Monday, February 4, 2008

I'm Not Your Commission-Free, Full-Time Salesperson

Just because I had a couple of children, don't expect me to be a willing, volunteer, full-time salesperson for your constant bombardment of fund raising crap you fling my way. My kids attend a public school, and the number of fund raisers is enough to drive a person crazy. Maybe I'm just stupid, but aren't my taxes supposed to fund public education? What about the California lottery money that was supposed to "save the schools." Last I heard, the amount of money the local elementary school received from the lottery was about $250. Yeah, we're saved, alright... way to go California Lottery. What complete bullshit. Guess how I'm voting on the upcoming ballot initiatives that are promising to "save the schools" and solve our budget woes?

No matter what my kids are involved in, there is a constant, ongoing fund raising drive for cookie selling, magazine selling, T-shirt selling, etc. I will gladly give a flat donation or pay the full cost of the activity/sport, and leave me the f*** alone. Thank you.

3 comments:

CG said...

I always felt like a lone voice crying in the wilderness at the PTA meetings when I suggested an option for people to just DONATE rather than bake cakes etc. Apparently i wasn't helping to build communities.

Anonymous said...

What really drives me crazy is that we're selling for the damn "fund-raising" company. If we were able to donate the money directly, at least the school would get it all. Maybe the schools should give parents the option of buying out each year with $100 or whatever amount. Maybe it would cut down the amount of fund-raisers by a few!!!

Anonymous said...

As a now grandma that has "been there, done that" as a parent; indeed "get mad as hell and don't take it anymore." Now with the internet ~ I get the grandsons' elementary school fundraising pleas via e-mail! Oh joy, oh rapture ... oh baloney. I agree thoroughly; it's doing more for the companies than it is the schools. I'll cut out the middle-man thank you and give the money straight to the needy. And I'm all for creating community; it can be done without the influence of the allmighty dollar and consumer mentality. Really - it can!

The kids - the genuine need - YOU ... are all indeed being *used* people; wake up and smell the coffee..