I'm a little perplexed... The PTA wants us to pay them to join. Is that the way it works? I don't remember them asking for money last year. Not that we joined, I just don't remember the note home. And it's not like they are asking for much. $5 isn't alot of money really.

Yet, something about having to pay to join the PTA isn't sitting right. Has it always been that way or is this a new thing? Something about this isn't sitting right with me. The school's PTA, as I recall, has weekly or monthly get-togethers at some rich cafe latte place. Will my $5 go to paying for somebody else's double chocolate french press cappacino with extra foam?

From the letter to the parents:

Texas PTA provides a wide variety of parent education information, program ideas and leadership opportunies to the local PTA. Your president can give you information about these and also tell you how you can attend special events such as council meetings, district meetings, district conferences, workshops, state leadership seminar and convention.

Does that mean if I don't cough up 5 bucks will I be barred from PTA meetings that concern my child's welfare? Do I not have a right to voice my pleasure or displeasure when it comes to my child's education?

Your membership and support allows the PTA to financially sponsor enriching projects such as Hands-On Science, field trips, teacher training, and technology improvements, just to name a few.

You mean to tell me that field trips and teacher training and technology improvements aren't in the budget of probably the richest Independant School District in and around Houston?

Oh, I've got extra incentive to join...

An ice cream party will be given for all the classes with 100% membership. (Some classes are only short by one or two students!)


So, you've got to guilt me to join now? I'd hate for the class not to have an ice cream party because I'm the one kid's parent who didn't pay up.

Let's do some math. Aprroximately 20 kids times $5... That's $100 dollars. Blue Bell Ice Cream is what about 5 bucks a gallon? For 20 kids, 4 gallons oughta cover it... $100 - $20 = $80 dollars. Plates or bowls, napkins and plastic spoons would be about $15 or $20 (have you help a birthday party for 20 kids?). So we're down to about $60 bucks.

Get one free [school] directory by joining the PTA!!!!

The PTA has to take about $10 loss for every free directory they give out, assuming it would cost non-PTA folks $10 to buy it from the school (that doesn't seem unreasonable to me). So, six people getting free directores brings us down to $0. But for the ice cream party to take place all the kids in the class have to have a parent pay to join the PTA. That's 14 more free directories which means the PTA is at a loss of $140.

Am I just rambling on here about a non-issue or am I onto something?