I buy candy bars, wrapping paper, stickers, popcorn, cookie dough and books. I participate financially in every fundraiser to help my parent club reach the goal of its budget. This must be how Mr. Goldin felt with his budget cut. I don't feel like I'm inspiring anything, cupcake after cupcake. The school, with which I am involved, has a PTA budget that provides funds for paper and pencils for students and books for classrooms and libraries.
Technology also tops the list for our educational desires.
This is the newest endeavor, of most parent clubs, intended to provide the wiring necessary to connect the classrooms to the Internet. Neither school districts, school boards, the state, nor the federal government have designated funds for technological advancement of our students. I know of public schools whose parent clubs pay for staffing of teacher aides for music, science and computers. This reeks of legal danger, yet principals, school districts and the state turn the other cheek and accept parent club funds in the name of child education. The PTA has made themselves the primary organization of schools, nationwide, for fundraising activities.