I just read the most recent comments about the fees going up. As a new school, parents showed up to meet the principal and make decisions. Of course, the word PTA came up and most parents went crazy! We vote for no to a PTA and want a different type organization! We started a Site Council and Parent Group.What the benefits have been - a lot of happy smiles! We have our quidelines we must follow and have parent leads, but no officers and everyone that comes to our parent meetings gets to vote on events and the Site Council of 10 parents and 10 staff members decide on the money issues at a seperate meeting. We do not pay any organization any fees for using their name, we are state approved, since it is not a law that you must be PTA. Though, some were confused and used to a PTA, we have benefits that will last a lifetime! Most parents agree that all has worked out very well! We love our Site Council and Parent group! Everyone feels included!

I don't mind the extra dollar but I'm afraid we're going to lose a lot of members. We had our Council meeting last night and 7 of the 11 schools represented said they think the dues increase might mean they'll leave PTA.

I think the national PTA must have been taken over years ago by left-wing activists who want to see a socialist system here in the USA. They scream bloody murder over the issue of school choice (vouchers for parents). They want the government to control where OUR KIDS go to school, parroting the teachers' union position. They never, as far as I've seen, take a position in opposition to the teachers' unions. I believe the need for a national organization representing parents and teachers is long since past. With the advent of the internet and all the communication it allows, parents can connect with one another without going through such a thing as a national PTA. They need to pack up and go home.

It is not about who you are, but what you DO!
I will confuse you even more. We are an "APT" and the HS. is an "APTS" (S=students). Why? Some years ago someone decided that $.95 per memeber was to much to pay to the national PTA orginization. That would require minimun menberships around $5 per member. So they formed the APT with $.05 going to the "district counsel" and $.95 staying in the school group. Allowing membership at $1.
Additionaly we would bennifit from the good
PTA press at the time. The money has made them like any other lobbying group.

But we have ~54% of our memberships at $25-$75. We keep the money.

Two years ago I went to their Web site and signed up for a e-mail. What a mistake! Lots of BS about what people did on the weekend and LOTS of people with to much time on their hands writing 1&2 page opinion pages. +150 emails a day. I unsuscribed fast.
This orginization and site are so much better, Information & not Editorials.
Remember YOUR TO HELP THE STUDENTS/KIDS!

The PTA is going to spend 3 million dollars a year on advertising? What does that do for our school? Nothing. What does that do for all children or whatever that PTA motto is? I don't know.

We have 211 members this year. If this increase goes through it will cost us another $211 to be part of the PTA. That's a lot for us. We're not in a rich town. We don't support the increase.