Question: Should PTA be involved with boundary changes?
There are proposed boundary changes in our county. It will start with just one school and slowly spread. This change will mean children will be bussed out of their neighborhoods to the school to the east. Needless to say there is a lot more to it than that, but I am trying to keep it short. Our city mayor and commission and at least one state legislator are involved. There has been a debate as to whether our county PTA should be involved in this or should they remain neutral. Thoughts?
Craig writes: Issues like this are difficult. They affect everybody and you want to make sure the voice of parents is heard. On the other hand, chances are that not all parents have the same view on how or whether the new plan should be implemented. The question to ask in situations like this: Is there a way my group can get involved without harming our mission of creating the kind of school community where students and teacher can do their best work? If you take a stand, chances are some of your members will disagree. You don't want that kind of disagreement to harm the atmosphere in your school or group, but major political questions like this can be very divisive. Is there a way you can get involved without taking sides? For instance, maybe you can survey parents and present the results in a neutral way. Beyond that, I'd recommend staying away and letting parents who want to take part do it individually -- or by forming, for instance, a "Don't Change Our Boundaries" group separate from the PTA.
