Kate Hackett
“AITA for screwing over all the people who donated their time and money?” — yep, that’s the title of our post today. u/ptawoesandtrials really set us up for an easy A-hole verdict, don’t you think?
NOPE.
Reddit actually said they are NOT the a-hole — let’s find out why.
OP provided property and furnishings for a PTA event to raise money for new cheerleader uniforms. People spent LOTS of time preparing for the event.
The PTA has been planning a fundraiser for months to raise money for new cheerleader uniforms. The old uniforms are very outdated, and all the kids are excited about getting new ones, including mine. Early in the planning I agreed that my property could be used at no cost for the event, and that I would provide all the furnishing. Other people worked hard on buying/making items to be sold at the fundraiser. Some people spent upwards of hundreds of hours and/or dollars for the event.
And then the football coach said their equipment was worn out.
At a recent meeting, the football coach said the equipment was badly worn out and needed to be replaced ASAP.
And suddenly, the event was now going to raise money for the FOOTBALL team — Jesus.
A vote was held, and the majority voted that this fundraiser would be for the football team instead of the cheerleaders. I was pissed. Football is always the top priority.
OP was pissed. They spent money and time and effort to help the CHEERLEADERS. Not football.
I went above and beyond here specifically to help out the cheerleading team. My child and all their friends on the team got their hopes up only to be dashed.
So they told everyone the property wasn’t available and they needed to find somewhere else.
I told everyone my property would no longer be available for use, and they would need to find a new venue. People panicked and got very angry, including several people who voted against the change.
People got pissed. They whined about throwing away all this hard work and OP rightly asked them how the cheer team felt.
They said my decision was equivalent to throwing all their hard work in the trash. I asked them how they thought the cheerleaders would feel. They said it was a vote, and I was acting like a dictator, that I can’t overrule the will of the majority.
OP said too bad. They also know they burned a helluva lot of bridges… so… were they a jerk?
I said they can do what they like, but not on my property. I know they won’t be able to find a venue this late, especially not at an affordable price. I understand I screwed over my friends, burned bridges and am likely going to be kicked off the PTA. I just can’t bring myself to help them. Am I a spiteful a-hole?
Nope, that PTA and the football coach are the jerks. And thank goodness, Reddit saw that too.
One user wrote, “NTA. This was a bait & switch. You agreed to having a fundraiser for the cheerleaders at your property, not the football team.”
“NTA. I would make it clear that the use of your property and the furnishings were YOUR DONATION to the cheerleading team. As the fundraiser is no longer for this same team, your donation is not applicable,” said a third Redditor.
“NTA. You agreed to let them use your property for a fundraiser that would directly benefit school activities that your family is involved in. It is completely delusional of others to think that you would continue to host the fundraiser when the fundraiser was altered to no longer benefit school activities that your family is involved in,” wrote another.
