always feel tricked when there is a meeting like that before a show. Is the show just a ruse to get us to the meeting? I recall the plays and shows I was in as a child and how happy and proud I was to be a part of it. Did my parents have to sit through a PTA meeting before seeing the show? I don't think so, but I'm not sure.

Thinking back on events attended my 6 years so far at this school I can only think of two events that were fun and I was glad I went. These are the Fall Carnival and the Ice Cream Social. Hmm, what is different about these events? There is no PTA meeting.