PTA: Pushing Their Authority

Those two smiling faces you see above belong to Stevie and Anthony. The photo was taken last year right after Anthony visited his school’s Snack Shack and bought some goodies for himself and to share with his buddy. Scented pencils, to be exact.

It was all bought with his Tooth Fairy money. This is evident by the gap in Anthony’s gums.

These two kids are inseparable: constantly playing during recess, always looking out for each other, staying out of trouble like all good kids do. The relationship and bond also spills over to the parents of these two happy kids as the dads and moms have much in common (although Stevie’s dad, who claims to be in need of getting in shape, doesn’t look like he needs help).

The moment you see above is not uncommon. Anthony is always buying things not only for his best bud, but for his other friends every Thursday. That’s the kind of kid he is despite those occasional moments we’d rather forget.

He’s caring. He’s smart. He’s got a big heart. This is the young man who bought me a coffee mug yesterday with the money he had earned by mowing the lawn and helping his grandfather hang Christmas lights.

This is also the young man who was denied entry to his school’s PTA-sponsored Christmas Boutique.

The story, as Anthony tells it, begins with his going to the event with this class this morning. He was met at the door by a PTA volunteer who matter-of-factly asked my son if he had any money to spend as only those with cash were admitted entry.

He showed the woman what he had and went on to explain that it was money that Stevie had given him as a way to thank him for all that he has bought for him throughout the years they’ve known each other.

The woman, flexing her authority in the oh-so-powerful position of Holiday Boutique Door Monitor, replied to Anthony’s explanation by allegedly telling him he “was a bad friend” and that he was “taking his friend’s money.” She also allegedly told him to give the money back and went even further by telling Anthony he was not to come back to the boutique.

Ann told me that Anthony was crushed and nearly in tears as he gave his story to her, but you wouldn’t have known it by the time I got home from work. The sadness had turned to anger and resentment toward those in charge of the event.

With budget cuts happening on a regular basis and schools looking for any way to raise money for their causes, I found it absolutely absurd that this woman went so far as to tell Anthony that his money, which was willingly given to him by his best friend, would not be welcomed. Things must be going better than I ever expected if the Powers That Be at the PTA can exercise the right to discriminate against whomever they choose and for whatever reason they believe, and go so far as to be judgmental and have a condescending attitude towards the children their organization is supposed to be assisting.

And as long as we’re being judgmental, it seems like said organization might just be comprised of failed high-school cheerleaders-turned-soccer moms looking to find some kind of acceptance in their dull, mundane lives. A sorority for those who weren’t good enough or didn’t have the proper connections to get into a sorority in their younger, more formative years.

Believe me, I’m trying my best not to use the language I would prefer to use when describing what happened today. But I won’t as I don’t believe that they are necessary for this post.

I saved those scathing words for the e-mail I sent to the President of his school’s PTA, in which I describe the situation and suggested that some members of the blue-blooded clan might benefit from attending an Interpersonal Communications course from the local community college, more specifically, one stressing the importance of communicating with young children.

He didn’t want his picture taken with Santa Claus this year and still believes the Tooth Fairy will sneak in his room after he loses a tooth. Either way, Anthony is a kind, caring kid and he nor any other child ever deserves to be spoken to and treated in the manner in which he was today.

More importantly, by a member of or volunteer for his school’s PTA.