# Either volunteer or STFU **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 13, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836 "2013-11-13T17:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/21 "2013-11-14T08:50:47Z")
Can I volunteer to STFU? ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/22 "2013-11-14T09:47:03Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Boosterthon? Well, it sounds to me like it turns kids into car thieves, a very useful skill! All you need to do is run Boosterthon in parallel with Booserthon - win-win, or more likely, win-burp. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/23 "2013-11-14T13:45:21Z")
I call them the peanut gallery and they exist at work as well…people who never do the work and only show up at meetings to criticize the work being done or to throw roadblocks in the way of getting work done. I’d never say it to the hardworking PTA volunteers, but we write a check and go to the school carnival. All selling materials hit the trash when they come home. This one sounds like a sponsorship for running, I like that better. Reading would be good as well. But I wish there weren’t a huge pep rally and the promise of crap. Have a pizza party for everyone, and give small gift certificates to the top three money raisers. The companies who run things like this reek of scam to me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/24 "2013-11-14T15:17:35Z")
I’ve missed the meme. Can somebody take pity and tell me what “Death to the Jews! potato chips” is all about? ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/25 "2013-11-14T15:28:34Z")
> [@Happyasaclam](#): > > My hats off to any kind of volunteer in schools. > it’s a real cut throat place to be sometimes. > I too pay for PTA and stfu. I tried to read this as haiku, since that’s what it looks like. > [@C3](#): > > Huh. I was going to guess Chik Fil A (which seems to be way too involved in all of our school’s fundraising efforts). Out of all the stuff we do, Boosterthon is my favorite. I like the message - exercise & good sportsmanship. The prizes are reasonable - sunglasses, balls, frisbees (not the unreachable iPad if you sell $8000 worth of stuff). They get pledges for the laps they run instead of selling junk nobody wants. And they have to actually run the laps. Not to mention, all the really hot Boosterthon guys work carpool the week of the event. Yeah, they need to STFU. Even before you got to the hot guys, I liked this a lot. But add in the hot guys and, well, let’s just say I’m taking notes for the next PTA meeting. FWIW, to the parents and fundraisers in the thread, the company that takes your child’s artwork and puts in on mugs, tiles,aprons, etc, is a good fundraiser, too. I hate the fundraisers, usually, and I spend a crapton of money on that one every year. Christmas gifts for the grandparents, mostly. (Posted from my iPhone that has a case featuring my son’s drawing…) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/26 "2013-11-14T15:33:38Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I’ve missed the meme. Can somebody take pity and tell me what “Death to the Jews! potato chips” is all about? Now with 30% more Jew! Actually, it’s just a suggestion about what a PTA might buy that would be worth a parent protesting even though the parent had been too disinterested to participate in the decision making process. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/27 "2013-11-14T15:47:11Z")
My wife is active on our PTA. So I get to hear about these type of people all the time. STFU is the only acceptable response to them. > [@YogSosoth](#): > > If its NAMBLA I can kind of sympathize with them… What did Marlon Brando Look-Alikes ever do to you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/28 "2013-11-14T16:12:52Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > The Zyklon B flavored ones aren’t too bad. They’re to die for. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/29 "2013-11-14T16:41:03Z")
Is Boosterthon one of those that pimps out kids to sell their shit so the school gets a miniscule cut of profits? [rant]I agree with the OP as much as anybody about don’t bitch about it BUT as a parent I am really tired that the schools contributing to big companies turning students into cookie-dough/wrapping-paper/chocolate-bar/magazine-subscription whores. If you want to raise funds, have the school run the fundraiser for themselves and stop enslaving our children for two weeks to some company that will make bank off the kids and give a pittance back to the schools.[/rant] From [here](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-10-25/news/ct-met-boosterthon-20131025_1_boosterthon-fun-run-pta-market-day) > [@](#): > > But some parents in the Chicago area and elsewhere are concerned that the company pushes kids to raise money while keeping nearly half of the proceeds as its part of the deal. They also question why a for-profit company is allowed to use valuable school time that they believe teachers need to help kids meet academic standards. So it looks like it’s not candy bars or wrapping paper but they’re still pimps. Sorry boozilu, I gotta side with the parents on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/30 "2013-11-14T17:00:43Z")
I agree with the general thrust of the OP. I also agree with parents not wanting the “KIDS! SELL 10,000 MAGAZINE AND YOU’LL BE ENTERED TO WIN A REAL PLAYSTATION 2!!” hard sell at school. That said, I think the appropriate response is to dump the sales info in the trash can, explain that it’s pretty much just a scam and consider being more involved next year if it means that much to you. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/31 "2013-11-14T17:01:11Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Is Boosterthon one of those that pimps out kids to sell their shit so the school gets a miniscule cut of profits? > > [rant]I agree with the OP as much as anybody about don’t bitch about it BUT as a parent I am really tired that the schools contributing to big companies turning students into cookie-dough/wrapping-paper/chocolate-bar/magazine-subscription whores. If you want to raise funds, have the school run the fundraiser for themselves and stop enslaving our children for two weeks to some company that will make bank off the kids and give a pittance back to the schools.[/rant] > > From [here](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-10-25/news/ct-met-boosterthon-20131025_1_boosterthon-fun-run-pta-market-day) > So it looks like it’s not candy bars or wrapping paper but they’re still pimps. Sorry boozilu, I gotta side with the parents on this one. But the OP isn’t really about whether the dea is good or bad for the school, it’s a rant about parents who don’t participate in the decision process getting all bent out of shape about the decision that ultimately gets made. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/32 "2013-11-14T17:02:51Z")
