PTA: Direct Appeal and Credit Cards?

I know at my child's school they are ready have them selling magazines in a fund raiser!!! To me this is insane. my children started school on Aug. 31 and this is only the 2nd full week of school!!! I think its ridiculous, parents are already at stress overload and not only are we all getting into the routine again, but we have our child's school supplies and such and now a fund raiser too!!
Absolutely, no consideration!

Regarding: "I want my money to go to the library, so I write a check to the school and specify where the money is to be spent. ... I wish more people realized they can specify how their money is spent ..."

No guarantees there, as in most cases the money is fungible. That is, if a lot of people donate to the library, that frees up some of what the district was planning to spend on the library and they can re-direct that money to whatever fad suits their fancy.

At our old school, the PTO asked for donations equivalent to what we thought we'd spend if the kids were selling all the junk no one wants anyway. The principal wouldn't allow selling. Yeah for him! I'd give about $100.

Now at our current school, they're doing what they call a Move-a-Thon. I can't for the life of me understand why it's a success, but it is. The kids get donations/pleges, but the pledges have nothing to do with how the kids perform at the Move-a-Thon itself. The M-A-T is an event during school where the kids run races, do obstacle courses and the like for about an hour. Last year they managed to raise $35,000! This year's goal is $45,000, and I'm not so sure they won't get it. They're already up to $20,000+, and that was only about a third of the donations so far.

Ideally they'd like each kid to bring in $100 in pledges, but there's no obligation. This year's winner for the most money brought in is a first grader! He got $900 in pledges and matching contributions from his mother's company. Amazing.

I don't like how they chose to spend the M-A-T money last year, so I didn't donate this year. I want my money to go to the library, so I write a check to the school and specify where the money is to be spent.

I'm all for PTOs or schools asking for donations straight out -- the school gets money without having to go through the hassle of selling junk, but I wish more people realized they can specify how their money is spent and don't have to donate to their PTA/PTO.

Our PTA asked for $20/child at the beginning of the school year. We also pay $10 for the membership fee. $500 is a very high amount. What are they actually doing with that much money?
We have another problem...most people are quite affluent, but they don't donate any money Iperhaps that's why they are affluent!! :) Most of the time, it's people who attend PTA meetings regularly also end up paying more and volunteering more!
Our PTA only takes cheques or cash.