One of my favorite people is beginning this semester as a brand new PTA president. The previous president resigned, though he wasn't very effective when he was in place anyways. But that is the way things go sometimes.
I am never surprised at the changes that come up, seemingly, all of a sudden. They usually aren't sudden for the person who causes the change. They ARE all of a sudden for those who have to pick up the slack.
I've served as president of our Junior High PTA this year and for the whole first semester I haven't gotten any feedback from parents in terms of comments or concerns. Then suddenly--see, I have to deal with the changes--yesterday I had two parents who were very concerned about two serious issues.
One requested a specific speaker, who has been on national TV shows, etc, for his founding of the"No Cussing Club" in his junior high school several years ago. She wanted him to come do an assembly that all the students would attend to hear a message about proper verbal communication and the corresponding drop in bullying where these clubs are instituted. The speaker she asked for charges $2500 for a speaking engagement. (Yikes!) I will bring it up with the principal, but that is a LOT of money--regardless of how valid the message.
The other parent asked why we do not have a "white ribbon" week at our school. She asked me to put together something that would teach our kids Internet safety and pushes an anti-pornography message. Now, I definitely understand the importance of that message too, but questions my place as a community leader to indoctrinate my student's classmates in a moral issue. Sure, it is a safety issue--but more than that it draws on a family's moral compass. On the other hand there are plenty of families that don't or won't talk to their own kids about the seriousness of this and all of that child's peers are in danger when that doesn't happen.
These are the issues that make me tired of working in PTA. I feel like it is all I can do some days to support our administration in the eyes of our unparticipatory parents, fight for public education against the state legislature's attitude and subsequent rulings and legislation, encourage the faculty and staff of our school who are in the trenches, as it were, with our kids everyday. I tire of imagining new ways of communicating with parents who insist they "never know" what is happening at school, and above all that I have to create or continue ways that make money to support the programs we already have implemented in our school to help kids, teachers, administration, and families. Whew.
Maybe I should just crawl back into bed.
Then my conscious is flicked and I know that if I didn't do this, is there someone else that would? Maybe. But I sure have to beg, borrow, and steal the willing parents I do have helping out. And they are not beating my door down to take over. So, I'll stay my course for another year after this, as that is what I have committed to do, then I will just be a happy helper until The Boy is finished with his public school career.
At that point, I'll have to figure out what I really want to do when I grow up. It is too much to consider today. I have to go save the junior high students for moral disintegration.