I’m also curious if the PTA members and school faculty are going to go out and ask for sponsors and then run the laps with the students or if it is only the students that have to do it. Also, what will the PTA do if a student doesn’t want to participate but is being pressured to? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/33 "2013-11-14T17:17:18Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > But the OP isn’t really about whether the dea is good or bad for the school, it’s a rant about parents who don’t participate in the decision process getting all bent out of shape about the decision that ultimately gets made. I can’t judge the OP’s PTA but there are two possibilities to consider: 1. Some state PTAs ban the sort of fundraising the OP is discussing. If I were in a state like that, the parents may not feel it’s necessary to discuss the fundraiser and only complain after the fact when the PTA violates state rules. 2. How convenient are the meetings? My son was at one school where PTA meetings were one Wednesday a month a 2:00 in the afternoon. How could working parents attend meetings? Oh and the only reason I knew that was I asked the school. The info was not given to parents. I had an opportunity to attend a meeting and it was eight ladies and they hated that an outsider showed up the “their” meeting. Very unwelcomed. I also worked at a school where the PTA met on the 2nd and 4th Thursday at 3pm. Again, how many working parent could show up. If the OP tells us that there were a couple of meetings with notice at times that working parents could show up and that it was an open forum where parents could express themselves, then I may join the STFU crowd but I’ll still think it’s a really bad fundraiser. Hell they could run a Run-a-thon themselves and keep 100% of the money if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/34 "2013-11-14T19:52:20Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Is Boosterthon one of those that pimps out kids to sell their shit so the school gets a miniscule cut of profits? > > [rant]I agree with the OP as much as anybody about don’t bitch about it BUT as a parent I am really tired that the schools contributing to big companies turning students into cookie-dough/wrapping-paper/chocolate-bar/magazine-subscription whores. If you want to raise funds, have the school run the fundraiser for themselves and stop enslaving our children for two weeks to some company that will make bank off the kids and give a pittance back to the schools.[/rant] I agree. Just because I wasn’t part of making a decision doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. You’d think a body of rational people could make a rational decision. Parents can’t be everywhere, maybe the they couldn’t attend the PTA meeting because they were having chemotherapy, church, sports, or a thousand other things. Boosterthon is a bad choice. My kid goes to school to learn, not to be pumped up by flashy presentations to sell shit items for crappy prizes. ---
**Author:** ![davidklk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@davidklk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidklk)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/35 "2013-11-15T13:08:24Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Participate or not, selling _Death to the Jews!_ brand potato chips might have some negative connotations for the school. 🙂 Are they the chips that give you terrible gas? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/36 "2013-11-15T13:11:10Z")
> [@davidklk](#): > > Are they the chips that give you terrible gas? Surely you’ve heard of the “killer fart.” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836/37 "2013-11-15T13:53:43Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I call them the peanut gallery and they exist at work as well…people who never do the work and only show up at meetings to criticize the work being done or to throw roadblocks in the way of getting work done. Back when my dad was Chairman of Buildings & Grounds for the private school that he sent 4 kids through (and stayed on as chairman for several years after we were all done) he had a few people like this. One day he pulled one particularly vocal one off to the side and suggested that he run for chairman the following year when he [my dad] leaves the post. The guy seemed taken back and my dad explained that all this guy ever did was show up at every.single.meeting and shoot down ever.single.idea. but offer no alternatives, no better ideas, no new ideas of his own, his sole purpose seemed to be to come in and tell them that all their ideas were terrible. My dad went on to say “Since all of our ideas are so bad, you must be full of good ideas that we _should_ be doing so I expect you to run next year”. When the guy told my dad that he had no intention of running (as my dad expected) my dad asked him to stop coming to the meetings since he was just being disruptive to getting anything done. From what I understand he stopped showing up after that. A few points. 1)My dad can be a bit confrontational. I’m guessing this guy isn’t. 2)I could be wrong, but I want to say that this guy didn’t have any kids in the school, he may have just been a parishioner. 3)I don’t think anyone would have cared if he continued to show up if he stopped being such a jackass about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/either-volunteer-or-stfu/673836.md?page=1)