A few weeks ago, Ironflower participated in something called "Theater Week". I could write an entire post about how proud I was that she got over her perceived stage fright and just loved the experience. But really, I kinda suck at those kinds of posts. I could also write about how "Theater Week" is a great racket for an out of work actress who winds up essentially narrating the vast majority of the show and telling the parents to clap every 30 seconds. But that would be so cynical.
So instead I'll pick on the school organization that sponsored Theater Week. This organization does many wonderful things for the schools and community and many wonderful parents (okay, moms, but let's pretend I live a less sexist life, mmmmkay?) are a part of it. When they called to tell me that I had not, in fact, paid them dues this year and how this meant Ironflower would be lower down on the list for Theater Week, I paid the dues. I get that dues = money for Theater Week. I had no problem when I had to volunteer for Theater Week, either. That's how these privileges work.
My problem came while I was volunteering. I had signed up for an afternoon rehearsal and was assigned to selling tickets. The woman I was helping was in charge of the tickets and completely, wonderfully organized. We had a lot of time to chat. When I mentioned maybe I would join the Theater Week committee when the youngest hit kindergarten, she explained that it was a 2 year commitment. And that you didn't get to pick what committee you were on, the President did that. She herself had been picked for Theater Week even though her sons were in 7th and 8th grade (too old to participate) and they had gone to private school until they were in 5th, thus missing Theater Week entirely. Later on I discovered that she was missing her son's basketball game to be sitting there selling tickets.
Really????????????????????? (said in the style of Amy Poehler)
Over one hundred children participated in Theater Week. Am I supposed to believe that not one of their mothers was capable of handling ticket sales? It just seems so heavy-handed and controlling. A nasty way to treat volunteers, even. I know that it takes a village and all that, but does being part of the village mean you ignore your own children?
Of course, this could just be typical school organization behavior. I wouldn't know. I generally volunteer with classroom stuff. And when I was teaching, we didn't even have much of a PTO, let alone other organizations. We would have let volunteers help in any way they wanted, we were so desperate for them.
2 comments:
I was on the executive committee of our PTO during Julia's first two years of school where the chief complaint was that no one was willing to help out. I didn't see it that way. I felt like people where very much willing to help when the help they were able to offer was accepted.
I'm not on the PTO this year. I probably won't be next year either.
That's insane. Also, a poor utilization of willing volunteers. Shouldn't they be more focused on using the skills that each volunteer can bring to the table? Like, a professional in the financial sector would be better off doing something with finances than, say, blowing up balloons.
And a two year commitment? I'm surprised that they get any volunteers at all. And missing your kid's basketball game because some control freaks said you have to? Bullshit. See, that's part of my problem. I've never had much respect for authority, because I really don't believe that most "authorities" actually are authority. Do you pay me? No- not my boss, can't tell me what to do. Can you send me to jail? No. Sorry, can't tell me what to do.
Sorry... sore button for me. :-D You can see why I exasperated my teachers... (I usually liked them, but the threat of detention or bad grades never meant a whole lot to me. And I'm the same as an adult.)
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