Question: Officer Elections vs Principal's Decision

Our small school has had the same PTO officers for the past two years. The vice president will be moving next year and will not be involved. Therefore, our principal has decided that the current officers will keep their positions, and the secretary will be the new vice president. We recently voted for our new secretary since that was the only position open. I feel that my right to vote for next year's PTO board has been stripped from me. Does the principal really have the authority to determine who our officers will be? (We have no bylaws because they were "lost" according to our current president)

Asked by Anonymous

Answers:

Community Advice

ecatala77 writes:
You are right to question the principal's actions. The principal does not chose the officers, the general membership votes on the officers. Your bylaws should state that a nominating committee presents a slate of officers.The slate is presented at one general meeting and voted upon at the next. ..As for your bylaws: both the president and the secretary in any organization are required to keep the latest copies of the bylaws. If your president doesn't have them, ask the secretary.. If your group is a PTA, then you are probably required to send copies of your bylaws to your district or state PTAs. The Bylaws chairperson on the next level should have a copy ..You should also form a bylaws committee (perhaps over the summer) to write new bylaws. Present the new bylaws to your general membership at a meeting in the fall. The members can make suggestions for changes at that meeting. Then vote on the new bylaws at the following meeting.