Our bylaws specify that to be an officer, you must be a parent/caregiver with a child in on of our schools (we have a PK-2 school and a 3-5 school). Also, attendance to our Executive Council meetings is open to committee chairs, school reps, officers and any interested members. The floor is open at the beginning of these meetings for anyone to address the group. The the open forum is closed and we (chairs, reps and officers) get down to business. Routinely it is just officers and an occasional chair that attend, but it is broadcast that anyone can attend.
As for voting, anyone can join the organization provided that they subscribe to the goals of the group and our bylaws. This allows them to vote on any and all matters from elections to spending money.
I hope this helps.
Jon
That is a really good way to take away any way for teachers and parents to work together to achieve the best they can for the school. Weither or not the teachers can attend ever meeting or not OR are elected to the Board, they are just as important cog as you and I are.
I agree. If you don't want them to be voting members, don't call it a PTO.
If your concern is that teachers might band together and elect too many school staff to the board, then amend your bylaws so that the board membership requires a specific balance.
Otherwise, I can't imagine why you would want to restrict their participation.
I am currently seeking advice on whether teachers should be allowed to vote for the election of executive board members. We are currently updating our by-laws and there are some who want to put in the by-laws that teachers not be allowed to vote when electing the executive board. Does anyone else have this in their by-laws? I feel that the teachers are an important part of the PTO. Please help.
