Question: Principal voting rights

We are starting a PTO group and I am a little troubled by giving teachers and principal voting rights. They are excited with the group and they will be a great addition to it, but do they NEED to have voting rights? I feel they should have veto rights, but not the power of voting against something we parents decide. What is the general rule on this?

Asked by Anonymous

Answers:

Community Advice

callwood4 writes:
It depends on how your bylaws were/are written. Also if you have a paid member organization, consider the leverage you have when defining the different levels of memberships - what they can or cannot do is determined by your governance or bylaws. If your group is 'staff heavy' boundaries should be set and the same goes for a 'parent heavy' board in the absence of a staff liaison.

Community Advice

chidek writes:
My group is a PTA and the Principal serves more in an advisory capacity. She doesn't have a vote per se (but we would never do anything against her wishes). She gives us the leeway to decide grants to teachers & staff and other decisions ourselves and we operate more independently than what you are describing. It does go back to your bylaws and standing rules.