As president of our PTO in this Mississippi small town, I would like to sound off about what I feel is going on.

We are having some of the same problems that everyone else is faceing. Our biggest problem is lack of involvement. We had to organize our PTO this year, proper procedure ect..., it took alot of time and effort on the part of a few members. People don't realize that alot of the work that is done is done by one or two people and is done behind the scenes. If parents would take the time to pick up the phone and call the president to find out what they could do, things would go alot smoother. Parents tend to want to be "told" what to do. That does not work very well either because then the president is often accused of "picking". I have put my e-mail and phone number on every newsletter and everything else asking for volunteers, I have only received one phone call this whole year and it was from an irate parent wanting to change to PTA because she thinks that will "save our school". As far as the fighting at the meetings go.....I personally had to endure such an attack, PTO vs PTA, at the beginning of this year. I have three kids at home and lots of other responsibilities, I don't have time or the desire to even finish out my term. I have taken alot of time away from my family and am beginning to get very bitter about the "politics" involved in all of this. Nobody, especially the students, will ever benefit from all of these BAD ATTITUDES. This will be my last meeting as I am going to resign at the end of it.

i suggest you have a parlimentarian, they would call the meeting out of order when the agenda is not followed. A limit on open discussions also would help, say 1 minute only, then the discussion would have to move on. You as a member could call the meeting out of order when things go off the agenda and begin turning into a witch hunt. if your group follows parlimentary procedures this going over in a meeting could be deflected. read roberts rules of order, our group had to adopt the more formal approach (our meeting were always very informal) also because our meetings were also going over with nothing being accomplished.(griping among members) this also gives everyone a voice in where the meeting goes. hope this helps.

I agree with gifford. With one exception. Look at this page, and you can clearly see you are not alone! So don't give up!! Remember not only should you be there for the support of the other board members, but ultimately you are there for your child (children?). You don't want that kind of behavior filtering down to the kids. Hang in there, change what you can and accept what you can't, but don't give up.

to get back to the original question with concerned mom--and ignoring all the other totally inmature responses in between--to stay away from your schools pto meeting will let down the group as a whole. you whould stand up and let your feelings be known in the meeting. As a president I know many times I do not say what I really feel, to not offend others and to give the person venting enough time to get around to what their real problem is. (the more they talk, the more you find out and hopefully learn from). But if you never go back you will be letting down the one person you considered right in the situation. Just plan what you want to say when you see it going down hill again and don't be afraid to speak up.

This seems a little tooo strange. Just by reading the posting, you would think it is people form the same PTO going back and forth. If so wouldnt it be much more productive and less petty to discuss this as adults on the same team??? After all we ARE on the SAME TEAM with any PTO. I have been reading postings here for some time now. I must say I hope this is not the start of something so unproductive. Tim, thank you for your help!!!!

Chrystal ;
I also was looking through all the posts here. You are right in regards to the proper place to take these issues. This board is not the place to bring those items. Sometimes it can be hard to know/realize exactly where/who to take your issue to, and many people make that mistake in thinking that their P.T.O.is the overriding authority in such matters. Perhaps if the issue were brought up at a P.T.O. meeting ,under new business, such would be pointed out to them. As for the secretary/principal item noted by another parent; our school does the same thing. When the principal has a meeting, you can bet it is usually in regards to the betterment of our school. [check your email Chrystal]
LORI