There is a lot of information on this site about PTO committees - how to act, be professional, run a committee, etc.. But I am looking for inside information about joining a district committee or building committees that the PTO have nothing to do with.

1. What are the guidelines parents should follow?

2. Should you really offer input or just stay neutral?

3. Why do districts offer to have parents on committees - do they really want them there or is it just show?

Being a parent leader runs such a risk of being labeled a PITA (pain in the you know what). Any suggestions or past experiences you could share would be great.

Thanks

I'm sure every district is different, but our district frequently has parents on committees, and they genuinely want input from the parents. In fact, there are committees that are almost solely parents with some board member (non voting) representatives only.

The board knows that the parents are the ones who voted them in, and they want to be sure they have the community support with what they're doing and finding solutions to their problems that will be palatable to all and feasible.

But this isn't every district, I'm sure.

I will say that some committees in our district are ... more controversial. There are committees where decisions are made (recommendations given to the board) that are not the most popular for some segments of the community, and those segments can be very vocal -- and in some instances very personal. Not to scare you off from participating by any means, but just so you know what is out there. If you have something to contribute, do so -- just make sure that you're following the guidelines and being respectful in your contributions.

Good luck!
Michelle