Comments on: Sarah Palin, PTA and Politics

By: PTO does prepare you for U.S. vice presidency « Bitchy Mommy Blog

PTO does prepare you for U.S. vice presidency « Bitchy Mommy Blog — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:16:15 +0000

[...] When Sarah Palin was named John McCain’s running mate, she pointed to her tenure as a PTA president as part of her qualifications for the U.S. vice [...]

By: Brenda

Brenda — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:20:30 +0000

I think it is great that anybody whose eldest child isn’t ‘in’ school yet would join the PTO. Our school serves 2 pre-school classes, I hope to recrute those parents, and Grandparents. So many of our children don’t have Grandparents to look up to and I can attest to the fact that when I get our Seniors to come in…those kids love it!! Many of our Seniors don’t get to see their own Grand kids or don’t have any of their own, and being @ school with our students makes their whole week better. I have had many say Thank You over and over, but the Thanks comes from both their faces and our students. I go to the Senior Center and set up schedules and it can bring tears to your eyes when they all or most of them, want to come ASAP!!
Thank You,

By: tsullivan

tsullivan — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:23:51 +0000

PTA membership is open to anyone, and it’s not unusual at all for a politician, especially, to join the local PTA. You’ll find many mayor and city council types with memberships in all of the Elks, the Rotary, the Lions and other civic organizations.

By: Marsha

Marsha — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 04:48:04 +0000

My understanding is that Sarah Palin was in the PTA before she ran for city council. If she was a member of the city council in 1992 Track would have been 3 years old. Why was she in the PTA if her eldest child was only 3?

By: Judi

Judi — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:00:21 +0000

501s cannot endorse candidates, but I agree that a ’salute’ kind of release would have been OK.

If you spend anytime on the blogs, you will see that being a ‘PTA mom’ is being derided. What a shame.

She did not compare being a community organizer to the PTA- she compared it to being a mayor. She also didn’t say that’s what qualified her.

She was making the point that when you are involved (PTA/PTO), you get to know other families.

“I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town. I was just your average hockey mom, and signed up for the PTA,” Palin said before being interrupted by a protester.

She completed her comment about the PTA saying, “I signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids’ public education better,” she said, speaking of her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, with a population of about 6,500.

“When I ran for City Council, I didn’t need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew their families, too.”

Politico has an article about this, but most of the people refused to speak to them. They only found a few years in the state PTA (paper) records. Not sure how much of that is acurate though, nor does it say if she chaired committees.

By: Tim Sullivan

Tim Sullivan — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 01:33:52 +0000

PTO Today’s official stand? We don’t have an official stand. PTO Today doesn’t advocate or lobby for or against any candidates. I’m not even sure if we’re technically restricted from endorsing specific candidates; we just don’t do it. Additionally, we really don’t advocate one or another on any political issues, though we aren’t shy about speaking up about the importance of parent involvement in schools.

By: Dixie

Dixie — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:10:10 +0000

what is the PTOtoday’s official stand on the candidates. Does PTO today have restrictions on endorsing specific candidates?

By: tsullivan

tsullivan — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:09:37 +0000

Allison — Just saw your last question. No, I don’t think that the national PTA should be leading the “elect Palin” cheers. But I do think a general: “Congratulations to former PTA volunteer Sarah Palin on her nomination to the second highest office in the land” would be more than appropriate.

By: Tim Sullivan

Tim Sullivan — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:01:32 +0000

Quick response to both. I think it’s a good discussion.

Agree that there is a good analogy to the “community organizer” stuff with Obama. It’s OK, in my opinion, to question whether community organizing or PTAing is good preparation for dealing with Putin and Russia, but inappropriate, unfair, and harmful to start trashing those roles outright. Both are valuable and worthy of praise.

On the PTA memo, I hear you and did read the reference to nonprofit rules, but I guess I’d just say I’m skeptical. I don’t think it’s accurate to say that all PTA can say is: “yes, she was a PTA volunteer. Period.” Can’t say: “vote for Sarah”. But can say a lot more, if they wanted, than what they are saying.

By: Allison

Allison — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:25:56 +0000

And having read the link you posted, it is clear that the advise is that PTA spokespeople cannot endorse any candidate, according to the organization’s bylaws and the rules of nonprofit corporations. The letter clearly says, “We can only wish her luck but as an organization we are restricted in what we can do.”

I don’t think they should be “leading the Palin cheers.” Do you?