PTO Today

Last June, our high school voted to change back from a PTO to PTA.
The PTO opened the vote to ALL parents, teachers and students. not just the membership.

The by-laws contained nothing to limit the vote to only members, what can I do to make sure the vote was accurate? Who can I turn to? There is no State or National PTO.
I want to stay involved with my kid's school, but I don't want my money going to support some politician in Washington.
What next?

PTO Poppa - I had to spend some time this weekend thinking about your dilema.

Often on this board the question of switching from PTA to PTO comes up and the advice given is pretty consistent: (paraphasing)

Educate the community, let them vote and follow the majority rule.

It looks like that is what's been done. Your group has tried both systems. Based on those experiences the majority has decided that PTA is the way for them to go.

I believe that if such a major decision is to be made, it should be presented to the entire parent and staff population and not just to the current members. Maybe there are parents out there who would join if only it were a PTA. They should have a voice.

If it seems that it was a fair, educated, open process and the ulitmate decision was to switch, I would try my best to support the group. I would be curious to know if all of the folks who voted in favor of PTA actually come out to join and support the group as well!

I have the same issue you do with having to pay to be involved in a parent group and then having those funds go off to support programs I might not personally agree with. For those reasons, I probably wouldn't belong to a PTA group. I [i]would[/i] find some of the many other ways to get involved at the school and still be part of my child's education.

THink of it this way (and yes I am a PTA advocate- eventhough I dont agree with all their policies but I'm also Pro-PTO)

First the PTA monies dont go to politicians they go to lobbyist (decide which is the lesser of 2 evils) even PTO's are allowed to lobby

Ok now for the good part
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• $5 for membership</font>
• You get barnes and nobles and kinko discounts plus some other benefits</font>
• You join and get a voice in where part of that $$$ is spent (not always the part that goes 2 national, unfortunately)</font>
• You join and get to help your childs and others get a better education</font>

The other would be to not join and not get any of this

but that also doesnt mean you dont get a voice (just not a vote) or cant help further the school or your childrens and others education.

I dont agree with all of PTA philosophies especially recently but they have done lots of good things...

The bottom line is whats that $5 worth to you -- will Pride and Prejudice stand in the way -- either way its your deciscion do what you feel is right...

PTA/PTO both have their Pro and Cons and I've been member of both (dues and no dues from both)

Ask about the vote (hopefully you'll get info), but dont dwell (even if its not the outcome you'd like) on it, please

[ 09-05-2006, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: Shawn ]

Shawn - you had the exact words I was wishing for last night as a response to PTO poppa!

The bottom line for me is helping my kids and their school. Be it PTA/PTO -both are there for the good of our kids.

__________________
I[I]f you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain - Maya Angelou[/I]

[I]Life is an adventure - Seize each moment and make it your own[/I]!

Just out of curiousity have any of you EVER belonged to an organization where you were in full support of every idea, every officer's leadership style, every program?

Even the years I was president, that wasn't true for me in my own PTO.

I agree with the others. There are tons of benefits, lots of resources. Focus on the parts that add value to you. Either ignore the parts you aren't fond of or find a way to influence change.

[ 09-07-2006, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: JHB ]

JHB when I first read your response I couldn't stop laughing...what a wonderful world it would be!

LOL! JHB, I am the Treasurer/Secretary of a Non Profit Sports Academy. The only other officer is the Director (my husband!) and I still didn't have full support for every idea or every program.

Guess we should all remember that it's best when we can agree to simply disagree at times!