The PTA Disbands

It received favorable mention in books on The Simpsons and media reviews, and was cited by academicians, who analyzed portions of the episode from physics and psychology perspectives.

Edna Krabappel subsequently calls out Principal Skinner's overzealous budget cuts, having reduced funds for bus maintenance, staff salaries, food and teaching materials.

While school is closed, students cope in their own ways: Lisa grows increasingly obsessive in her desire to be graded, Milhouse's work ethic improves after his parents hire a private tutor, and Jimbo finds himself immersed in the intricate plots of his mother's soap operas.

With the two sides at an impasse and unable to reach an agreement at an emergency PTA meeting, Ned Flanders evokes the school's contingency plan of having classes taught by local volunteers.

While this ploy gets the children back to school, it has its own disadvantages: Professor Frink is ill-equipped to teach preschoolers, Jasper is forced to send Lisa's class home early when his beard gets stuck in a pencil sharpener, and Marge becomes Bart's teacher after he scares Moe and other substitutes with his pranks, making him a laughingstock among his peers due to her mothering.

This generates enough money to persuade teachers to return to work and keep troublesome students in line, although Bart intends to free Snake Jailbird.

[1] Then-show runner David Mirkin thought the episode had a lot of potential, and much of it is based on his experience as a child with schools running out of money.

The title was suggested by Mirkin and was intended to poke fun at Crittenden, who thought the most exciting part of the teachers going on strike would be that the PTA might disband.

[7] In their book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood describe "The PTA Disbands!"

"[4] In a review of the sixth season of The Simpsons, Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide writes: "I especially like the contrasts between how Bart and Lisa accept the strike.

Bart is thrilled ... Lisa, on the other hand, can't handle not being graded and evaluated every day, and slowly begins to lose her mind.

among "The Top Ten science moments in The Simpsons", writing: "Lisa gets so bored by a lack of schooling she builds a perpetual motion machine.

"[15] Arkin and Mazzocco note that this example is seen as an exception, writing: "Generally, however, the Simpsons are right on target in their understanding of the importance of self-esteem and the dynamics involved in the interplay between the social world and positive self-regard.