Well..... we had our meeting last night and I won in some sense of the word. We are not allowed to send the ballots home. Voting will take place at conferences on April 17th (my mom's birthday, I hope that brings me luck!!). What I did not win is the fact that the past president is still in charge of the election committee. That woman hates me to the point that she cut my kids out of the yearbook pictures, and put the treasurers youngest son, who is not even in our school yet, got his picture in it. As long as the box is monitored and made tamperproof, I guess there should not be a problem. I am just afraid that she will be sitting there telling people who to vote for. I am going to go to the principal about the yearbook though. I hope everything goes like it is supposed to!!

"I can't believe how these people act like children, let alone have them. I just want to be involved in my children's education. I want what is right for the kids, all of them, not just mine. It shouldn't be this hard."

This is exactly how I feel. I had a talk w/the principal this morning about that exact topic. I am only interested in enhancing the education of the students that attend the school. Believe it or not, at the high school level, there is less parental involvement, partially because the belief is that the students are less dependent. But with peer pressure being so paramount now, I think high school students are more dependent. Nonetheless, I am a parent of a high schooler - who through God's grace and guidance has maintained a 4.0 average since entering high school.

But this school system is very impoverished and the parents seem to either be motivated by their own greed or not motivated at all. The cliques are real, they are not imagined. I don't have to deal with cliques, but I do share your battle as it concerns problems with the PTO president offending parents, dominating situations, and not working with her board.

I don't think Metzy Mom realized that I agreed with her comments regarding the greedy and power hungry bad presidents. Metzy Mom has made several references to my comments, "highschoolish" - may be a concept that she means differently than I think.

I think it goes without saying that bylaws vary from group to group and system to system. From what you wrote, ours are very similar. I have recevied some sample bylaws from several people and found that there is a lot things my organization has left out. This is a great site and a great resource, even if it is gear toward K-8.

I, like you, appreciate being able to see that other people are experiencing some of the same problems. I appreciate being able to read about their resolutions.

Good Luck. MHS [img]smile.gif[/img]

."Scooby Doo, I've really got interested in this site partly because of your plight. I am anxiously awaiting your outcome. I sincerely wish you well. I hope you will post the results."

I feel so special!! Really!! You guys are about 80% of me deciding to run against this woman!! I would not have had the guts to do so before. So thank all of you for your support!! Midfield:I really don't think that Metzymom is against any of your comments. If you stop and look at all the things I have complained about on this message board pertaining to these woman I currently share the office of PTO board with, then I guess it does seem "high-schoolish". That is part of my problem. These people act like they are in high-school. As long as the few people the president "hangs" with think her decisions are "cool", thats all she cares about. She doesn't care about what happens in the long run. She doesn't consider how the children will be affected or how the other parents will react. I can't believe how these people act like children, let alone have them. I just want to be involved in my children's education. I want what is right for the kids, all of them, not just mine. It shouldn't be this hard.

[ 04-09-2002: Message edited by: Scooby Doo ]</p>

Scooby Doo: one of the posters referred me to the following website: www.myschoolonline.com/folder/0,1872,368...653-41-39624,00.html

It is fabulous. It even gives you an election and installaction scripts. Roberts Rules newly revised details this also. I hope you don't mind this reply.
MHS
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Scooby Doo:
hi! mykidsmom-a few years ago a recount was demanded and somehow the key got lost to the lock box and when they found it, well...the ballots were missing. The past president was in charge of that election committee too! I have had an interesting phone call and an anonymous e-mail stating that election was rigged and that this one is planning to be too. The past president wants the person I am running against to win. The problem is the parents don't want her to. I am 75% sure I will win if the votes are counted correctly, only we have nothing in our by-laws about who counts the votes, how the ballots are handled and by who. I am going tomorrow morning to have the principal take this woman off of the committee. I have printed out the e-mail to show him. Wish me luck!!<hr></blockquote>

Scooby Doo, I've really got interested in this site partly because of your plight. I am anxiously awaiting your outcome. I sincerely wish you well. I hope you will post the results.

MetzyMom: You seem to have a lot to say about or against my comments - seemingly because I represent a high school. Not that you are entitled to a reason, but it does seem that you need some enlightening: this is a website for open discussion forum, not a private chat room. If you don't agree, fine; but be respectful of other people’s opinion. Whether your child is in elementary or middle school, hopefully, they will be high school one day. Thus, believe it or not, the issues don't change, the parents do - they become less involved. I have found a lot of good information and resources. I represent a high school that has not had a PTO in 10 years. I am working to enhance the life of not only my highschooler, but all highschoolers in that school. That's a good thing. So if your many references to "high schoolish" are meant to deter me from commenting, redirect your attention to the real reason why you are labeled "bad president." You spend a lot of time critiquing rather than listening. Try it, it might help you in child's high school days.

P.S.: Just because your school does not charge for membership; does not mean that ALL schools function that way. There is an entire topic on those that do and those that don't. Expand your horizons, or is there room?

I went to see the principal this morning and he did not know that we sent ballots home with the kids. He said it was not only improper but irresponsible. He could not believe that this is how it has been done for the longest time and that no one has complained before and changed it. His resolution is to have the voting at the May meeting between 5 and 7 p.m. That way the parents that work can actually come to the meeting or at least the voting. He doesn't want it at Wednesday's meeting because he said there is not enough time to properly advertise it. He wants to put it on the school calendar and in this letter home to the parents. He said that he would sit in the office with the teacher rep. and another parent and cross off the members names as they vote so no one gets to vote twice and then take the box into the office with the two other people and count them. I trust the principal and the teacher rep., who happens to be my youngest son's teacher, they are very honest. I am worried about which parent will be picked though. That night is the night cub scouts meet too!! We get no parents at the meeting except for the past president and her friend. My hubby is the chairperson of the scouts and I am on the board, they don't like her, the current president, because she refused to sponser them this year on the advice of the past president. I am glad to see something being done by our principal. He seems honestly concerned about the way things have been run in past years. At least this way, if I lose, it will be honestly.